Vertical Ohio, The Heart of it All logo with Ohio.org tag

COLUMBUS — A familiar tagline will be used to promote Ohio not only as a great place to visit, but as a great place to live, learn, work and raise a family, state officials have announced.

The return of “Ohio, the Heart of it All,” was unveiled in Cleveland during Ohio Tourism Day. Gov. Mike DeWine, first lady Fran DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Lydia Mihalik, director of the state’s department of development, were among those on hand for Wednesday’s announcement.

It marks the return of the state tourism slogan that had been used between 1984 and 2001.

“As Ohio evolves into a powerhouse for technology and innovation, we’re looking at the classic ‘Ohio, the Heart of it All’ tagline in a new way,” the governor said. “Our state is thriving, and we want the world to know that Ohio is the heart of technology, the heart of opportunity, the heart of adventure and the heart of family. This is a brand for all of Ohio, uniting everything we love about our great state under one powerful phrase.”

The new logo and refreshed brand will be promoted through social media posts, radio and brand videos running on broadcast, Connected TV and YouTube set to the song “Must be the Love” by Wesley Bright and the Honeytones, a soul band from Akron. The logo was designed by Columbus-based Ron Foth Advertising.

The state’s marketing strategy will encompass the message that Ohio offers job opportunities, family friendly communities and a great quality of life in addition to incredible tourism-related events, destinations and attractions.

“Tourism is big business in Ohio, but it’s only part of the puzzle,” said Husted. “We want to be champions for the state of Ohio. Moving forward, we’re going to be more intentional about attracting not only visitors, but also people who want to live, learn and work here.”

“The tourism and economic development messages can’t be separated anymore,” Mihalik added. “The ‘Ohio, the Heart of it All’ theme reinforces the idea that people can have amazing adventures and memorable moments by visiting here, but they also can build their careers, their homes, and their families here.”

Economic impact numbers for 2022 show just how big of an impact tourism has on the state’s economy. In addition to announcing the return of the “Ohio, the Heart of it All” tagline, TourismOhio, a division of the Ohio Department of Development, released figures showing the importance of the tourism industry to the state’s economy.

Returning to the former slogan drew a positive response.

“Ohio truly is the heart of it all. Our state has so much to offer– we have a low cost of living and a high quality of life. We are rich in natural resources, cultural amenities and economic development. We have flourishing, close-knit communities full of genuine, hopeful, hardworking people. These opportunities make Ohio an ideal state to live and work, and this slogan truly encapsulates that idea to the fullest extent,” said Steve Stivers, president of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

In 2022, Ohio’s tourism industry captured a record $53 billion in visitor spending and welcomed 233 million visitors from Ohio and other states. The industry also supported 424,339 seasonal, part-time and full-time jobs. These are solid increases over 2021’s numbers, when Ohio’s tourism industry generated $46.9 billion in visitor spending, welcomed 219 million visitors and supported 411,000 seasonal, part-time and full-time jobs.

TourismOhio also reported the return on investment from marketing efforts in 2022. For every $1 the state invested in tourism marketing in 2022, it generated $73 in direct visitor spending and $5 in taxes inside the state.