The majority of the visitors are from adjacent counties, and they plan their trip less than one month in advance, according to the results of a recent visitor survey. From May to October 1993, the Ohio State University Sea Grant Extension Program in Toledo and the Greater Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau asked 500 visitors at 35 visitor destinations throughout the Greater Toledo area if they would participate in a mail-in survey. The survey revealed that 87 percent of respondents have visited the Toledo area previously, and 63 percent go to the area at least once every year. Previous experiences were what attracted repeat visitors to the area. For the first-time visitor, recommendations from friends and newspaper, TV and radio advertising attracted them.
Adjacent counties are the primary market for Toledo area tourism businesses.
Toledo visitors plan their trip on a very short time horizon. About 39 percent of the tourists planned the trip less than one week in advance and 19 percent plan the trip in less than one month. Approximately half of the survey respondents visited shopping malls and restaurants. The most visited attraction was the Toledo Zoo. Visitors ranked more visitor attractions, less traffic congestion, and more advertising as the most important improvements needed.