Release Date: July 23,2026
New Report Shows Tourism Continues to Fuel Summit County’s Economy
AKRON, OH (July 23, 2026) – Tourism continues to play an integral role in Summit County's economy, generating billions in visitor spending, supporting thousands of jobs and strengthening local businesses across the community, according to the latest economic impact report released by TourismOhio.
The Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau (ASCVB) partnered with TourismOhio and Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, to analyze the latest visitor spending and tourism impact data.
Summit County Data
The study found the total economic impact of tourism in Summit County is $2.7 billion. Visitors generated $1.65 billion in direct spending in 2025, reinforcing tourism's role as one of the county's strongest economic drivers. Those dollars supported businesses across multiple sectors, including lodging, restaurants, retail, attractions, recreation and transportation.
Visitor activity directly supported 14,992 jobs and sustained an additional 6,103 indirect and induced jobs, accounting for 5.8% of all jobs in Summit County. These indirect and induced jobs include other sectors such as wholesale trade, manufacturing, construction and utilities, communications, government and more. Visitor spending, visitor-supported jobs, and business sales generated $350.5 million in government revenues, including $175.3 million in state and local taxes, resulting in an estimated $758 in tax savings per household for Summit County residents.
"Tourism is an essential part of Summit County's economy," said Gregg Mervis, president and CEO of the ASCVB. "Every visitor who stays in a hotel, dines at a local restaurant, shops, attends an event or explores one of our attractions contributes to local businesses, supports jobs and strengthens our community. These results demonstrate the tremendous value tourism brings to Summit County each year."
The Economic Impact Report also breaks down the data regionally across the state. Of the five regions, Summit County is part of the Northeast region, which continues to lead the state in tourism sales, accounting for 35% of Ohio's total visitor spending. The region generated $25.7 billion in sales and supported 185,490 jobs. Summit County contributed 10.4% of the region's total tourism sales, ranking second only to Cuyahoga County at 44.4%. Stark, Lake and Mahoning counties round out the top five counties by total sales.
Statewide Data
Across Ohio, tourism continued its strong momentum during 2025. The state welcomed 245 million visitors, who generated $44.3 billion in direct visitor spending. Average spending on overnight trips reached $409 per traveler, while day-trip visitors spent an average of $124. Visitor expenditures included lodging, restaurants, retail shopping, recreation and transportation, demonstrating tourism's widespread impact on Ohio's economy.
The findings reinforce the message behind the ASCVB's Tourism Drives Us campaign, which highlights the important role tourism has on our local economy. It also shows the impact the industry has on jobs and the quality of life for residents throughout Summit County. To learn more, visit visitakron-summit.org/tourism-drives-us.
About the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau (ASCVB), established in 1973, is the official destination marketing organization for Summit County, Ohio. Dedicated to promoting the region as a premier travel destination, the ASCVB works collaboratively with industry partners, stakeholders and the community to showcase Summit County's natural beauty, cultural attractions and unique experiences.