More than 100 people gathered Tuesday morning at the scenic Mac-O-Chee Castle for the Logan County Visitors Bureau’s Annual Breakfast—an event that highlighted the area’s growing tourism efforts and rolled out new opportunities for local businesses and organizations.
Director Anna Louden opened the morning by introducing the current Visitors Bureau Council, which includes Chair JD Harshfield, Past-Chair Monica Hurst, Vice-Chair Rebecca Smith, Treasurer Ben Vollrath, and members Matt Wiley, Todd McCormick, Hiedie Whitman, Kris Swisher, Margaret Piatt, Adam Rammel, Kara Kipker, Linda Vernon, and Sue Webster.
Louden reported on the bureau’s 2024 initiatives, including the fifth year of the popular “Best of LoCo” awards and continued success with the Coffee Trail, Ice Cream Trail, and Pizza Trail—three self-guided experiences that have become visitor favorites.
She also announced that Logan County’s tourism week will be held in August again this year, rather than May (when the state celebrates), to allow more students and families to take part.
One of the biggest updates came with the launch of a new Logan County Visitors Bureau Grant Program, designed to support one-time projects that enhance tourism in the county.
The goal? To improve the visitor experience, boost tourism dollars, and help beautify public spaces or create unique attractions.
Eligible projects might include anything from infrastructure improvements to special events or new tourism-focused programs.
The grant is open to local businesses and organizations, and applications are reviewed twice a year—in May and November.
To apply, groups must submit a proposal outlining the project, its impact on tourism, timeline, budget, and any supporting materials like quotes, designs, or letters of support.
The next application deadline is May 14.
The event also included the release of the new 2024 Logan County Visitors Guide, now available through the Visitors Bureau.
Louden recaps talks about what she’s looking forward to in 2025 and gives details about the grant:
Louden also reported that $26.6 million in total tax revenues are generated from tourism in Logan County.
For more details on the grant or upcoming tourism events, visit HERE.
