Groups team to push heritage tourism
MILFORD The Pike County Economic Development Authority (EDA) announced Wednesday that Milford is now being promoted on the heritage travel website, Goziac.com, as a heritage travel destination. The EDA was able to bring this opportunity to the community by partnering with the Milford Business Council which, along with the generous participation of the Historic Preservation Trust of Pike County, fully funded the initiative for two years. Gozaic is designed to “become the online destination of choice for cultural and heritage travelers and provide them with the tools to explore meaningful places and enrich themselves in their travels,” stated Scott Gerloff, Vice President of Partner Relations at Goziac in a recent communication with the EDA. He further conveyed that a study sponsored by Heritage Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, found that more than 75% of leisure travel involves cultural and heritage travel activities among US travelers. The study, conducted by Mandala Research, also found that these travelers spend significantly more per trip, on average nearly $1,000. By exposing millions of these travelers to the history, charm and beauty that Milford has to offer, the initiative will significantly increase travel to the area, boosting our local economy. Participating businesses include the Bloomgarten Building, Broad Street Alley, Century 21 Roy B. Hull, Davis R. Chant Realtors, Forest Hall Antiques, Fretta’s, the Hotel Fauchère, Jorgenson’s, the Old Lumberyard, the Upper Mill Complex, as well as the Harrington House, Hare Hollow, Hornetti’s, Irene’s Kitchen, J-Angelo, Jill Deal Inc., the Milford Journal, Patina, Upriver and American Living. The Milford Business Council is associated with the Pike County Chamber of Commerce which is co-located with the EDA in Milford. The National Trust for Historic Preservation made this opportunity available to the EDA because of its membership in another initiative of the Trust, the Main Street Network.