INDIANAPOLIS (May 7, 2020) — Under the leadership of Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation today announced the formation of the Indiana Destination Recovery Council. This advisory group will consider traditional as well as creative ways to assist the leisure and travel related industry in their COVID-19 recovery efforts.
“The IDRC will work closely with the Indiana Economic Relief and Recovery task force appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb to administer federal relief funds from the CARES Act,” Crouch said. “This collaborative approach will help our partners as they work to safely reopen and will put Indiana tourism back on track.”
Elaine Bedel, Secretary & CEO of the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, leads the Indiana Destination Recovery Council. This new council made up of a variety of industry experts:
- Allison Barber, Ph.D., President & COO of the Indiana Fever
- Jeffrey Brown, CEO of Schahet Hotels
- Matt Eckert, President & CEO of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
- Jim Epperson, Executive Director of SoIN Tourism
- Todd Hensley, CEO of Gym Rats
- Leonard Hoops, President & CEO of Visit Indy
- Dana Huber, Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations of Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyards
- Jeffrey McCabe, President of Big Wood Brewing Company
- Mario Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority
“COVID-19 will have a sustained impact on the leisure and travel-related industry,” Bedel said. “By forming this council, we hope to recommend programs that help the industry become economically stable again as well as strategies that focus on being even stronger in the future.”
The Indiana Destination Development Recovery Council’s first meeting was May 7, 2020.
Visit Indiana has a link to COVID-19 resources for the Indiana tourism industry.
