Elkhart County, IN CVB

What Elkhart County, IN CVB does

The Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau (ECCVB) is a private nonprofit destination marketing organization serving as the official tourism promotion and public relations body for Elkhart County, Indiana. Established under Indiana state law and contracted by the Elkhart County Innkeepers Tax Commission, the ECCVB is funded through innkeepers tax collected from county lodging properties with 30 or more rooms. It operates from a single headquarters and Visitor Center at 3421 Cassopolis St., Elkhart, just off the I80/90 Toll Road at Exit 92, with a staff of 15 employees and a small leadership team led by Executive Director Jon Hunsberger and Director of Communications & Public Relations Terry Mark.

The ECCVB's core product portfolio centers on the Heritage Trail — a scenic driving route connecting seven communities — supported by signature programs including the free Heritage Trail Audio Driving Tour, the award-winning annual Quilt Gardens event (May 30 – September 15, featuring million-bloom gardens and hand-painted murals), the annual print and digital Area Guide distributed along the I80/90 corridor, RV factory tours of the world's RV capital, and the physical Visitor Center offering brochures, trip planning, and audio tour materials. Its distribution infrastructure spans a destination website (visitelkhartcounty.com), an RV-focused microsite (RVFun.org), email newsletters, Facebook and Twitter channels, press and FAM visit programs, and a content creator partnership program.

The organization markets Elkhart County as a Midwest travel destination differentiated by the third-largest Amish settlement in the United States, the world's largest concentration of RV manufacturers (16 companies producing 80%+ of US RVs), and eight distinct cities and towns. Its customer mix is hybrid and consumer-facing — leisure travelers and families (primary), RV enthusiasts, group tour operators and travel media, and Notre Dame football fans — while its revenue is tax-funded rather than transaction-based. Strategic partnerships with the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, the Northern Indiana Tourism Development Commission, Visit Indiana, the Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County, multiple local chambers, and the adjacent LaGrange County CVB anchor an ecosystem that supports both marketing reach and broader quality-of-place initiatives under the Vibrant Communities movement.

Name

Elkhart County, IN CVB

Legal name

Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Website

https://visitelkhartcounty.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau is a private nonprofit destination marketing organization funded by the county innkeepers tax, promoting Elkhart County, Indiana as a Midwest travel destination built on Amish heritage, the world's RV manufacturing capital, and signature events like the Quilt Gardens and Heritage Trail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing & Tourism Promotion

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Historical Sites (712120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Convention visitors bureau
• Heritage trail tours
• RV factory tours
• Cultural tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Elkhart, Indiana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Innkeepers Tax Revenue: The ECCVB receives funding through the Elkhart County Innkeepers Tax Commission, which was created by Indiana state law to administer the innkeepers tax collected from Elkhart County lodging properties with 30 or more rooms. The tax commission contracts with ECCVB as a not-for-profit entity to manage tourism promotion activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Elkhart County, IN CVB is a private nonprofit destination marketing organization that promotes Elkhart County, Indiana as a tourism destination. It operates a Visitor Center, publishes an Area Guide, curates an online Event Calendar, and develops visitor experiences including the Heritage Trail Audio Driving Tour, Quilt Gardens tour program, and RV factory tours that showcase the county's Amish heritage and RV manufacturing heritage.

Product overview

The Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau operates as a private non-profit providing tourism promotion and placemaking services. The core product portfolio centers on the Heritage Trail — a scenic driving route connecting seven communities — supported by signature programs including the Heritage Trail Audio Driving Tour (a free CD/streaming tour) and the annual Quilt Gardens event (May 30 - September 15) featuring hand-painted murals and million-bloom gardens. Additional offerings include the annual Area Guide (print and digital), the physical Visitor Center at Exit 92 (with meeting space), comprehensive Event Calendar, RV Factory Tours of the world's RV capital (producing 80%+ of US RVs), the Vibrant Communities placemaking initiative, Content Creator partnership program, and advertising partnerships. These products work together to market Elkhart County as a Midwest travel destination combining Amish heritage, craftsmanship, and small-town charm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heritage Trail Audio Driving Tour Self-guided audio driving tour that takes visitors through Elkhart County's historic sites, Amish heritage, and cultural landmarks, designed for leisure travelers and road-trippers exploring the region.
• Quilt Gardens Seasonal display of large quilt-inspired garden designs installed at sites across Elkhart County, forming a self-guided tour that showcases the area's quilting heritage and horticultural craftsmanship for visiting tourists.
• RV Factory Tours
• Official Area Guide
• Visitor Center
• Online Event Calendar

Quantifiable outcome

• Quilt Gardens recognized as Best Festival or Event in 2017 by Indiana Tourism Association and named Best of the Best event by American Bus Association for four consecutive years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Community Foundation of Elkhart CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CVB collaborates with the Community Foundation of Elkhart County to convene the Vibrant Communities movement, advocating for quality of place across all cities, towns, and scenic countryside in Elkhart County.
• Northern Indiana Tourism Development CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in operating the official destination website (www.visitelkhartcounty.com) and regional tourism promotion. The website is owned and operated by ECCVB in partnership with the Commission.
• Visit Indiana (Indiana Destination Development Corporation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level tourism partnership for promotion of Indiana travel destinations including Elkhart County. Located at One North Capitol, Suite 600, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
• Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-private partnership serving as the 'One-Stop Shop' for business attraction and expansion in Elkhart County. Collaborates on economic vitality initiatives that complement tourism promotion.
• Downtown Goshen, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business improvement district organization promoting downtown Goshen as a vibrant destination. Partners on events, marketing, and placemaking initiatives.
• Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitors BureaumajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdjacent county CVB partnership for regional tourism promotion. LaGrange County borders Elkhart County and shares the Amish country tourism corridor.
• Elkhart Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chamber partnership supporting business and tourism development at 418 South Main Street, Elkhart, IN 46516.
• Goshen Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chamber partnership for Goshen, Indiana. Located at 232 South Main Street, Goshen, IN 46526.
• Elkhart County ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParks department partnership for outdoor recreation promotion and visitor experiences at county parks including Bonneyville Mill County Park.
• Elkhart Parks & Recreation DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity parks partnership supporting green spaces, trails, and recreational amenities that attract visitors to Elkhart.
• Middlebury Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chamber partnership in Middlebury, IN, serving the heart of Amish country tourism.
• Nappanee Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chamber partnership promoting Nappanee's 'Embrace the Pace' brand and local businesses.
• Wakarusa Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chamber partnership for Wakarusa, IN, supporting small-town charm and local commerce.
• Content Creators and InfluencersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInfluencer and content creator partnership program inviting storytellers who love discovering hidden gems, celebrating local culture, and capturing unforgettable moments. Partners receive paid collaborations, exclusive swag, hosted press trips, and brand exposure.
• Advertisers in Elkhart County Area GuideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism-facing businesses (restaurants, shops, hotels, attractions, artisans, outdoor recreation providers) that purchase advertising in the Area Guide and website. Partners receive multi-channel exposure including visitor itineraries, seasonal promotions, and digital listings.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Discover Kalamazoo: Convention & Visitors Bureau for Kalamazoo, Michigan — a mid-sized regional DMO with similar staffing, group sales, and signature-event-driven marketing mix. Comparable nonprofit structure and reliance on innkeepers/lodging tax funding.
• Traverse City Tourism: Regional DMO promoting Traverse City, Michigan as a four-season leisure destination with a strong culinary, outdoor, and event-driven identity. Similar scale and staff model to ECCVB and a comparable reliance on signature events and drive-market visitation.
• Holland Area Visitors Bureau: Michigan destination marketing organization for Holland, MI — a small-city DMO built around Dutch heritage, Tulip Time festival, and lake-coast tourism. Highly comparable in structure, heritage-led positioning, signature seasonal event focus, and visitor center model.
• Door County Visitor Bureau: Wisconsin peninsula destination DMO promoting a seasonal, scenic, heritage-driven leisure destination. Comparable to Elkhart County in being a multi-community, signature-event-driven destination marketed heavily to drive markets from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.
• Visit Fort Wayne: Convention & Visitors Bureau for Fort Wayne, Indiana — another mid-sized Indiana city CVB with comparable staff scale, group sales, and destination marketing mandate. Operates under similar nonprofit structure funded by local innkeepers tax.
• Visit South Bend Mishawaka: Convention & Visitors Bureau serving neighboring St. Joseph County, IN (South Bend/Mishawaka). Operates the same DMO function — destination marketing, group tour sales, and visitor information — for an adjacent Indiana county, sharing visitor flow with Elkhart County via the Notre Dame/Exit 92 corridor.
• LaGrange County Convention & Visitors Bureau (Shipshewana): Adjacent county CVB in northern Indiana's Amish Country tourism corridor. Shares the Amish heritage visitor market, joint marketing with ECCVB, and runs comparable visitor center, events calendar, and group tour programs for a smaller-scale heritage destination.
• VisitLEX (Lexington, KY CVB): Convention & Visitors Bureau for Lexington, Kentucky — a county-scale DMO combining equestrian/heritage tourism, bourbon trails, and event-driven visitation. Comparable nonprofit operating model, group tour emphasis, and multi-channel marketing approach to ECCVB.

Broad incumbents

• Visit Indiana (Indiana Destination Development Corporation): The state-level destination marketing organization for Indiana. Operates broader statewide tourism campaigns and provides co-marketing support that county-level CVBs like ECCVB plug into for amplification and cooperative advertising opportunities.
• Pure Michigan / Michigan Economic Development Corporation: Michigan's statewide destination marketing campaign and the Travel Michigan DMO function. Provides the macro-level promotional layer that regional CVBs like ECCVB and Holland plug into for cooperative campaigns and editorial placement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ElkhartCountyIN
• Facebookfacebook.com/ExperienceElkhartCountyIN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elkhart-county-in-cvb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elkhart County, IN CVB