Event planners are saying hello to Columbus in large numbers as Ohio’s largest and fastest-growing city flexes its meetings muscles. Geography makes a solid case for Columbus-based events, as more than 50 percent of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive or one-and-a-half-hour flight. Upon arrival at John Glenn International Airport, visitors are a short 10-minute drive from downtown and its 4,250 hotel rooms. Brian Ross, president and CEO of Experience Columbus, notes that hospitality is a community-wide focus in Columbus, with more than 2,000 local industry associates holding an active Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) designation. “The number of CTAs is one of the highest levels of any U.S. city, and this pays dividends for our visitors,” says Ross. He’s not the only one singing his city’s praises. In 2016, J.D. Power and Associates named Columbus the “Best Visitor Experience Destination for a Midwestern City.” Read on to see why.

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