CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) – More people are visiting Cleveland and surrounding Cuyahoga County.

According to new data released by Destination Cleveland, the destination marketing and management organization for Cuyahoga County, the area saw a 12% increase in visitors compared to 2021.

The new data suggests that both the number of day and overnight visits grew with a total of 17.9 million visits to Cuyahoga County in 2022 for both leisure and business.

“2022 was a new beginning for the travel and tourism industry – we’re back on track as an industry that infuses money into the economy and contributes to positive perceptions of Cleveland as a place to live and work,” said David Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Cleveland, in a press release. “Destination Cleveland, as the steward of the industry, remains steadfastly committed to leading the industry to its pre-pandemic success levels as quickly as possible. Through collaboration, our visitor economy can and will contribute to the region’s long-term equitable growth.”

The local growth in tourism outpaced Ohio’s growth rate of 6%, according to a release.

Of course, visitor spending is viewed as a boost to the local economy. According to the review, travel and tourism in Cuyahoga County contributed to a total economic impact of $10.6 billion.