Ohio Tourism Division and Groupon Partner to Create First-Ever Week of Statewide Tourism Deals

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ohio Tourism Division and Groupon invite customers to enjoy a week dedicated to tourism-related deals across Ohio's seven Groupon markets during Ohio Tourism Week. This program, in conjunction with National Tourism Week, begins on Monday, May 9 and runs through Sunday, May 15.

During Ohio Tourism Week, Groupon's daily deals in each Ohio market – Akron-Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown – will feature offers from some of Ohio's best-loved and hidden-gem attractions. Upcoming deals include museum passes, lodging options, restaurant offers and tickets to musical programs, sporting events and local festivals. This program is designed to bring exciting tourism experiences to consumers throughout Ohio and surrounding states for the upcoming spring and summer travel seasons.

"May is peak travel planning time for Ohio visitors, and our partnership with Groupon will make vacation decisions easier and more affordable for families of all sizes," said Ohio Tourism Division Director Amir Eylon. "With this new and innovative partnership, we're able to bring consumers an unprecedented week of deals through Groupon, a company that strives to find and share offers from the best local businesses throughout Ohio."

Using the principles of collective buying, Groupon negotiates unprecedented discounts with popular businesses. Groupon subscribers get free daily emails alerting them to the deals. The deals are activated only when a minimum number of people agree to buy, encouraging customers to share the promotion with family and friends. By guaranteeing a large number of new customers, Groupon has created a powerful new marketing vehicle for local merchants. This innovative approach to e-commerce has brought millions of dollars in new revenue to local businesses while saving more than $2 billion for consumers worldwide.

Consumers interested in receiving the Ohio Tourism Week offers should subscribe to Groupon's daily emails and visit the Groupon website for the Akron-Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown markets at http://www.groupon.com. For more information, check DiscoverOhio.com, follow the Ohio Tourism Division on Twitter @DiscoverOhio, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/discoverohio or join the conversation on our blog at DiscoveringOhio.com.  

About the Ohio Tourism Division

The Ohio Tourism Division is the premier source of information for travelers and media about Ohio's vibrant tourism experiences, attractions and economy. Division marketing programs contributed to an estimated $36 billion in total sales in 2009 and 437,000 jobs sustained by visitors to the state. A part of the Ohio Department of Development, the Division's mission is to promote and celebrate Ohio's unique travel opportunities and market the state's outstanding quality of life.

About Groupon

Groupon, launched in November 2008 in Chicago, features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, eat, see and buy in more than 500 markets around the world. Groupon uses collective buying power to offer unbeatable prices and provide a win-win for businesses and consumers, delivering more than 900 daily deals globally. For more information, visit http://www.groupon.com.

For more information on Groupon apps for the iPhone, Android and BlackBerry, visit http://www.groupon.com/mobile.

To learn more on how to become a featured business on Groupon, visit http://www.grouponworks.com.

SOURCE The Ohio Tourism Division