Visit Indy
Indianapolis’ official destination marketing organization
Visit Indy is the official host of Indianapolis. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life in Indianapolis by optimizing visitor-related economic impact.
As the city’s official tourism authority, Visit Indy has a long history of promoting and enhancing the quality of life here in Indianapolis. They help strengthen the city’s global reputation, attract new visitors and opportunities to our community and maximize the impact of every event, festival and spectacle.
While 2023 is an important anniversary for The International Center, this year also marks the 100th Anniversary of Visit Indy, as they celebrate a century of pageantry and progress.
Visit Indy was originally founded back in 1923, as part of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. The Indy Chamber saw a need to refine the city’s tourism efforts, so they established the “Indianapolis Convention & Publicity Committee” with a modest budget of just $1,000.
By 1925, Indianapolis had quickly skyrocketed in the public eye, sitting as one of the nation’s top five cities for conventions and delegations. The committee’s early success proved to residents and legislatures alike that Indianapolis could become—not just a major city—but a global destination.
In the years that followed, Indianapolis continued to invest in international tourism, opening new attractions like the Indiana Convention Center, White River State Park, the world’s largest children’s museum, and top-tier sporting venues. With these facilities, Visit Indy has been able to host hundreds of national and international events, ranging from the 1987 Pan American Games to the 2021 March Madness tournament.
“Indy is often charged with hosting world-class international events,” said Leonard Hoops, President and CEO of Visit Indy. “And as our community delivers on these events, we need to ensure that our visitors from around the globe experience Hoosier Hospitality.”
Visit Indy works tirelessly to promote local events and improve Indy’s reputation on the world stage. They tell the story of the city, highlighting the various traditions and cultures that make Indianapolis unique. But they also make sure that international visitors feel welcome, no matter where in the world they come from.
Some of the city’s largest events and conventions draw major international attention, including Gen Con, FDIC and the Indy 500—the largest single-day sporting event in the world. Visit Indy ensures that these events are accessible to all languages and cultures—and works with the Indianapolis International Airport to make every first impression a good one.
Today, Visit Indy has made Indianapolis a top destination for events, meetings and leisure alike—recognized by USA Today as the #1 Convention City in America. And their work has only just begun. In the coming years, Visit Indy will continue to lead the way forward for Indianapolis tourism, supporting bids for new world-class events while improving travel accessibility for visitors across the globe.
“We’re proud to have played a key role in driving tourism forward over the past 100 years,” said Hoops, “and we’re excited for the work we’re doing now to set the stage for the next century.”
