Bulletin boards festooned with fliers, a sea of brochures and shelves of souvenirs greet visitors at the Howard County Tourism Inc. office.
Every corner of the office, housed in the basement of the U.S. Post Office on Main Street in historic Ellicott City, is crammed with visitor information. Nearly every inch of wall space is adorned.
“We have team members in almost every nook and corner here,” said Executive Director Rachelina Bonacci of the six full-time staff members sharing the space.
This is often the first place people stop when considering a move to Howard, planning a vacation or taking a ghost tour. And first impressions can be everything.
After about 10 years in the space and a growing staff, it?s time for a move, Bonacci said.
At about $1,000 a month for the 2,000-square-foot space, which has a separate entrance, the organization is getting quite a deal from the U.S. Post Office, Bonacci said.
But a more visible space, perhaps a storefront in the middle of Main Street, could encourage more patronage to Howard sites and businesses, she said.
“It?s a natural step for visitors centers,” Bonacci said.
After Baltimore City?s visitors center opened in May 2004, 55 percent of guests visited additional attractions after visiting the center, and 29 percent of out-of-town guests spent $132 more than planned, according to a survey on the center?s impact.
Rent on Main Street can run four times what the office pays now, but it could share the space with other organizations, Bonacci said.
More visibility could boost business membership and retail, which could help support some of the higher rent, she said.
The Howard County Tourism Inc.?s $600,000 annual budget comes mainly from county and state hotel taxes and grants, as well as some retail, membership fees and tours.
A new space could provide room for the ghost tours to gather, which can pack in dozens of people at a time.
“The ghost tours are when it gets crazy,” said Lori Paddy, a staff member and tour leader.
