Southern Ohio unveils Ohio’s Rolling Hills tourism brand to attract visitors

Adams County’s stop-at-the-light economy could get a lift if Southern and Southeast Ohio’s new Ohio’s Rolling Hills brand gives travelers a reason to pull off the highway and stay awhile. The regional tourism identity was unveiled at Ohio Tourism Day at the Ohio Statehouse, and it packages 18 counties into one marketing message built around outdoor recreation, heritage travel and rural landscapes.

TourismOhio described Ohio Tourism Day 2026, held Tuesday, May 12, as a free showcase where visitors could plan Ohio vacations while meeting destinations and attractions from across the state. The Rolling Hills effort was developed with input from elected officials, convention and visitors bureaus, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, economic development professionals and other regional stakeholders, and it is tied to an Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia-led Appalachian Regional Commission POWER grant.

For Adams County, the key question is whether a shared brand can move more travelers into West Union, Manchester, Peebles and Seaman instead of letting them drive past on the way to somewhere else. That matters because the county already has a tourism base worth building on. A prior TourismOhio economic impact report said visitors spent $27.5 million in Adams County in 2021, up 14.6% from 2020, and local reporting has said county tourism spending has been growing about 6% to 8% a year in recent years.

Statewide, the stakes are much larger. Ohio’s tourism industry generated a record $53 billion in visitor spending in 2022, welcomed 233 million visitors and supported 424,339 jobs, according to state tourism officials. The new regional brand is meant to give Southern and Southeast Ohio a more unified pitch inside that larger market, where travel dollars can land in restaurants, shops, campgrounds, event venues and heritage sites.

Adams County already has several assets positioned to benefit if the branding catches on. The Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau is based at 509 E Main St. in West Union and offers downloadable hikers and visitors guides. Serpent Mound near Peebles is described by the Ohio History Connection as an internationally known National Historic Landmark, and the county’s tourism literature also highlights Ohio Brush Creek, hiking and Amish country. The county has also invested in a welcome center, with funding through the State Capitol Budget in 2021 and again in 2024.

TourismOhio’s 2026 summer events guide, which highlights five festivals and events from all 88 counties, shows how crowded the statewide market is. For Adams County, Ohio’s Rolling Hills is less about a slogan than a test: whether a new regional identity can translate scenic appeal into measurable visitor traffic, stronger small businesses and a bigger share of Ohio’s travel economy.