The many art and cultural events also help to highlight the quality of life of the region .
“ Events like the Halifax Art Festival provide us a great way to expose visitors to the area ’ s many cultural assets , and [ those like ] Jeep Beach ( with its vast philanthropic work ) make these fun events important to our residents ’ quality of life as well ,” Campbell-Baker said . “ We ’ ve recently been fortunate to add the Welcome to Rockville music festival to our roster . And of course , our community has been happily welcoming the National Cheerleaders Association Classic for decades . All of these are amazing assets that we greatly appreciate .
The economic impact of those big events isn ’ t limited to the immediate area , with the effects felt across Volusia County .
“ Something interesting in this area is how the Daytona Beach events affect us ,” said Georgia Turner , executive director of the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority . “ We sell out ( of hotel rooms ) during the 500 and we benefit from Bike Week and the Welcome to Rockville festival that just happened .”
Turner said the spillover from big special events is a boon for the 14 communities the Authority represents .
“ To have big events like those right next to you is something that is really wonderful ,” she said . “ We also get visitors to Seminole County because they have a huge sports initiative there .”
Turner said local events , such as the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts bring visitors to the community , along with other local events which also help smaller areas like West Volusia .
“ When you are a small destination like us , it brings attention to your area ,” she said . “ Even a small event can have a big impact .”
The impact from events goes well beyond the county line and helps burnish the region ’ s image , according to Helga van Eckert , Volusia County economic development director .
“ The county has a long history of hosting events that draw tens of thousands of national and international visitors to the area ,” she said . These events generate regional revenue through hotel and hospitality fees , restaurant receipts and event fees ; provide employment opportunities and showcase Volusia County ’ s assets on an international stage .”
Helga van Eckert
Aaron London is managing editor of Evolve Digital . He is also an adjunct professor of journalism at Daytona State College .
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