The longtime Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) director says tourism in Columbia means thousands of jobs and lots of sales tax revenue. CVB director Amy Schneider joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”:
“Tourism spending in fiscal year ’25 reached $577.5 million, employing over 11,000 people,” Ms. Schneider says.
Ms. Schneider emphasizes the impacts of the MSHSAA championships and says Columbia also drew the Windjammers convention this past weekend. The Windjammers play circus music. Amy Schneider has served as Columbia’s CVB director for 15 years and has 13 employees.
Columbia’s state-of-the-art Gans Creek cross country course hosted the NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s cross country championships in November and hosted the NAIA nationals the year before. Columbia CVB director Schneider notes Columbia hotels and restaurants were packed for the events:
“These are multiple nights’ stays because they come, they run the course, they try it out. And then they have the actual event,” Ms. Schneider says.
She and Mr. Parry also discussed the bidding process to attract sporting events and also discussed efforts for a convention center in Columbia. Fred’s full interview can be found here.