Daviess County’s 2025 tourism report shows you don’t need theme parks or big-city attractions to bring people in. According to the annual report, the county recorded nearly 1 million out-of-market visitors and 5.6 million non-resident visits last year. Out-of-market visitors are people who do not live or work in the area but intentionally stop to visit, while non-resident visits also include inbound commuters and are counted once per day. Revenue from the county’s innkeepers tax, which funds tourism promotion, climbed significantly in 2025, peaking at $50,000 in October and totaling $475,077 for the year, an increase of about $75,000 from 2024. Using foot-traffic analytics from Placer.ai, the Visitors Bureau identified the locations drawing the most visitors. Gasthof Amish Village in Montgomery ranked No. 1 with 163,500 visits, driven by its restaurant, bakery, gift shops, hotel, and special events.
Several food-based businesses followed closely behind, including:
Odon Locker Inc. – 67,700 visits
Dutch Pantry – 32,000 visits
American Table (Washington) – 31,900 visits
Bill & Betty Bobe’s Pizza (Washington) – 29,500 visits
Visitors often travel from well outside the county specifically to shop, dine, and experience these locally rooted businesses, frequently turning a single stop into a full day trip that benefits other nearby businesses. Former Visitors Bureau Executive Director Amber Warden said the data confirms a growing trend: people are choosing destinations that feel authentic and community-centered rather than commercial. The report is also shaping how the Visitors Bureau plans for the future: focusing marketing efforts on what visitors are already doing, supporting businesses that serve as regional anchors, and investing in projects like event grants, billboard advertising, a redesigned Visitors Guide, a countywide events calendar, and a feasibility study for a potential Daviess County Event Center. The full report can be found on the Visitors Bureau website.
The full report is HERE
