Visit South Bend Mishawaka (VSBM) has released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting a record-breaking year for tourism, visitation, and destination investment across St. Joseph County.

Hotel performance reached new highs in 2025, with six individual months posting record occupancy, contributing to a 14% year-over-year increase in hotel demand. Short-term rental bookings also rose nearly 20%. The University of Notre Dame remained a primary tourism driver, hosting seven home football games and a concert at Notre Dame Stadium, which helped fuel visitation throughout the year.

Tourism demand was further strengthened by major construction projects in New Carlisle, which generated more than 141,000 room nights that did not previously exist and are expected to continue for several years.

Several regional attractions also reported record attendance, including South Bend International Airport and the Potawatomi Zoo. New attractions expanded the region’s visitor offerings, including the Mishawaka Fieldhouse and the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, which welcomed more than 91,000 guests in its first year.
VSBM continued investing in projects that will shape the destination’s future, supporting developments scheduled to open in 2026 and 2027, including the Miracle League Field at Normain Heights Park, The Yard on Hill Street, Dogleg Social, and expanded amenities at George Wilson Park.

Sports tourism remained a significant economic driver. The opening of a third sheet of ice at the Ice Box helped generate more than 25,000 room nights in coordination with Notre Dame’s Compton Family Ice Arena, while renovations at the Leeper Park Tennis Complex and Byers Softball Complex strengthened the region’s tournament-ready infrastructure. Overall, sports tourism generated an estimated $29 million in economic impact in 2025.

Leisure marketing initiatives delivered record-setting results across multiple channels in 2025. VSBM generated more than 48 million total impressions, with organic social impressions doubling year-over-year and website engagement increasing across key metrics.

The Bend Your Rules campaign exceeded industry benchmarks for influencing tourists to travel to St. Joseph County. Influencer partnerships generated more than 640,000 social media impressions, while the Exit 77 Transient Campaign delivered over three million vehicle impressions.

VSBM’s Around The Bend vlog series surpassed 92,000 views, and the organization’s partnership with the University of Notre Dame on the Irish Eatz video series earned a 2025 Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy Award, further elevating the destination’s profile.

“The momentum we experienced in 2025 reflects years of strategic investment, strong partnerships, and the dedication of our hospitality community across St. Joseph County,” said Jeff Jarnecke, Executive Director of Visit South Bend Mishawaka. “This growth positions our destination for continued success in the years ahead.”
In total, tourism generates an estimated $1.5 billion in economic impact for St. Joseph County, supported by 5.7 million visitors, $960.2 million in visitor spending, and 12,953 tourism-related jobs.