Erik Drost / Flickr

Researchers disagree on the economic impact of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Pictured is the Cleveland sign at Edgewater Park. Erik Drost / Flickr

Skift Take: One of the other short-term impacts that Cleveland's tourism industry must address is whether it wants to be known as a bastion of conservative values. It's usually a bad idea to mix politics and destination marketing.

— Dan Peltier

Economic impact studies sought by the host committee for last summer’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland have reached differing conclusions about how much the city and region gained in the short term.

Local organizers announced the findings at a news conference Thursday in Cleveland. They say Cleveland’s image received a long-term positive boost because the convention that nominated President Donald Trump went smoothly and was free of the chaos and problems some people predicted.

A study by Tourism Economics says 48,000 people visited Cleveland during the July 2016 convention, spending $110 million with a total economic impact of $188 million. Cleveland State University researchers say 44,000 people visited, spending $67 million with a total impact of $142 million.

Officials disagree with CSU’s numbers, saying Tourism Economics has studied previous conventions.

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