Tourism generates millions in sales for local businesses, and the Butler County Visitors Bureau is banking on new signs to not only help visitors get around, but to also peak their interest to return.

A $600,000 signage project, dubbed the Wayfinding program, was unveiled Wednesday with a sign in front of the county Government Services Center in Hamilton pointing the way to the Dayton Lane Historic District, Pyramid Hill and Miami University Hamilton.

The 150 signs will be installed by the end of the week. The Butler County Visitors Bureau, which receives funding through the county’s 3 percent bed or transient tax, paid for the $600,000 project that directs visitors to 30 different destinations throughout the county.

In 2011, Butler County’s tourism industry contributed more than $21 million in local taxes; generated $900 million in sales for local businesses and sustained more than 11,700 local jobs, according to the Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Tourism.

Tourism sales in the county increased 10.5 percent in 2010 and 5.7 percent in 2011. Hecquet said 2012 numbers are not yet know, but based on the hotel occupancy rates, he believes there was also an increase last year.

Marketing is the goal of the sign project, according Mark Hecquet, executive director of the Butler County Visitors Bureau.

“They are to drive more revenue to economically enhance our county,” Hecquet said during the unveiling.

The signage enhances marketing and gives visitors a positive experience in the area, which means they may come back, said John Lawson, chairman of the Butler County Visitors Bureau board of directors.

“This is so much more than just putting signs in the ground,” Lawson said. “It is a 24-hour marketing campaign.”

The design of the bright blue and green signs are unique to the county, Hecquet said. The Great Miami River is depicted on the back, along with Butler County in bold letters.

Hecquet said they are continuing negotiations with the Ohio Department of Transportation to place signs on state roads.

The project has received countywide support, Hecquet said, and Wednesday’s event was attended by county commissioners and officials from throughout the county.