PORTAGE | The Portage Economic Development Commission will host a luncheon for city business owners to learn more about what they can do to attract visitors and tourists to their enterprises.

PEDCO Director Chris Stidham said the luncheon is designed to take the recent Porter County Tourism Commission's assessment study one step further to come up with ideas for businesses to increase sales and customer foot traffic.

Special guest at the luncheon will be Lorelei Weimar, executive director of the Porter County Tourism Commission.

The goals, said Stidham, is to take an honest look at Portage's current impression to visitors, look at easy-to-implement steps businesses can take to improve sales, help businesses see themselves from a visitor's perspective and provide businesses with the tools to draw more customers.

The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 at the Sycamore Hall in Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road. Tickets are available on line at Portagein.or or by calling (219) 762-9761.