HOWLAND, Ohio (WKBN) — A Trumbull County woman-owned touring business is celebrating its latest investment in the tourism industry during National Tourism Week.

Ridgeview Tours cut the ribbon on its brand-new minibus at the Ernie Hall Museum in Howland this morning.

The Mesopotamia-based company purchased the bus to accommodate smaller tour groups.

Owner Sharon Grover says the purchase of the $90,000 bus wouldn’t have been possible without a $65,000 ARPA grant approved by Trumbull County Commissioners. The company secured a loan to cover the rest of the cost.

“I think in the long run it’s a good business venture because a lot of places they can’t get 55 people on a bus and motorcoaches are outrageous I can do more affordable tours in this smaller bus for smaller groups so I think it was a great investment we’re super excited about it,” Grover said.

“What I love is knowing through Sharon’s tours where the really great places are that I would not stumble upon on my own or if I saw it in a magazine I might go, ‘meh’ but then I actually go see it — love that,” said tourist Robyn Morris.

Grover says with this new bus, the possibilities are endless for what the company can do for local tourism.