The Hays Welcome Center is located at the corner of 27^th & Vine in Hays, Kansas and provides numerous resources for information and services about Hays. The facility was built in 2007 and was designed to replicate the old train depot that was located in downtown Hays. The Welcome Center features clean rest rooms, free coffee, wireless internet access, parking for RV's and over 200 tourism brochures. Free local, regional and state of Kansas maps are available, as well as phone books, business directories and other community guides.  Out of town visitors can view weather radar sites to gather information about road and weather conditions.  Travel information and tourism planning is available to assist with individual or group itineraries.  

The offices for the Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, Ellis County Coalition for Economic are locatedin  Welcome Center.  The facility also features art from local artists and a meeting room for Chamber of Commerce or City of Hays functions.

Hays has a population over 20,000 and is the county seat of Ellis County. We are proud of our outstanding educational opportunities and we have one of the finest medical facilities in western and central Kansas. Much of the economy of Ellis County is based on ag related jobs.  We are fortunate to be surrounded by productive agricultural land and large underground oil reserves. The industrial, commercial and retail growth in recent years has established Hays as the retail and trade center for Northwest Kansas.