Seven Pilot Programs Lead the Travel Industry in Sustainable Certification

By Taylor Hall

OTRD recently launched ECO, Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma, which seeks to promote, encourage and develop sustainable travel practices statewide. The ECO program is a dynamic partnership between the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

As part of this exciting new program, OTRD and DEQ have developed an ECO certification which identifies businesses that have made a commitment to reducing their environmental impact. This certification is open to businesses and organizations throughout the state who wish to implement sustainable practices.

We are currently working with seven pilot programs including the Colcord Hotel, Maple Place Bed and Breakfast, Science Museum Oklahoma, Keystone State Park, Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Blackwell Tourism Information Center, and Tulsa’s Polo Grill. These locations have filled out checklists identifying sustainable practices, worked with program leaders to develop an action plan, and implemented “Green teams” to oversee the improvements. OTRD offers continual support to these organizations every step of the way through education, marketing, and consultation throughout the process.

ECO makes certification simple, and OTRD is even offering free workshops throughout the state to provide businesses and organizations with information on this exciting new program. The workshops also provide insight into the marketing components offered through the ECO program, plus additional education about sustainable travel and the efforts going on in the community.

Upcoming workshops will be held in the following communities:

January 12, 2010 Oklahoma City – Science Museum Oklahoma (10 a.m.-noon)

January 27, 2010 Tahlequah – Armory Municipal Center (10 a.m.-noon)

February 9, 2010 Duncan – Simmons Center (10 a.m.-noon)

February 11, 2010 Enid (10 a.m.-noon)

We welcome anyone who is interested to participate in the ECO certification or a free Sustainable Travel workshop. For more information about the ECO program, please contact Jessica Blackstock, Sustainable Initiatives Coordinator, at (405) 230-8415 or Jessica@TravelOK.com.

Sign Up Now for November 19th Training Camp!

A few spaces are still available for our next OTRD Training Camp coming up November 19th.

Held four times a year, these full-day sessions provide the chance to meet and interact with OTRD staff, learn about programs and get assistance with specific areas of focus or concern. For your convenience, we will get all the right people together at one time.

Participants meet in our Oklahoma City office and get to know who we are and what we do. Then, you will have access to our staff for individual appointments in the areas of public relations, development, grant funding, online marketing and our director.

Meet with our frontline call center staff and let them know about your community or attraction. Learn how you can work with the Oklahoma Film & Music Office and what special requirements are needed for this industry. You will also have an opportunity to pitch your story to our public relations staff and Discover Oklahoma.

An overview of our newly redesigned website, TravelOK.com, will also be provided and includes ways to maximize your organization's presence on one of the state's premier marketing engines.

For more information about this exciting, interactive program, please contact Barbara Elder at (405) 230-8409 or Barbie@TravelOK.com.

2009 Governor's Conference on Tourism Streaming Online

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is offering industry professionals a unique opportunity to view the 2009 Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Please join us by tuning in to the new OklaVision.tv on October 19 & 20, where we’ll be streaming video live from the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel.

Coverage begins at 8:45 a.m. Monday with the Conference Welcome and is followed by the Opening Session, which features a message from Governor Brad Henry. All general sessions will be televised live; taped workshop segments will air between the live presentations.

This one-time-only special showing of the Governor’s Conference is a gift brought to you by Oklahoma Tourism and OklaVision in an effort to enable a broader audience to benefit from the information being presented.

To view the broadcast, you will need a high-speed Internet connection and Adobe Flash Player 10 installed on your computer (download it here for free).

When you tune in tomorrow, you’ll experience the unveiling of OklaVision — a state-of-the-art network of vibrant online channels presented by the Chickasaw Nation. It works hand-in-hand with TravelOK.com to provide visitors with the finest travel planning tools in the nation.

OklaVision features live programming five days a week, plus a vast landscape of broadcast content — more than 2,000 videos are available on demand. And it’s all brought to life brilliantly in HD.

OklaVision features live programming five days a week, plus a vast landscape of broadcast content — more than 2,000 videos are available on demand. And it’s all brought to life brilliantly in HD.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to enjoy the 2009 conference.

Register Now for Governor's Conference on Tourism

Please join us at The Oklahoma Governor’s Conference on Tourism, October 18-20, 2009 at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Cox Convention Center.

During these challenging times our individual and collective success depends on our ability to strategically combine our resources. This year’s conference theme stresses the importance of working together to move our industry forward and will provide inspiration and insight for the actions we need to take.

This is the “don’t miss” event for our industry, featuring two days of workshops, keynote presentations and opportunities to connect with colleagues. (You may even have some fun!) I guarantee you will leave the conference with several ideas you can put into action the minute you return to your office. You will also learn how to take advantage of the hottest trends in the travel and tourism industry.

Workshops and general sessions will cover topics such as using and optimizing social media, finding your personal leadership style, developing tourism initiatives with American Indian tribes in Oklahoma, attracting film projects to your community, writing itineraries that work, engaging value seekers, exceeding customer expectations and more. Click here to see a full schedule and register for the conference.

And, as always, our industry’s all-stars will be honored during the annual Redbud Awards dinner on Monday night.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Reusable Bag Sponsorship Program

OTRD Lime Green Reusable Bag Sponsorship Program

The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department is initiating a “Go Green” Bag program that can get your logo and Web site on 20,000 Reusable Non-woven bags!

Bag Sponsorship entitles all participants to have their logo and web information on 20,000 non-woven tote bags.
* Bag color is Lime Green with Black handles and 1-color Black screen printing.* Cost is only $500 for Regular Logo Placement.
* 24 Sponsorships will be sold – 12 Logos on each side.
* Special Feature - 2 Premium Side Gusset Placement for $1,000 (Only 2 will be sold).
* Bag size is 16” wide x 12” high with a 6” expandable gusset.
* Bags are non-woven, tear-resistant, 90 lbs gsm, polypropylene with reinforced handles that holds 25-30 lbs. Bags are made 100% from recycled plastic bottles and are bio degradable.
* Each side of the bag will be imprinted with 12 sponsors’ logo along with Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department’s information imprinted at top of each side and on side gusset.
* Each side has Design/Art work size of approximately 10 1/2” x 15” of printable area.
* Each Logo area can be up to 3” high x 3 1/2” wide.
* Each Premium Logo area can be up to 2” high x 10” wide, located on the gusset area.
* The Department will compile logo and create design art work.

Bags will be distributed at all Consumer Travel Shows nationwide.

Sign up will begin on Thursday, July 16 at 8 a.m. You may contact Charlie Wallar by faxing your information and sign up level to 405-230-8600.

New Consumer Co-op Ad Opportunities

In case you haven't heard, the consumer co-op advertising program for fall and spring is now open. Full details about the placements and deadlines can be found here.

The Co-op advertising program aims to:

• Raise awareness of Oklahoma as a vacation/getaway destination.
• Provide industry partners an opportunity to utilize top media brands and benefit from OTRD negotiations.
• Establish a larger, more impactful presence than could be achieved by any one partner alone.
• Bring a deeper level of multi-media mix to all partners’ advertising plans.
• Proven to increase awareness and conversion.
• Generate leads and responses as the measurement of success.

Changes to Strategy from FY09:

• New for 2010 is more emphasis in the fall, with the traditional magazine co-op program and a fall newspaper insert.
• Also new is a Winter Texan strategy designed to keep them in Oklahoma longer as they pass through our state.
• Online advertising with consumer magazine brands (e.g., Southern Living and Midwest Living), will be made available to partners who request it, and will be negotiated as part of the overall online co-op program but it is not bundled in with a multi-platform program, it’s an à la carte approach for those who want a deeper mix.

Deadlines are quickly approaching, so please contact Barbara Johnston or Ashley Wilson at Ackerman McQueen with questions or to participate. (405)843-7777

Name Change for the Travel & Tourism Division

I am happy to announce we are changing from the Travel and Tourism Division to the Travel Promotion Division. Our new name will better communicate the mission and purpose of our division to promote Oklahoma's travel opportunities and better reflect national industry standards for state destination marketing organizations.

With this change, we have also revised some of the section names within our division. All of our staff and contact information remains the same so you can still reach us by the same phone and email addresses.

Travel and Tourism Administration will now be Travel Promotion Administration. This section is responsible for brand management, contract compliance, the administration of the Multicounty matching funds program, division purchasing/budgeting and the AOK merchandising program.

Our Public Relations section will now be Travel Communications and Publications and oversees the the functions of public relations, media relations, social media, industry communications, publications and a variety of special projects and assignments.

Under the Traveler Response Program (TRIP) we will have the following sub-sections:

Interactive Group – Covers all development and maintenance duties related to our Web site TravelOK.com as well as database development and support .

Customer Relations- Covers all duties related to the call center, warehouse and fulfillment program.

The Travel Development section will now be Consumer and Trade Marketing and continue to be responsible for group marketing, consumer travel shows and international marketing.

Destination Development's name will remain the same and will continue to be engaged in community and attraction outreach, heritage and cultural tourism and grant assistance. Destination Development is adding a “Sustainable Initiatives” program to create and implement steps to help our tourism industry become more environmentally friendly. (More about that later!)

Discover Oklahoma TV will also keep the same name and continue to produce our weekly travel program as well as adding some online elements.

Names have not changed for our Tourism Information Centers or the Multicounty Matching Funds Program.

To access a contact list for our Travel Promotion Division, please click here.

2009 RedBud Award Call for Entries

The call for entries is now open for the 2009 RedBud Awards, an honor given by the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. The RedBud Awards recognize Oklahoma’s tourism attractions, destination marketing organizations and travel writers for their outstanding efforts to serve and promote Oklahoma’s tourism industry.

“The RedBud Awards represent the highest honor given in recognition of tourism excellence in Oklahoma,” said Hardy Watkins, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. “These awards showcase the best of our state and reward our industry partners for their outstanding efforts operating and promoting world-class attractions.”

Entries must have been produced, published, broadcast or held between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009. To be eligible for consideration, entries must arrive by mail or be hand-delivered to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department by 5 p.m. on July 31, 2009. Absolutely no extension will be made to this deadline due to judging schedules.

Winners will be announced during a special gala held on Oct. 19, 2009 during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Please contact OTIA at 405-942-1121 or register online at www.OTIA.info to make reservations for the awards banquet and conference. Winners and runners-up will be notified a minimum of two weeks prior to the awards presentation.

For full details on this award program or to download a RedBud Award entry form, visit the Tourism Industry section of TravelOK.com (http://www.travelok.com/industry/forms.asp) or contact Austin Tackett (Austin@TravelOK.com or 405-230-8413).

Just in case you missed it....

The Oklahoma Native America logo has received a facelift!

To keep our brand moving forward, the Oklahoma Native America logo was updated for the spring advertising campaign and beyond. The new look keeps the strong message of the Oklahoma Native America brand while adding this dynamic, iconic element to the words "Native America."
For Oklahoma tourism, the new icon has the potential of becoming our "Nike swoosh." You will be seeing it used online, on clothing and merchandise and in advertising elements.

When animated, the new logo and icon is especially impactful. Click here to see our 2009 spring television ads which close with the animated logo. (You'll find them listed under the Oklahoma Tourism TV Spots.)

If you need a style guide and disk of the new logos, please e-mail Chris Mack in our offices, Chris@TravelOK.com.

Media Blitzes Successfully Promote Oklahoma Tourism

Recently, members of OTRD’s Public Relations staff toured 11 cities in four states to brief travel writers, editors, on-air personalities, publishers, and station managers on Oklahoma tourism updates, as well as discuss story and promotional ideas.

This year, 15 representatives from 11 different tourism industry entities were able to join us. These media blitzes (as we like to call them) are a service provided by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department meant to help industry partners promote their tourism destination or event by facilitating face-to-face marketing communication with media outlets throughout our region.

Our goals for the media briefings were to:

• Build and enhance relationships with travel writers and various media outlets.
• Generate awareness of the OTRD and its statewide tourism industry partners as resources for media seeking assistance and story ideas for Oklahoma-based coverage.
• Increase interest in Oklahoma as a travel destination.
• Create stronger working relations between industry partners and OTRD.

During the media blitz, we were able to visit 11 cities in four states, with immediate leads resulting from several meetings. We briefed more than 30 media outlets, of which you’ll find a complete list below:

Wichita Falls, TX
- Times Record News
- GAP Broadcasting (KBZS, KNIN, KWFS)

Ft. Worth, TX
- Virtuoso Magazine
- American Way Magazine
- Celebrated Living Magazine
- Nexos Magazine
- Fort Worth Star Telegram
- Country Legends/Fort Worth Broadcasting (KTFW, KFWR, KRVF, KRVA)

Dallas, TX
- Dallas Morning News
- Cowboys and Indians Magazine
- Southwest Airlines Spirit
- Clear Channel Radio (KZPS & KDGE)
- Cumulus Broadcasting (KDBN, KLIF, KPLX, & KTLK)

Joplin, MO
- Zimmer Radio (KXDG, KIXQ, KJMK, KZRG & KZYM)
- Joplin Globe

Springfield, MO
- Boomer Magazine
- Clear Channel Radio (KGBX, KGMY & KXUS)
- 417 Magazine
- Springfield News Leader

Fayetteville, AR
- Northwest Arkansas Times
- Cumulus Radio (KAMO, KMCK, KYNG, KFAY, KQSM, KKEG & KYNF)
- Citiscapes Metro Monthly Magazine

Fort Smith, AR
- Cumulus Radio Stations (KOMS, KBBQ, KLSZ & KAYR)
- Clear Channel Radio (KKBD, KMAG, KWHN, KYHN & KZRB)
- Times Record

Wichita, KS
- Wichita Eagle
- Connoisseur Media (KVWF, KIBB)
- Active Aging

Topeka, KS
- Cumulus Radio (KMAJ, KDVV, KTOP, KQTP & KWIC)
- Topeka Capitol Journal
- Grit Magazine

Lawrence, KS
- Lawrence Journal-World

Kansas City, MO
- Kansas City Star
- Wilks Broadcasting (KBEQ, KMXV & KSRC)
- KC Hispanic News
- Her Life Magazine

These briefings take a lot of work in planning, hitting the road, and following up on leads once we’re back home, but it is paying off. Within the first week of appointments, participants on the blitzes were already getting media requests from several of the contacts we met on the road. Package getaways for radio stations in Fort Worth, Kansas City, and Fort Smith have already been arranged while interest in print publications in Topeka, Fayetteville and other cities have called hoping to follow up with story ideas we pitched to them during the blitzes.

In addition to this year’s briefings, media inquiries continue to come in year-round from contacts we’ve made on previous blitzes. This means Oklahoma tourism stories are continuing to stay top of mind for reporters and they view our department and industry partners as great resources for editorial and promotional opportunities.

If you’re interested in joining us for next year’s round of Media Blitzes, stay tuned to this blog and our industry e-mails. Sign up typically begins in February.

Publication Research Results

OTRD recently partnered with BrandIQ to conduct research to better understand consumers’ reactions to the 2007 and 2009 Oklahoma Travel Guide layouts (alphabetical city listings versus regional), as well as gauge opinions and uses of the Events Guide to help plan future publications.

The results were extremely informative and may have implications for your own guides and brochures. Below are some top line findings from this research.

The 2009 travel guide scored over 80% on all usability measures. It is preferred over and rated better than the 2007 travel guide.

• Regional organization works better, but all other measures of usability rate higher as well(grids, indexes, etc.)
• The guide makes most people feel better about Oklahoma, and over half would visit Oklahoma because of the travel and event guides
• After getting the guide, a very high percentage actually vacationed here. Three-fourths of those who requested the guide vacationed/took a getaway in the state. Oklahomans (88%) were more apt to use the guide to stay in state than out-of-staters (64%), but two-thirds is a very high percentage.
• The guide was highly regarded compared to guides from other states

Potential enhancements

• People liked some of the features in the 2007 guide, such as restaurant listings and details like "unique to Oklahoma restaurants" and more information about accommodations
• While the 2009 accommodation grid was well liked, people want more lodging detail

Online and offline content

• People generally have broadband access and ordered the guide after visiting TravelOK.com
• Even most of those who go online very infrequently have broadband access
• The Internet is now being widely used and needs to work synergistically with printed materials – it is not "either-or" for the traveler, they use and expect to use both
• Printed materials, including the maps, can be taken on the trip as a handy reference, and can play a role in the planning process

Event Guide

• Events and festivals are expected to be included in the travel guide instead of being listed in a separate events guide
• A detailed listing in the travel guide would be ideal, but many would be happy with major events listed in the travel guide and the rest on the website. Most would sign up for an email newsletter about upcoming events. Some expect detailed or current information online
• Designing interaction between the travel guide, the Web site, and email outreach might be the ideal way to cover events and festivals

Of course, these findings only scratch the surface of the research results. If you're a data lover like me, feel free to review the entire report here.

As for how this research will impact OTRD's travel publications, we've decided a few things.

• We'll keep the lodging grid in the Travel Guide instead of creating a separate accommodations guide like many states are doing
• We'll try to enhance the information listed on the lodging grid as space allows
• The demand for dining information unique to our state is high, so we're working with the Discover Oklahoma crew to develop a Destination Dining Guide which would be a companion piece to our Travel Guide. As always, the Travel Guide will still include dining highlights in lure and regional side bars, but a separate piece would allow for more detail.
• Since demand for a separate Events Guide is low, we are developing a plan that will transition our event marketing from a printed piece to instead focus on driving traffic to TravelOK.com for the latest event and festival information. We would compliment this with email alerts and possibly major event information in the Travel Guide. We will still produce an Events Guide for 2010, however this will likely be our last year to produce a separate guide specifically for events.

In addition to the planning and development implications of this research, there are also implications for you, our communities, attractions and advertisers.

• More than half of survey respondents thought the Travel Guide was better than expected and said they would visit Oklahoma BECAUSE of what they had discovered. Those that had requested an Oklahoma guide had requested one from another state, so this is a strong tool for helping "close the sale" for customers still undecided on a vacation destination. TAKE AWAY: The Travel Guide is a successful marketing tool so you need to ensure your information is accurate. If it's correct on TravelOK.com it should be correct in the next guide, so take time now to search the website for your info.


• More than half of survey respondents reacted positively to the Travel Guide and its ease of use -- 83% said it made them more interested in visiting Oklahoma. TAKE AWAY: If they see your attraction(s) in the guide, they will be more likely to visit. Send us updated high resolution images of your area for our photo library to increase your chances of being featured in an article or side bar.


• 84% said they would be likely to read the ads in the guide and they prefer them at the end of regional sections rather than scattered throughout. TAKE AWAY: You need to be advertising in the Travel Guide. Either through a regional marketing association or directly with OTRD, this is an important way to reach travelers. They are paying attention to the ads and even seek them out.

We realize this is a lot of information to process, but we share it in an effort to propel our department and industry efforts forward in a way that is research-based and meets the needs of today's travelers. Over the years, our publications have won many design and writing awards, but nothing is as satisfying as knowing we're on target with what our customers want and better understand how we can continue to make improvements in branding and marketing Oklahoma.

2010 OklaStrong Travel Show Schedule Announced

The FY 2010 OklaStrong Travel Show Program details are now available. Please click here to review the upcoming travel show season schedule and new discount information. Below are some of the highlights from this year's program:

• The FY 2010 OklaStrong Travel Show Program offers a variety of marketing efforts through exhibitions which allows for several levels of participation at 15 different shows.
• Due to the challenging economic times, there will be a 5 percent reduction in cost associated with the “OklaStrong” program this year!
• The opening date for submitting applications is May 11, 2009 at 8:00 A.M. Forms must be faxed to 405-230-8600.

Please contact Charlie Wallar with any questions, 405-230-8417 or Charlie@TravelOK.com.

Oklahoma Today: The Rock & Roll Issue

Oklahoma Today, the official magazine of Oklahoma since 1956, is now the official magazine of those about to rock, releasing a Special Collector’s Edition for May/June to coincide with the Oklahoma History Center’s Another Hot Oklahoma Night exhibit.

The Rock-and-Roll Issue acts as both history lesson and a how-to manual, guiding readers to explore Oklahoma’s rich music scene. The comprehensive feature “State of Rock,” written by Oklahoma Today associate editor Jake Adamson, covers the biggest Oklahoma names to top the charts in the last fifty years. Readers also can learn the history of an Oklahoma original genre, red dirt, in “Songs in the Key of Home.” In addition, the magazine pays homage to the state’s audiences in the portfolio “Fanatic” and helps build better fans with “50 Rock,” a discography of the fifty essential rock and roll albums from Charlie Christian to Kings of Leon.

“This special issue of Oklahoma Today captures the spirit of creativity and cultural vitality of our great state,” says Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma History Center, where Another Hot Oklahoma Night opens on May 2. “As readers will discover, rock and roll is not just music. It is a reflection of the last fifty years of our history. I think many people will be both surprised and inspired by this historic issue of a historic magazine.”

Elsewhere in the issue, rockers and fans alike can read a Q&A with Wanda Jackson, a profile of Leon Russell, and a history of Tulsa’s legendary Cain’s Ballroom. The Flaming Lips are ever-present, from a story on how “Do You Realize??” became the Oklahoma State Rock Song to an essay penned by front man Wayne Coyne and an original poem by Steven Drozd, who is considered the “musical brains” of the Lips.

Guides to the state’s best independent record stores, music festivals, venues, radio programs, and rockin’ eateries help music fans find their way around, while Expert Advice from promoters gives aspiring rock stars a foothold in the scene and Marketplace items from Ida Red, a Rock n’ Roll Boutique, shows rockers how to look—and sound—the part.

“Bold, meaty, reverent, headbanging,” says Louisa McCune-Elmore, editor-in-chief of Oklahoma Today. “This is how I would describe what is surely our staff’s favorite issue of the magazine in at least a few years. The Rock-and-Roll issue is a once-in-a-lifetime offering from the state magazine, and we know music lovers of all ages will go crazy for every single page. This may be our most collectible issue yet.”

As the official magazine of “Another Hot Oklahoma Night,” this issue would not be complete without an article whetting readers’ appetites for the exhibit. The Oklahoma History Center has put together a masterful collection of rock memorabilia and fascinating interactive displays to immerse visitors in Oklahoma’s rock-and-roll experience.

As always, Oklahoma Today, a division of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, offers readers top-notch writing and photography from cover to cover. This issue is sure to be an essential item in any Oklahoma rock fan’s collection. The Rock-and-Roll issue of Oklahoma Today is currently available at Steve’s Sundries in Tulsa, Full Circle Bookstore in Oklahoma City, Best of Books in Edmond, and Borders Books and Music, Homeland, Hastings, Waldenbooks, plus many other stores across the state. Single issues and subscriptions can be purchased via phone by calling (800) 777-1793 or online at oklahomatoday.com. The magazine hits newsstands across the region on May 4.

This Week on Discover Oklahoma

We hope you'll take time to catch Discover Oklahoma this weekend. They have a great line up of people and places that you won't want to miss!

Brookside District in Tulsa
Contact: 918-260-7680 http://www.shopbrookside.com/
Come join in the fun at Brookside! This District's eclectic mix of upscale chic to seriously bohemian has something for everyone. So if you've grown weary of the run of the mill choices offered at department stores and hum-drum chain restaurants, escape to Brookside. You'll be glad you did.

Cafe Ole in Tulsa
Contact: Paula Underwood and Candy Dunn, owners 918-745-6699 http://www.cafeoletulsa.com/
This restaurant serves a menu of fresh home-cooked Santa Fe style cuisine that is handmade daily. In business for 22 years, this Brookside District establishment knows what it takes to keep their customers coming back for more... great food, good service and a wonderful ambiance. Mon-Thurs, 11a-9p
Fri, 11a-10p
Sat, 9a-10p
Sun, 9a-9p
3509 S. Peoria Ave., Suite 100, Tulsa, OK 74105

Civic Center Music Hall and The Lion King in Oklahoma City
Contact: 405-297-2584 http://www.okcciviccenter.org/
Our beautiful Civic Center Music Hall has gone through many transitions since its inception as a WPA project in 1936. The outside of the building exemplifies the austere architecture of those government funded projects, while the interior is a work of modern design and technology. Dino Lalli takes you on a fascinating tour of this Oklahoma treasure as they prepare to present "The Lion King" on their stage.
201 N. Walker, Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Festival of the Child in Yukon
Contact: Jason Beal 354-8442 http://www.cityofyukonok.gov/
This is a whole day set aside to celebrate children. There are 50 different areas for children to explore, which include an obstacle course, crafts, storytelling, animals to pet and animals to ride, face painting, puppets, kayaking, archery, magic shows and just about any other activity you could dream of. So grab the kids and head out to Yukon.
Sat, May 2nd, 10a-4p
Yukon City Park
2200 S. Holly, Yukon, OK
Call for ticket information

Miss Blues performing in Oklahoma City
Contact: 405-535-7300 http://www.missblues.com/
Lots of people who never really had the blues, sing the blues... and a lot of them make a pretty good living at it. But if you really want to sing the blues with passion... you have to have lived them... and Dorothy Ellis has really earned the title of Miss Blues.

Wheat Harvest in Frederick
Contact: Cassidy Grain Company 580-335-2104
Amber waves of grain--wheat grain, to be specific--rustle serenely in the rolling fields of Frederick. Farmers flock to this Oklahoma town every year to harvest one of our state's biggest crops, and pass the tradition on to the next generation.

Integris Health's Discover Oklahoma is shown Saturdays at 6:30 pm on KOTV-6 in Tulsa, KWTV-9 in Oklahoma City, and KSWO-7 in Lawton. Also check local listings for show times on these cable outlets: Cox Communications in OKC, Tulsa, Muskogee, and McAlester, CUTV in Lawton, KWEM-TV in Stillwater, Edmond Cable, Fort Sill in Lawton, WIRE-TV in Norman, KOMI-TV in Woodward, CMS in Ponca City.

March Travel Research Shows Good News

Like you, I get at least one e-mail a day making predictions or providing new stats on how the current economic conditions impact the travel industry. So now it's my turn to jump into the middle of the conversation. I hope this post provides you with "news you can use" as you navigate through this new terrain.

Our department is committed to providing you with relevant data and trends regarding the strength and health of tourism in Oklahoma. To that end, we are conducting quarterly "Consumer Travel Pulse" research which surveys 500 primary or joint vacation decision makers in our in-state and out-of-state market areas. This online study measures intent to travel, reasons for traveling or not traveling, destination choice and other key indicators to help us all make informed tourism marketing decisions.

In March, we completed our first survey round and the news was positive. The bottom line: Our regional market offers potential for the summer travel season - 40% surveyed said they would consider a trip to Oklahoma this year and 11% said they have already traveled in the state or are still planning to this year.

Below are some highlights from the March survey. Click here to view the entire report on TravelOK.com. The survey will be reapeated in June and early September.

• Half of those surveyed are planning a vacation or get-away in 2009.



• 21% haven’t decided if they are taking a trip. This group shows potential as they could still be persuaded to come to Oklahoma in 2009.


• 12% already took a trip in 2009.


• 7% don’t plan to take a trip in 2009.
  Economy (47%) is the biggest reason cited for not taking a trip this year.,


• Of those who said “no or haven’t decided yet,” 53% say there’s a chance they may still take a trip.

• Of those who said they were planning to take a trip in 2009, 11% said they went or plan to go to Oklahoma (TX 24%, MO 23%, FL 17%, AR 15%, Don’t Know 15%)


• 42% of all surveyed said they had vacationed or taken a get-away in Oklahoma before.


• About 40% of all surveyed said they would consider a vacation or get-away in Oklahoma.

In a time when many are saying "flat is the new up," our March 2009 visitation numbers for the Oklahoma Tourism Information Centers and inquiries for travel information are tracking above last year's numbers. For spring break, visitation at the TICs was up 11.79% over last year. Overall, total March visitation at the centers was up 50% over February.

We have also created a monthly "Monthly Snapshot of Economic Indicators" report to track statistics important to our industry, such as the sales and use tax collections which fund our advertising efforts, hotel occupancy, leisure and hospitality employment and airport traffic. We will be posting this report on the industry section of TravelOK.com every month.

As for inquires into our call center, phone volume is up about 30% over last March and brochure orders are up about 22%. Unique visitors to TravelOK.com increased 37% in March 09 over February 09, with 85,707 people coming to our site in March. (Year to date comparison is not available because of the new analytics now in place.) Our Oklahoma tourism commercials hit the air on March 23, so we will definitely be monitoring these trends closely to see how we move the needle. All of our advertising this year will carry the "value" message which we know will resonate with consumers who are looking for ways to stretch their travel dollars. I'll keep you posted on the results.

We would love to hear from you to learn what special programs and promotions you have planned for this travel season, or to find out how your numbers are tracking so far. If you would like more information on the Consumer Travel Pulse or other programs, please e-mail me.

Thanks!

Upcoming OTIA Events

The Oklahoma Travel Industry Association is organizing several events and educational opportunities in the coming weeks. Please see below for all the details.

TulsaFest 2009 will be held Monday, April 20, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and will feature speaker Lane Cardwell presenting two seminars, "15 Things that I have Learned So Far" and "What the Big Chains are Doing in 2009 and What You Should Do Differently.” We’ll also hear a lunch Keynote from Scott Shaw, CEO and Founder of Fishbowl, Inc., and the Taste of TulsaFest will be full of wining, dining, dancing and karaoke, and rockin' with live music from MidLife Crisis at the Cain's Ballroom. Join us for a "Pumped Up" evening!

National Tourism Week Educational Conference to be held Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the Oklahoma City Zoo Education Center. Dr. L. Lee Manzer, Marketing professor at Oklahoma State University, will share his "The Game is Played Away From the Ball" lessons, which will focus on satisfying and retaining “old” customers through enhanced relationships. Also enjoy a networking luncheon as OTRD Director Hardy Watkins gives an overview of tourism trends and a "state of the industry" report. Register today!

National Travel and Tourism Week will be celebrated May 9th - 17th. During these challenging times, it is particularly important that you join industry colleagues around the country in this annual salute to the power of travel to help amplify our voice for why travel matters. Click here for a toolkit of resources to help you plan local events and activities, including details on U.S. Travel Rally Day and special promotional opportunities offered by DiscoverAmerica.com and AOL® Travel in conjunction with National Travel and Tourism Week.

Oklahoma Travel Publications: Opportunities & Challenges

Between the Oklahoma Travel Guide, Events Guide and many specialty brochures, our department is constantly working on one or more print pieces at a time. In addition to the day-to-day publication management, we keep our finger on the pulse of print trends, evaluate guides from all 50 states, and continually look for ways to improve our travel publications.

For those of you who produce your own print brochures or guides, you know how challenging it can be to develop fresh and creative copy year after year, while also being as comprehensive as possible without losing the readers' interest.

Recent white papers and travel blogs have discussed the increasing importance of online travel planning tools and how they are changing the landscape for printed guides. One trend is to use a print guide as a lure piece and direct customers online for more specific information. While we still recognize the need for community listings and attraction information in our travel guide, we understand the changes on the horizon and are evaluating strategies for the best way to adapt in the years to come.

One important tool we rely on is research. We've commissioned a regional survey to take an in-depth look at our state travel and events guides. It asks travelers and potential travelers about how they use travel publications, what information they are seeking, and how they want to receive that information. The results won't be in for a few more weeks, but we are excited to see the feedback and incorporate it into our 2010 publication strategy.

In the meantime, we're conducting business as usual in terms of gathering community, lodging and attraction updates for the Travel Guide and events for the 2010 Events Guide. The official deadline for updates was April 1, but we realize the challenge of gathering the information (especially for setting 2010 event dates), and we'll continue to accept your updated information beyond this deadline. That said, the sooner you submit your information the better your chances of either being included in the guides or having corrected information printed.

In case you've missed our multiple mailings and e-mails about this topic, the forms can be downloaded here. Just a reminder, listings are free so there's no reason not to participate!

We're also offering some new advertising options in our publications this year. All of the details on that can be found here. You may notice that for the first time you can advertise on TravelOK.com and in a Destination Dining & Accommodations Guide. This guide is something new that we have not produced before. Several other states produce an accommodations guide separate from their travel guides and we are testing this idea in our publication research. If the results show that it does not make sense to produce a separate piece and keep the information in the main travel guide, we will contact the advertisers and make appropriate changes to their order.

The same goes for the Oklahoma Events Guide. We are one of a few states that still print a calendar of events. It is not only a costly endeavor but a challenging one, since many events change their date or location after printing and can only be updated on TravelOK.com. We see the value of having a printed Events Guide, but will look to the research results to see how or if we need to adapt to meet current customer demand.

I realize these changes can be scary and exciting all at once. Our department wants to be very candid and transparent about our decision making. It is likely that this information will seem alarming to some and welcomed by others. It is my intention to keep you informed about the tough decisions we are facing -- both fiscally and for consumer demand.

Once our publication research is complete we will share more details on how and if our travel publications will be impacted. We very much appreciate your understanding and patience during this transition. The end result will always be to streamline our guides so that they lure visitors to your area and our state.

Warmest regards,
Lindsay Vidrine
Director of Public Relations, Travel & Tourism Division

Being Interactive at SXSW

Our PR Director Lindsay Vidrine and I spent a few days this past week at the Interactive Segment of the South By Southwest Festival in Austin. (Albeit painful, we left before the music part of the festival started.) For five days, we celebrated our inner geek and joined thousands of web developers and tech companies, PR practitioners, marketers, media reps and bloggers to learn about the latest and greatest in social media and interactive marketing. Wow - it was great. It was the first conference I ever attended where texting, Tweeting and e-mailing were encouraged during the sessions. Between the two of us, we attended more than 40 sessions where we learned how to venture into new media for tourism and travel promotion.

Some big picture conclusions we brought back are: Consumer marketing is becoming so segmented that traditional media (television, radio, print) is no longer enough to support your brand. Social media allows you to talk directly to your customers and build a personal relationship with them. Social media marketing can be very labor intensive - so find out if it works for your audience before you invest time and resources . . . it's ok to enter slowly. Mobile technology -Web sites for mobile phones and other applications - holds great potential for reaching customers.

If you are thinking about dipping your marketing toe into the tidal wave of blogging and Twitter, here are a few takeaways from the SXSW conference:

• Spend some time reading and studying blogs before you jump into blogging yourself.
• Learn what appeals to bloggers and how their needs are different from journalists in traditional media. Usually, bloggers focus on the smaller details of a place - no big, multi-day itineraries. It's all about the experience. Make sure you offer plenty of photo/video opportunities and give many story options.
• Look at the audience you want to reach and find the bloggers for that audience. Is it moms, baby boomers, RVers, tour operators, seniors?
• When you respond or comment on a blog - be real. Full disclosure is best. Always identify yourself if you are commenting on behalf of your company or attraction.
• If you want travel bloggers to know about you, learn about them first. Some places to start: TravelBlog Exchange, BlogHer, Travel.Alltop.com or visit Google blog search.

Here's a great article that provides some insight into the world of travel blogging.

In an upcoming post, we will talk about the phenomenon of Twitter and the opportunities it brings to travel promotion.

How is our division incorporating social media into our marketing mix as we promote the state? The newly designed TravelOK will feature six experts on different Oklahoma travel subjects. They will blog on our new site as will our own travel counselors and staff to share experiences when they visit attractions and events. There will also be opportunities for visitors to TravelOK.com to leave comments on the site and and rate attractions - so we will offer plenty of opportunities for interaction. We also plan to eventually build a mobile TravelOK.com. And, our PR staff is working on a strategy to find the best ways to incorporate the blogosphere and Twitter into our messaging plan.

Thanks for reading!

Submitted by Sandy Pantlik, Travel & Tourism Director, Okla. Tourism & Recreation Dept.