Tuesday, June 29, 2010

2010 RedBud Awards Call for Entries is Now Open

We are proud to announce that the 2010 RedBud Award Call for Entries is officially open! Two new award categories have been added this year, “Outstanding Eco Tourism” and “Outstanding Lodging Property”, so please make sure to spread the word to anyone you think deserves to take home the prize!

The RedBud Awards Ceremony will take place October 18th at the Governor's Conference on Tourism, held October 17 - 19 at the Embassy Suites in Norman. For information on how to register to attend this year’s Governor’s Conference, visit the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association’s website at http://www.otia.info/.

You can find information on how to submit entries for the RedBud Awards by clicking the following link: http://www.travelok.com/files/RedBudAwards.pdf. The deadline for entering is 5 p.m. on July 30, 2010.

Thanks, and please feel free to contact Austin with any questions you may have.

Austin Tackett
Travel Communications Coordinator
Travel Promotion Division
Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department
Phone: 405.230.8413
Austin@TravelOK.com

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Norman Hotel & Conference Center Earns First ECO Platinum Certification

Oklahoma’s largest hotel and conference center has become the first property to earn the highest sustainable travel certification offered by ECO – Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma – the state’s premiere sustainable travel program.

The National Center for Employee Development, located off State Highway 9 in Norman, earned the Platinum Travel Standard certification by meeting set criteria and implementing sustainability programs.

Hardy Watkins, Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department executive director, said the NCED is a good sustainability practices model for all conference centers.

“Since NCED is the largest conference facility in the state, its environmental impact is significant,” Watkins said. “By implementing sustainability programs and joining ECO in our conservation efforts, NCED is not only helping Oklahoma reduce its carbon footprint, but is also providing a benchmark that other large conference centers around the nation should seek to meet.”

NCED began implementing green programs about seven years ago, said Yves Badaroux, NCED general manager.

“Going green makes perfect business sense, and can be a significant driver of guest satisfaction, as well as associate engagement,” Badaroux said.

Some of the sustainability efforts include using environmentally-friendly laundry and cleaning products, recycled office supplies, low-VOC paints and converting the chlorine pool and spas to salt water. In addition, an herb garden is planted every year, and food scraps are donated to the Little River Zoo.

During a renovation in 2009, more than 64 tons of wall vinyl and carpet were recycled. Between 2008 and 2009, the facility reduced gas consumption by 18.3 percent, and began using glass water bottles, which eliminated the use of 80,000 plastic bottles a year.

Since 2009, the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department and Department of Environmental Quality’s ECO Certification program has promoted, developed and encouraged sustainable tourism throughout the state. ECO Certification requires applicants to meet set criteria and be reviewed by a national certification board. A certification level of silver, gold or platinum can be awarded, based on the level of sustainable practices the applicant chooses to implement.

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) is working to advance the exceptional quality of life in Oklahoma by preserving, maintaining, and promoting our natural assets and cultural richness. The department is the steward of the state park system and also promotes Oklahoma as a travel destination through many award-winning programs. To learn more about Oklahoma Tourism visit http://www.travelok.com/ or follow us at www.Facebook.com/TravelOK or www.Twitter.com/OklahomaTourism.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

2011 Publication Ad Sales

Many of you have already secured your ad space reservation for the 2011 Oklahoma Travel Guide and our next Discover Oklahoma Destination Dining Guide. If you have yet to submit your contract, please do so ASAP.

Ad rate information and contracts can be found here or by contacting Kerry Barrick at 405-230-8408 or Kerry@TravelOK.com.

All artwork is due May 15, 2010 so mark your calendars!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Canebrake Becomes Oklahoma's First ECO-certified Property

The Canebrake resort has become the first location in Oklahoma to be certified as a sustainable tourism destination. ECO, or Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma, is a program through the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality that promotes, develops and encourages sustainable tourism throughout the state. The Canebrake has proudly been awarded Gold Certification.

Hardy Watkins, OTRD executive director, said certifying The Canebrake resort is the first step in providing sustainable tourism options for travelers in Oklahoma. “I would like to congratulate The Canebrake on becoming the first ECO Certified destination in Oklahoma,” Watkins said. “The ECO program and the Tourism and Recreation Department realize the need for sustainable tourism in our state. The Canebrake’s gold certification marks the beginning of sustainable tourism opportunities for patrons of Oklahoma, and The Canebrake should be commended on their efforts for making sustainability one of their top priorities.”

The Canebrake offers guests a relaxing, rejuvenating escape in northeastern Oklahoma’s Green Country. Sam Bracken, The Canebrake owner, said the spa resort was built upon sustainable principles that continue to drive the Bracken family’s business practices. “The ECO program fits with our mission to be good stewards of the Earth in what we build, how we hire employees, the food we prepare and the building materials we use,” Bracken said. “Each and every one of us has to take responsibility for what we consume. We try to do the best we can financially and realistically to use sustainable products because it is the right thing to do.”

ECO Certification is a program that began in 2009 and requires applicants to meet a set of criteria prior to certification. Data from each location is analyzed and referred to a national certification board for a final review. A certification level of silver, gold or platinum can be awarded, based on the level of sustainable practices the applicant chooses to implement. There are seven categories for travel and tourism related businesses and organizations to choose from when applying for ECO Certification.

For more information about the ECO Certification Program, please visit: http://eco.oklatourism.gov/ or email: Jessica@TravelOK.com.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Space Available for OTRD Training Camp on Feb. 24

A few spaces are still available for the next OTRD Training Camp coming up February 24.

Held four times a year, these full-day sessions provide the chance to meet and interact with OTRD staff to 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 will meet in our Oklahoma City office and get to know who we are and what we do. You will have access to our staff for individual appointments in the areas of public relations, development, grant funding, electronic marketing, consumer, group, and international travel.

Other opportunities include:
  • Meeting with our frontline call center staff and let them know about your community or attraction.
  • Learning how you can work with the Oklahoma Film & Music Office and what special requirements are needed for this industry.
  • Pitching your story to our public relations staff, Oklahoma Today Magazine, and Discover Oklahoma.

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

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

ECO Partners with Clean The World

As part of the ECO program, OTRD has partnered with several organizations who share sustainable goals. One of our partners is Clean the World, a Florida based non-profit organization launched in February 2009.

Last year, founders Shawn Seipler and Paul Till became inspired to make a difference. They created Clean the World with hopes of improving the quality of life for children in third world countries by recycling gently used soap and shampoo products—items commonly thrown away at hotels. These seemingly simple items have been proven to significantly reduce deaths and illnesses. Clean the World creates partnerships with hotels across the country to prevent these items from going to waste.

Since its founding less than a year ago, Clean the World has recycled 21,000 bars of soap and 50 gallons of shampoo and conditioner to distribute back into communities where these items are scarce. As an added bonus, the process has eliminated four tons of waste.

ECO is proud to be a partner in the Clean the World mission. ECO is committed to encouraging Oklahoma hotels to partner with Clean the World as part of making state travel more sustainable. Oklahoma currently has two hotels partnered with Clean the World, Oklahoma City’s Colcord Hotel and Tulsa’s Hotel Ambassador. Hotel Ambassador was recently featured on the Clean the World blog at http://cleantheworld.org/blog/.

The process is simple. Hotels sign up to donate soap and shampoo and Clean the World provides collection bins, online training resources, and marketing materials. Plus, they place your hotel’s logo on their website and give you a mention in their newsletter.

To learn more about Clean the World or the ECO mission you can visit http://www.cleantheworld.org/ or http://eco.oklatourism.gov/.