By Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell
As we approach the summer travel season, there is no better time to discuss the tourism industry in Oklahoma. May 5th-11th marks National Travel and Tourism Week, which highlights this important and growing sector of the Oklahoma economy. As the third largest industry in the state, tourism is a major driver of economic growth. When I travel the state, I always point out that tourism is the front door to economic development. When we get people off our roads to visit our communities, we have the opportunity to highlight what makes Oklahoma great.
After my inauguration as your Lt. Governor in January, Governor Kevin Stitt named me to his cabinet as Secretary of Tourism and Branding. Tourism is something I campaigned on when I sought this job, and I’m excited to be in a role where I can promote our state and encourage more visitors to see for themselves what makes Oklahoma great.
Tourism is big business in Oklahoma. Last year, there was a total of $8.6 billion in direct visitor travel spending, which resulted in nearly $650m in local and state sales tax revenue in Oklahoma. This is an industry that employees 100,000 Oklahomans, with a total payroll of over $2 billion. When we’re talking about tourism, we’re talking about major revenue to our state.
In addition to its economic impact, tourism is a driver of quality of life. Outdoor recreation opportunities are a major draw for our visitors from out of state, but these are also abundant resources for Oklahomans to enjoy. When we invest in our state parks and trails, local landmarks, museums, and travel destinations, we offer fun and exciting destinations for Oklahomans to explore with our own families. Furthermore, employees are demanding these quality of life projects from their employers. Just ask Walmart. The Walton Family Foundation has created the best trail system in the country in Bentonville, Arkansas, home to Walmart and its employees.
To make our Oklahoma state parks more attractive to visitors, we’ve focused on modernization and technological updates. A new, streamlined reservation system and improved wifi connectivity are soon on their way. We’ve taken our customer comments to heart, and are focusing on making our state parks modern and user friendly.
The evidence is clear, Tourism Week is a big deal. This is an industry that is having a major impact on our state, and that has endless possibilities for growth and expansion. My pledge to you is that this will remain my priority. As we enter this National Travel and Tourism Week, we’re showing the nation that Oklahoma is open for business, and open for travel.
Matt Pinnell took office as Oklahoma’s 17th Lt. Governor in January. He also serves as Secretary of Tourism and Branding.
