The Oklahoma Route 66 Passport, run by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, recently announced it has added three new stops for the program. The new stops in the updated passport include: Cherokee Nation Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center in Vinita Circle Cinema in Tulsa Elk City Chamber of Commerce in Elk City The … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Passport program adds three new stops
Tag: Oklahoma Tourism
Oklahoma Tourism’s updated Route 66 Guide goes fully digital
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department recently released an updated digital Route 66 Guide --- the first such publication to be re-released as fully digital. The updated guide is 63 pages. According to a news release from the department: “Going digital with our specialty publications gives us an exciting opportunity to make our guides more … Continue reading Oklahoma Tourism’s updated Route 66 Guide goes fully digital
Route 66 features prominently in Oklahoma Tourism’s new “Imagine That” campaign
Oklahoma Tourism earlier in the week announced the launch of its "Imagine That" campaign where Route 66 features prominently in the mix. According to a news release, it is the first television campaign showcasing the new state branding, and it marks the first time since 2015 the agency has released a campaign of this scale … Continue reading Route 66 features prominently in Oklahoma Tourism’s new “Imagine That” campaign
Swadley’s Bar-B-Q countersuit allegedly implicates Oklahoma governor, Pinnell
Swadley's Bar-B-Q last week filed a countersuit, alleging the governor and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who leads the state's tourism department, knew of the arrangement where the restaurant chain spent millions of dollars in inflated reimbursement invoices to upgrade services at several state parks. The Oklahoman newspaper reported some details about the countersuit: Among the claims … Continue reading Swadley’s Bar-B-Q countersuit allegedly implicates Oklahoma governor, Pinnell
More details about Oklahoma Tourism’s big ad buy in NYC’s Times Square
Oklahoma Tourism last week provided more details about the advertising, including for Route 66, which it recently purchased for the gigantic video screens at Times Square in New York City. The department stated this in a news release: Visitors near Father Duffy Square, a heavily trafficked pedestrian plaza, will be able to look up and … Continue reading More details about Oklahoma Tourism’s big ad buy in NYC’s Times Square
Snippets of Oklahoma Route 66 shown on Times Square’s big video screens
Mary Beth Babcock, the owner of the Buck Atoms Cosmic Curios on Route 66 store in Tulsa, recently flagged a brief video shot by a friend in New York City. The footage shows several landmarks from Route 66 and other spots in the Sooner State that were displayed on the big video screens in Times … Continue reading Snippets of Oklahoma Route 66 shown on Times Square’s big video screens
Oklahoma Tourism leader resigns, state files suit against Swadley’s Bar-B-Q over park contract
The state of Oklahoma last week filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Swadley's Bar-B-Q, and Oklahoma Tourism chief Jerry Winchester resigned after he and the small restaurant chain were implicated over allegations of fraud and overspending with concessions at six state parks. The contract is being investigated by state police and is undergoing an audit by … Continue reading Oklahoma Tourism leader resigns, state files suit against Swadley’s Bar-B-Q over park contract
Oklahoma Tourism axes contract with Swadley’s Bar-B-Q due to suspected fraud
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department this week canceled a state parks contract with Swadley's Bar-B-Q -- a regional chain with Route 66 roots -- “due to suspected fraudulent activity and questionable business practices.” The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has been investigating the contract for several weeks. The local district attorney and state auditor … Continue reading Oklahoma Tourism axes contract with Swadley’s Bar-B-Q due to suspected fraud
29,000 Oklahoma Route 66 Passports distributed in just a few months in 2020
Remember the Oklahoma Route 66 Passport created by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism a couple of years ago? It turns out the agency distributed that little booklet by the truckload. The department this week sent out a news release about the 2020 tourism season, during the first part of the COVID-19 pandemic. It contained this … Continue reading 29,000 Oklahoma Route 66 Passports distributed in just a few months in 2020
Oklahoma bucked travel slump during COVID-19 pandemic
The state of Oklahoma did better than the U.S. in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Route 66 playing a major role. The Center Square, which specializes in state- and local-level government and economic reporting, talked to David White, legislative liaison for Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. White said the Sooner State's tourism industry did … Continue reading Oklahoma bucked travel slump during COVID-19 pandemic