FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LINCOLN, Neb. (May 5, 2016)—Parts of southeast Nebraska will step into the national spotlight May 9-13, as the state plays host to a group of 20 journalists writing for international, national and regional media outlets. This will be the fourteenth media tour sponsored by the Nebraska Tourism Commission. The tours are designed to show selected media outlets what Nebraska has to offer visitors in various regions of the state.
 
The tour will show off the state’s natural beauty, history and culture. It will include attractions such as the Lied Lodge and Conference Center, Arbor Day Farm, Arbor Lodge, Whiskey Run Creek Winery, the Nebraska History Museum, the Historic Haymarket, the Sheldon Museum of Art Homestead National Monument and many more. In addition to visiting many unique Nebraska attractions, the journalists will sample local restaurants, wineries, breweries and coffeehouses. They will learn about famous Nebraska historical figures and much more. Cities featured in the tour include Nebraska City, Brownville, Beatrice, Lincoln and Ashland.
  
The visiting journalists write for a wide variety of publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe, Country Living, Parents, Travel + Leisure, AAA Home & Away, US Weekly, Smart Meetings, Rails to Trails Magazine, Southwest Spirit Magazine, USA Today Online, Yahoo! Travel, HGTV Online, Woman’s Day, People, Self, The Huffington Post, LA Parent, Wine Enthusiast and several others.
 
Some 293 journalists have visited Nebraska on media tours since 2012, resulting in 761 articles or broadcast segments, which have appeared in media outlets including Midwest Living, Smithsonian, Latina Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Parade, USA Today's Go Escape magazine, Saveur, IN Magazine, American Cowboy, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Travel & Lesure.com, Group Tour, Group Travel Leader, Canadian Geographic, Smart Meetings, Short Escapes, American Way, MotorHome Magazine,  Huffington Post, Texas Golfer, AAA Journeys, National Public Radio, Kansas City Star, Miami Herald, Nashville Tennessean, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Oklahoman, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Toronto Star, Albuquerque Journal and the Coloradoan.
Some 886,330,292 potential visitors have been exposed to this coverage. If this editorial coverage had been purchased as paid advertising it would have cost more than $12 million. National and in-state tourism sponsors have provided more than $536,000 in goods and services including air transportation, lodging, meals and activities to support the Nebraska Tourism Commission's media tour program.
 
“This is the Commission’s fourth year supporting and hosting statewide media tours. We greatly appreciate the support from the local businesses and communities who participate in the tours. As we strive to find balance in such a fluid industry, the media tours are an example of the unique opportunities we must constantly consider to promote the exploration of Nebraska. We also hope they remind those who have moved away why they should come home," said Kathy McKillip, Director of the Nebraska Tourism Commission.