National Travel Writers Tour Western Nebraska
FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Kathy McKillip at 402-471-1558, or [email protected]
Angela White at 402-471-7755, or [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Travel Writers Tour Western Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. (June 16, 2015)—Parts of central and western Nebraska will step into the national spotlight June 14-19, as the state plays host to a group of 22 journalists writing for national and regional media outlets. This will be the twelfth media tour sponsored by the Nebraska Tourism Commission. The tours are designed to show selected national media outlets what Nebraska has to offer visitors in various regions of the state.
The tours will show off the state’s western culture, golf, local businesses, and other outdoor recreation activities at Fort Robinson State Park, Toadstool Geologic Park and familiar landmarks—Courthouse and Jail Rocks, Chimney Rock, and Scotts Bluff National Monument. In addition to sampling all of the fun summer activities available, the journalists will tour museums, sample local restaurants, learn about famous Nebraska historical figures and much more. Cities featured in the tour include Sidney, Ogallala, Lewellen, Crawford, Alliance, Chadron, Bridgeport, Scottsbluff and Gering.
The visiting journalists write for a wide variety of publications including The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, AFAR Magazine, American Cowboy, Travel + Leisure, CNN Travel, Men’s Health, AAA Home & Away, Hemispheres, AAA Going Places, Miami Herald, Smart Meetings, AAA Living, RV Life Magazine, USAToday.com, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Orlando Sentinel, Popular Hispanics, USA Today, Charlotte Observer, AAA Go Magazine, The Nashville Tennessean, AAA Hoosier Home & Away, AAA Midwest Traveler, AAA Home & Away Oklahoma, Omaha World-Herald, Spokesman-Review, Toledo Blade, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, American Cowboy, The Dallas Morning News, El Nuevo Herald and many more.
Some 251 journalists have visited Nebraska on the previous media tours, resulting in 574 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, Group Tour, Group Travel Leader, Canadian Geographic, Byways, 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 Sun, Albuquerque Journal and the Coloradoan.
Some 648,074,485 potential visitors have been exposed to this coverage. If this editorial coverage had been purchased as paid advertising it would have cost more than $10 million. National and in-state tourism sponsors have provided more than $442,260 in goods and services including air transportation, lodging, meals and activities to support the Nebraska Tourism Commission's media tour program.
“Writers that participate in the media tours, experience the allure of Nebraska, which is comprised of nice moments, provided by authentic Nebraskans. This type of earned media coverage is very effective because it has a high degree of credibility with consumers. The program currently has an ROI of $17.60 to every $1.00 spent. It’s been a great success for Nebraska Tourism and we greatly appreciates the support from local businesses and communities who participate in the tours,” said Kathy McKillip, Director of the Nebraska Tourism Commission.
Debbie Geiger of Geiger and Associates, who organizes the tours, commented, “We survey the journalists before they visit, and then again after the media tour, to assess how much their perceptions about Nebraska are affected by these editorial research experiences. Most of the journalists, who have visited on previous Nebraska media tours, had not been to the state before, have little idea about what to expect. After they visit, the journalists have responded with great surprise and very positive comments about Nebraska's diverse offerings and scenic beauty. In fact, a good number of the journalists have requested to come back on another media tour so that they can see more of the state.”
For more information about travel, events and unique destinations in Nebraska, order your free travel guide today at www.VisitNebraska.com. Then stay connected with Nebraska Tourism on our Visit Nebraska Facebook page, on Twitter, on Pinterest and on YouTube.
The mission of the Nebraska Tourism Commission is to expand Nebraska’s dynamic and diverse travel industry making it more viable by creating awareness, attracting increased visitors which results in greater tourism revenue and economic gain throughout the state. To learn more, go to www.VisitNebraska.com.
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