OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The annual Financial Affect of Journey in Oklahoma report for the 2022 calendar 12 months revealed that tourism is booming within the state.
“Some folks speak about Oklahoma and also you hear it on the coast, particularly as a flyover state,” Gov. Kevin Stitt stated. “However that’s not the case, we have gotten a vacation spot state.”
The state’s tourism division set file numbers after the pandemic.
Oklahoma welcomed 18.three million guests in 2022, a three.three% enhance from the earlier 12 months.
“That is four.57 guests per residence,” stated Governor Stitt. “Oklahoma additionally had the second-largest year-over-year enhance in journey spending, with guests spending a mean of almost $500 per evening.”
That spending, which quantities to $11.eight billion, a rise of 12.three% from the earlier file of $10.5 billion set in 2021.
“We’re reporting the most important year-over-year share enhance in journey spending in almost a decade and a 60-to-1 return on funding for each greenback spent selling our state,” stated Shelley Zumwalt, Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Oklahoma Heritage.
On Tuesday, Zumwalt stated tourism is Oklahoma’s third-largest trade, second solely to grease and gasoline in bringing out-of-state dollars on to Oklahoma.
The tourism increase has additionally added 1000’s of jobs to the state. In keeping with the report, direct employment generated by journey elevated to greater than 103,00zero with the addition of roughly 5,230 jobs in 2022. That’s an employment enhance of 5.three% in comparison with 2021.
Zumwalt attributes the success to aggressive advertising.
“OTRD’s job is to promote Oklahoma to the world,” Zumwalt stated. “And the world is listening and selecting to return to Oklahoma.”