Considered the third largest industry in Oklahoma, travel and tourism produced an all-time direct travel spending of $8.9 billion 2014, according to Governor Mary Fallin’s office which based the claim on three major research studies.
Tourism is behind oil and gas production and agriculture in terms of industrial economic impact on the state.
The studies commissioned by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department revealed that nearly 20.9 million travelers visited the state in 2014 and their spending of $8.9 billion generated $972 million in tax revenue including $366 million for the state government, according to the Governor.
“Oklahoma has experienced a tremendous growth in tourism and recreation businesses, destinations and sites which greatly enhance not only our ability to attract visitors and improve Oklahomans’ quality of life but also creates jobs and revenue for our state,” said Fallin. “The money spent at these scenic spots and recreation destinations is a boon for local communities and the state of Oklahoma.”
An economic impact study by Dean Runyan Associates found that the total direct travel spending aided the industry that has more than 95,000 jobs and a $2 billion payroll in the state.
A visitor volume and profile study showed 20,866,000 travelers visited Oklahoma in 2014 and that is an increase of 2.4 million or 12.8 percent compared to 2010. A study of advertising accountability and image awareness by Longwoods International claimed that the tourism marketing program was responsible for attracting 1.22 million new visits to the state with the first six months of advertising in 2015. Those new visits spent nearly $205 million in the state and that resulted in $15.5 million in state and local taxes or a return on investment of 7:1.
