We can’t be a pro-business state if we’re not telling Oklahoma’s story | Tourism official

Tourism and travel increasingly serve a crucial role in any state’s workforce pipeline. With a diverse job landscape allowing individuals to rethink where and how they live, Oklahoma is poised to attract new residents through visitation to the state.

Increased flexibility in jobs across the country, including remote and hybrid roles, has allowed more individuals to reflect on where they live and build their careers. A 2023 study by Development Counsellors International (DCI) revealed that the number of individuals who decide to relocate based on their trip to a destination is on the rise, making up about 14% of respondents — meaning millions of Americans could visit a place and decide they want to live there based on their travel experience.

The same study also confirms that people continue to prioritize quality of life as an initial motivation for relocating. Livability and affordability of a place are leading factors of quality of life, both of which are abundant in Oklahoma, presenting an opportunity to show off what our state has to offer as soon as travelers enter the state.

We know people are looking to move here, as evidenced by recent net migration growth that shows Oklahoma as No. 9 in the country for overall growth. Additionally in 2023, the population in the state grew at its fastest rate in a decade.

If today’s visitor becomes tomorrow’s talent, my vision and commitment to the state is to continue expanding the success of our tourism and travel operations, and ultimately attract more long-term Oklahomans who contribute to our communities by becoming permanent residents and taxpayers.

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Oklahoma’s tourism operations have been extremely successful, despite outdated funding structures that have limited investment in recent years. As our state’s third-largest industry with an annual impact of $11.8 billion, tourism efforts attracted more than 18 million visitors, generated $833 million in state and local tax revenue, and supported over 103,000 jobs, contributing significantly to local economies.

To build on this momentum and continue showcasing what makes Oklahoma special to visitors, it’s necessary to collaborate across local and state tourism agencies, boards and commissions. But doing so will require changes in the way we are able to promote the state.

Currently our two funding sources that are dedicated to promoting the state and maintaining our tourist attractions are capped, and have been limited since 2015. Unfortunately, this has also capped economic growth and development in our state — from when the cap was put in place to 2023, the state has lost over $75 million in potential funding for statewide marketing and capital improvements.

Even with this limited investment in promoting Oklahoma, we’ve seen a 60 to 1 ROI. For every $1 spent on tourism promotion, we see a return of $60 in visitor spending. In order to capitalize on growth opportunities in our communities, we must modernize funding sources and put those dollars toward investment in promoting our state to attract visitors, and potentially, future Oklahomans.

We can’t be a pro-business state if we’re not telling Oklahoma’s story.

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Oklahoma is a top-tier destination for visitors of all ages, but it’s also a wonderful place to live, work and enjoy. By continuing to promote this and attract individuals through travel and tourism, we can ultimately build our workforce of tomorrow.

Shelley Zumwalt is the secretary of tourism, wildlife and heritage and the executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.