Tourism Numbers Down For the Year, Up in June

Visits to Cheyenne County are showing numbers on both sides of the line. They are down, but they're also going up.

A Nebraska Tourism Commission press release dated Aug. 30 says tourism in Nebraska is going up. The report offers numbers including February, March and May setting all-time high records. The report adds that the total Nebraska lodging tax collection from July 2017 to June 2018 amounts to almost $5.7 million for a growth rate of nearly 7 percent.

Cheyenne County's numbers aren't quite so rosy, but they do offer a mixed picture.

Tourism Director Kevin Howard said tourism for 2018 is down compared to 2017 by 14 percent. However, June 2018 is up compared to June 2017, he said.

“I was very encouraged by our June lodging tax figures,” Howard said. “It was encouraging to see we had an increase.”

Howard said while the numbers are encouraging, the battle isn't over.

“We have a long ways to go,” he said.

The goal, he said, is “heads in beds.” The more people who use hotels and motels, the more others businesses benefit. The more businesses benefit, the more people will frequent hotels.

“It is a snowball effect,” he said.

In the state tourism report, Nebraska tourism Commission executive director John Ricks noted events and specific themes that could have resulted in the higher numbers.

“The record setting lodging tax collection shows us that when you invite people from out of state, they will come,” said Ricks. “We targeted out-of-state markets for the crane migration and 2018 summer campaign, the Nebraska Passport Program continues to grow and the Solar Eclipse took place in this fiscal year, all things that factored into our 6.98 percent growth rate.”

The press release says statewide the months of February, March and May set all-time high records. Cheyenne County also recorded high numbers in those months.

The Nebraska Tourism Commission identifies tourism as the third largest industry in Nebraska. The press release quotes the U.S. Travel Association that domestic and international travelers to the state spent $4.9 billion in 2016 and generated $735.1 million in federal, state and local governments.

Howard says Cheyenne County continues to work with Blue SoHo and their research. He says there are campaigns being considered, but they may not be implemented until 2019.

“I want to do it right,” he said.

Howard said he wants to invest in the community, not just buy ads.

He said a philosophical change is necessary for Cheyenne County. Some of the historic draws to the Sidney area do not have the same magnetism, according to Howard, at least not enough to generate overnight stays. He compared the effort to a successful restaurant. The food is good but the location is known for its customer service. In the same way, people are drawn to how they are received.

“It's not hard. We be ourselves, our natural selves and welcome them, and they come back,” he said.

He said billboards are important in promoting Cheyenne County also. The challenge is including the right message with the limited words that can be printed on a billboard.

“There's so many facets to tourism,” he said.