The North Platte Telegraph - Nebraska Tourism Conference Wraps Up

Nebraska Tourism Conference Wraps Up

By TERESA WICKENS, The North Platte Telegraph

A junk jaunt, a visitor's publication and a Hawg Stop were local Travel Industry Award winners Thursday night, as the Nebraska Tourism Conference wrapped up.

The North Platte Lincoln County Convention and Visitors Bureau publication was awarded Outstanding Tourism Publication, recognized for its photographs and layout. Stoney's Hawg Stop was awarded Outstanding Tourism Website and the Nebraska Junk Jaunt was awarded Outstanding Event for a community of less than 5,000 population.

Donna Goodier, director of the South Sioux City Convention and Visitors Bureau, was awarded the Nebraska Association CVB Crystal Compass Award for excellence and leadership in the NACVB.

Yvonne Dalluge of Pawnee City was recognized with the Henry Fonda Award for her work in promoting tourism. The award is presented annually to the person who has worked for tourism at the local, state and regional level.

Gov. David Heineman was the keynote speaker at the banquet and said 43,000 jobs are created by tourism and for the last two years, tourism has been a $2.9 billion industry.

He said tourism has a great potential for Nebraska, and it is the third largest industry in the state.

"We need to promote the experience," he said. "Nebraska is a great place to visit because of our people, how we are treated when we travel in Nebraska."

He said South Dakota spends twice as much on tourism and gets back half as much.

Nebraska spends $3.1 million and gets back $2.9 billion in return, he said.

He said before spending more on tourism, it has to be in perspective to the needs of the state.

"We need to create a more favorable tax environment, we need to educate our children and take care of our needy," he said.
Heineman also said new technologies could be used to stimulate new growth in agriculture and tourism, and combine the two.
"We need to promote, market and sell all parts of our state," he said.

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