While Nebraska may not be for everyone, as the state’s tourism slogan says, it has something for everyone.
Shirley Wichman, industry relations and education coordinator for Nebraska tourism, was the featured speaker July 16 at the Seward County Historical Society quarterly meeting.
Wichman said people have a love/hate relationship with the slogan, which is “Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”
Some people think it’s making fun of Nebraskans, while others see it as tongue-in-cheek, she said.
The Covid-19 pandemic actually boosted tourism in Nebraska, Wichman said. People were looking for places to go without crowds, that were outdoors and that were inexpensive.
“People don’t always go to Lincoln and Omaha,” Wichman said. “They want to get away from people.”
Five years ago, 300,000 people looked at Nebraska’s tourism website. Today, over one million have visited visitnebraska.com.
Part of that is due to the Nebraska Passport Program, which is in its 14th year.
“It’s the longest successful program of any state,” Wichman said.
Part of the program’s draw is its variety of stops. Each summer, 70 locations around the state, divided into categories, are featured on the passport. People can visit any or all of the stops, get their passport stamped, and turn that in for prizes.
“It’s not the same stops every year,” Wichman said.
This year, the tourism office received 350 applications for the 70 locations. In 2022, 982 people visited all 70 stops.
“There’s no cost to be a stop or to participate,” she said.
One of the advantages is that each stop can promote the events and sites in its area, giving people the chance to see even more in Nebraska.
The program runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. This year’s categories are Antique Chic, Creature Comforts, Hand-Made Happiness, Hey Sugar, Local Diner-ing, Recycled Architecture, Refreshments Ahead, The Self-Expressway, Welcome to Charmingsville and Ye Olde Stuff.
With the success of the summer passports, Nebraska introduced a holiday passport last year.
