INFORMATION FOR 2017 POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS PROGRAM INFORMATION

MISSION The Nebraska Passport program is a flagship program of the Nebraska Tourism Commission, designed to encourage and incentivize travel throughout the state of Nebraska from May 1st to September 30th for both in-state travelers and out of state travelers. The mission of the program is to highlight the state’s attractions and tourism opportunities, exposing travelers to sights across the state that they likely have not experienced or even known about. The Nebraska Passport connects people to the state, sparking interest and curiosity in our history, culture, scenery, recreation opportunities, products, businesses, and more.

STRUCTURE The Nebraska Passport program involves 80 destinations, organized into 10 tours (themed around interests), and offers promotional prizes for participants who collect stamps throughout the duration of the program. To participate, travelers get their Passport booklet or mobile app stamped at each destination they visit.

REQUIREMENTS OF POTENTIAL PASSPORT DESTINATIONS Nebraska Passport destinations must: • Be open regular and reasonable hours – including at least one weekend day – during the 2017 Nebraska Passport season, which runs May 1st to September 30th, 2017, and be staffed by friendly people who can stamp passport booklets. • Pay a $100 participation fee to cover the cost of custom stamps. • Claim their destination on visitnebraska.com by December 16, 2016 in order to be considered. • Abide by Nebraska state law that prohibits charging participants for admission in order to receive a stamp. Many tourists will naturally invest money in things they wish to see, buy, eat, or experience, but our state laws prevent us from forcing Passport participants to pay for something at each stop.

HOW PASSPORT DESTINATIONS ARE CHOSEN Many factors go into choosing Nebraska Passport destinations, including: • Focus on Customer Service. Applicants should be able to identify how they will support Passport participants throughout the program (e.g. giving tours of their destination, incentivizing them to return, generally being welcoming, etc.) and be an advocate for tourism in the region. • Destination Variety and Geographical Diversity. Passport participants enjoy the variety of adventures the Passport program offers, including cultural, historical, recreational, culinary and artistic adventures. • Themes. The Nebraska Passport is divided into 10 themed tours. Past examples include Find Your Park, Where Art Thou and How It’s Made. Passport destinations are assigned to a relevant theme. • Rotation. Due to the popularity of the Passport program and in the interest of keeping the Passport program fresh and new for repeat travelers, we strive to feature new Passport stops each year. PROGRAM INFORMATION

TOP WAYS THE PASSPORT PROGRAM IMPACTED THE 2016 PASSPORT DESTINATIONS 1. Increases in traffic 2. Increases in publicity opportunities, leading to increased awareness 3. Increases in sales or donations

2016 PARTICIPATION NUMBERS • 18,000 passport booklets in circulation and 8,440 mobile apps • 87,492 total stamps collected (up from 26,842 in 2015) • 1,292 passports submitted for prizes (up from 553 in 2015) 168 completed 80 stops (up from 81 in 2015) 179 completed 40-79 stops, 364 completed 20-39 stops • Average number of stops = 30

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION • 28 states represented • 219 Nebraska communities represented • 100% would recommend the Nebraska Passport program to others • 98% would participate in the Nebraska Passport program again

PARTICIPANTS’ TOP 3 ASPECTS OF THE PASSPORT PROGRAM 1. Passport stops offered unique and unexpected adventures/learning experiences 2. Passport stops offered excellent customer service/loved hearing stories 3. Passport stops offered impressive displays/food/buildings

PARTICIPANTS’ TOP MOTIVATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM 1. Discovering Nebraska’s hidden gems 2. Enjoying Nebraska’s scenery 3. Learning about Nebraska’s history 4. Supporting Nebraska businesses 5. Spending time with friends and family

SECONDARY MOTIVATIONS 1. Enjoying the competition/game aspect of getting Passport stamps 2. Meeting and talking with the people involved in Nebraska tourism 3. Sharing Passport travel stories with others 4. Sharing a fun educational experience with children or grandchildren 5. Enjoying stress-free summer travel - easy planning, less travel time, etc. 6. Saving money on summer travel PARTICIPANT SURVEY

TOP WAYS THE PARTICIPANTS HELPED MARKET THE PASSPORT PROGRAM TO THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY 1. Word-of-mouth 2. Social media posts 3. Blog posts 4. Organized a Passport trip for their group, organization or class 5. Made a presentation to their group or organization 6. Received local media coverage about their Passport travels

PARTICIPANTS REPORTED DOING THE FOLLOWING DURING THEIR PASSPORT TRAVELS: • 98% made purchases at Passport stops • 15% had 1 hotel stay, 24% had 2-4 hotel stays, 20% had 5-8 hotel stays, 3% had 9+ hotel stays • 98% dined at local restaurants • 94% visited other local attractions not on the Passport • 83% attended a local event • 94% made a purchase at a local convenience store • 41% have returned to one or more of the Passport stops

This is one of many groups of Passport fanatics! They enjoyed their Passport experiences so much that they wrote personal thank you notes to many of the Passport stops. 2016 PASSPORT DESTINATION TESTIMONIALS Calinda’s Pot Shop Linda Lacy, Artist/Owner

“The Passport program increased my summer sales by 50%+! It was awesome! I couldn’t keep up creating Linda’s NTV Passport Interview new things, I was so busy!”

This was my first time on the Nebraska Passport and I had a huge amount of traffic because of it. I doubled my sales and more! I couldn’t make new pottery fast enough. I loved visiting with everyone. It was so fun! I offered all the Passport travelers the opportunity to experience throwing a pot on the wheel. I showed them my kilns and wheels and told them about my handmade pottery and paintings, as well as the many workshops I have avail- able. I also told them about my unique building - an old 50’s cafe turned pottery shop - and about my ancestry, which is why I do what I do. I offered Passport travelers a 10% discount on their purchases. The Passport program benefited my destination greatly through advertising. I heard over and over, “I didn’t know such a place was here!” Additionally, the Passport pro- gram helped me make contact with officials to receive financial assistance upgrading my shop architecturally. I am so excited about our future! Nebraska Tourism did a fantastic job of marketing the Passport program. I was given opportunities for an NTV live interview in Kearney, an NPR radio interview, Omaha World Herald article, and several news releases that went to many smaller newspapers. I also was mentioned in the Nebraska Life Magazine. It was truly wonderful. Travelers and locals would bring the newspapers in or contact me on my Facebook page and tell me they saw or read about my shop in their paper. It was amazing. ABOUT: Calinda’s Pot Shop is an art gallery and shop featuring original artwork by Linda Lacy, including Linda and a Passport Traveler pottery, paintings and drawings. Happy Jack Chalk Mine Betty Carlson, Co-Manager

“The Passport program tripled our number of paid tours, creating a wonderfully busy summer.”

Due to the Passport program, our number of paid tours tripled! Many people said advertisements created by Nebraska Tourism featuring pictures of Happy Jack’s were what initially sparked their interest in the Passport program. In addition to tours of the mine, my staff and I told every Passport traveler about the history of the area and pro- moted Happy Jack’s annual events. We also encouraged everyone to enjoy the hiking trails and picnic area. Our goal was to make sure everyone had a good experience. Additionally, due to the Passport program, more people are aware of the hidden treasures along the Loup Rivers Scenic byway. ABOUT: The Happy Jack Chalk Mine is one of the most unusual sites of geological interest on the Great Plains. It is one of only two underground diatomic mines known to have existed in the United States, and the only one that is open to the public. Visitors get to explore mine caverns, examine fossils of ancient sea creatures, and meet the creatures who call the mine home.

Museum of Nebraska Art “The Passport program allowed us to reach a wide section of Nebraskans, and as the official site of the state’s art collection, that is important. Most Passport travelers took time to view our exhibits, increasing their awareness of the art & artists of Nebraska.” - Gina Garden, Marketing Coordinator

Boys Town Hall of History Benjamin Clark, Manager “The Passport program gave our volunteers a vehicle to drive conversations with visitors. They loved giving out the Passports.” The main way the Passport program benefited the Hall of History was increased visibility. We aim to get fewer “I never knew this was here” and more “I’ve always wanted to come!” and the Passport program certainly helped that! Additionally, at least half of all Passport travelers stopped by our gift shop. Other Omaha Passport stops were happy to point their Pass- port visitors to us, and we to them as well. ABOUT: The Hall of History museum presents the unique history of Boys Town through permanent exhibits that use au- dio and video presentations.

Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Center Doug Friedli, Executive Director “We successfully cross marketed with the other two Passport stops in our area.”

Being part of the Passport program resulted in increased admission sales, increased gift shop sales and increased awareness of our Center, with many of the Passport travelers promising to return. ABOUT: The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center sits on a scenic bluff overlooking the Missouri River. The flora, fauna and scientific discoveries recorded by the Lewis & Clark Expedition are the focus of the Center.

John Philip Falter Museum “Our participation in the Passport program prompted our downtown businesses to join together to promote local shopping and dining.” - Dobey Falter Haws, Curator

Saunders County Museum Erin Hauser, Curator “We averaged about 100 more people during the Passport months than we did last year.” The Passport program brought people into the museum who would have never stopped in otherwise. There were also people from the area who hadn’t been to the mu- seum before that came because of the program. Due to being a Passport stop, we had articles in the local paper, and we used the fact that we were a Passport stop in our newsletters and advertising. ABOUT: The Saunders County Museum is a tribute to the pioneers who sought a better life on the prairie.

Museum of Nebraska Major League Baseball Carolyn C. Scarborough, Executive Director

“The significant amount of Passport traffic we brought to our town had to increase sales at the local businesses.”

Due to the Passport program, our traffic tripled over last year. We do not charge admission, but we did have an increase in donations. Additionally, being a Passport stop brought more visitors to our area; visitors who shopped at our local stores and ate at our eating establishments. ABOUT: The Museum of Nebraska Major League Baseball is dedicated to illustrating the careers of over 160 men with Nebraska ties who have made it to the Major Leagues of American Baseball.

Harold Lloyd Home “Not only did the Passport program increase our traffic and sales, but we also got to let travelers know about other things to do in our county.” - Marcia Borcher, President of Pawnee County Promotions Become a 2017 Nebraska Passport destination! Complete an application by Friday, December 16, 2016.

Applications can be found at: NEBRASKAPASSPORT.COM

If selected, you will be notified in early 2017 and will receive further details, including an invitation to Passport destination training.