Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium® Sets Economic Impact Record for City and State in 2016

Omaha, Neb. (Sept. 5, 2017) – Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium's 2016 Economic Impact Study results reveal the economic impact to the City of Omaha to be $267.01 million. This includes $109.44 million in labor income paid to an estimated 2,849 workers employed at either Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium or businesses throughout the Omaha economy. The additional economic activity in Omaha due to Omaha's Zoo and Aquarium generates an additional $4.16 million in local sales, use and lodging tax revenues for Omaha. These 2016 economic…

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The Ten Tastiest Days of the Year

Media Contact: Tracie McPherson Visit Omaha Director of Communications 402-444-3607 tmcpherson@visitomaha.com Dine Out to Help Others Omaha, NE. September 13, 2017 – Mark your calendars, Omaha Restaurant Week is back for its seventh year. From September 15th through the 24th every time you have dinner at a participating Omaha area restaurant you will be supporting the Food Bank for the Heartland. "We're proud to be involved with Omaha Restaurant Week," said Keith Backsen, Executive Director for Visit Omaha. "It's a great way for us to promote…

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Omaha's Old Market Wows a New Crowd in Canada

Media Contact: Tracie McPherson Visit Omaha Director of Communications 402-444-3607 tmcpherson@visitomaha.com OMAHA, NE August 17, 2017 - For the second year in a row, Omaha receives top honors at one of the largest convention trade shows in the tourism industry. Visit Omaha’s recreation of Omaha’s Old Market Entertainment District received third place, out of 700 organizations, for best trade show booth at the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) Annual Meeting & Expo in Toronto, Canada. Last year Visit Omaha received top honors…

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Visit Omaha Earns Tourism Badge of Honor

Visit Omaha Earns Tourism Badge of Honor OMAHA, NE. July 17, 2017 – Visit Omaha makes the grade and joins a prestigious group honored in Canada at the Destinations International Conference. Visit Omaha was honored for earning its official accreditation by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). The process is a comprehensive review of a Destination Marketing Organization’s (DMO) business procedures and accountability. “The DMAP accreditation is one more way that Visit Omaha can confidently convey to meeting planners and…

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Omaha Ranks as One of America's Best Cities

OMAHA, NE. June 27, 2017 - Omaha has been named one of the best cities in America by Resonance Consultancy, a real estate, tourism, and economic development advisory company. During an awards ceremony in New York presented by National Geographic Travel on June 14th, the top 10 cities were announced. Omaha ranked fourth highest among 50 U.S. cities with a population of less than one million. “This ranking reflect the comments we hear consistently from our meeting attendees,” said Keith Backsen, Executive Director for Visit Omaha. “More than 12…

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It's All About Baseball in Omaha

(At least during the month of June) OMAHA, NE. June 13, 2017 – Baseball is in Omaha’s DNA and the month of June is proof. For the next several weeks Omaha will host the NCAA Men’s College World Series, and the Triple Crown SlumpBuster Youth Baseball Tournament. The College World Series takes place at Omaha’s TD Ameritrade Park, June 16th through June 28th. Opening ceremonies take place Friday night with a team parade through downtown Omaha, an autograph session for fans, and a firework-filled evening at the ballpark. The eight college teams…

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An Omaha Gem is Now Officially a National Treasure

OMAHA, NE. May 24, 2017 – One of Omaha’s historical treasures has joined an elite list. The Durham Museum was recently designated as a National Historic Landmark. The National Park Service, which oversees the landmarks program, identified the museum as “one of the most distinctive and complete examples” of art deco architecture in the country. The museum is Omaha’s former Union Station, a once bustling train depot built by Union Pacific in the late 1920s. It was one of the first art deco-style railroad stations ever built in the country…

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Visit Omaha's Mackenzie Coleman Receives National Honor

OMAHA (May 8, 2017) – Visit Omaha is proud to announce that one of its staff has received national recognition as a future leader in the tourism industry. National Sales Manager Mackenzie Coleman has been selected by Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) as one of the 2017 “30 Under 30” honorees, presented to a select few each year. “As an organization our goal is to recognize and develop young talent in the tourism industry,” said Keith Backsen, executive director for Visit Omaha. “Mackenzie is a great example of when talent…

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Bob's New Exercise Plan for the Summer & Beyond

You Don’t Have to be IN Shape. You just have to be A shape OMAHA, NE. May 25, 2017 – Bob T. Bridge, (aka Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge) has a new way for everyone and anyone to become an official marathoner…sticker and all. Bob is 3,000 feet long, or in marathon terms a 0.9k. And yes, the decimal point is in the right place. “This is one of the few marathons you can complete with a cup of coffee in one hand and a breakfast sandwich in the other,” said Bob. Visit Omaha is behind Bob’s exercise efforts 100%. In fact, anyone who walks Bob’s 0.9k…

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Visit Omaha Expands Sales Staff

OMAHA, NE. May 16, 2017 – Visit Omaha, the official tourism authority for the City of Omaha, is proud to announce the hiring of two new staff members. “When you hear stories from local people on how tourism impacts them, you get a real feel for what tourism looks like in Omaha, and how it impacts every one of us,” said Keith Backsen, executive director for Visit Omaha. Sue Chevalier joins Visit Omaha as a Research Analyst and Mattie Scheeter joins the team as a National Sales Manager. Sue Chevalier brings more than 35 years of experience in the…

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