Route 66 looks to be the focus of a renewed interest in tourism among Oklahoma's top state officials.
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell said Gov. Kevin Stitt’s administration is all-in on the Mother Road when it comes to plans to boost tourism.
"We’re not going to be top 10 in tourism if we’re not promoting one of our greatest assets as a state, and that’s Route 66. We have more miles than any other state of the most famous road in the world. So, we should be doubling down on that," Pinnell said.
Pinnell visited Tulsa on Tuesday for a tour of the city’s stretch of the Mother Road led by the Tulsa Route 66 Commission. They traveled by bus from the Hard Rock Casino to 49th West Avenue, with several stops at points of interest along the way. Pinnell said a lack of state funding for marketing is a problem.
"I do not think, at a state level, that we do a proper job of promoting Route 66 to the country and the world, by the way. You know, Texas spends $10 million internationally on their tourism efforts. We don’t spend any money internationally," Pinnell said.
While additional funding could amplify Tulsa’s own efforts to tap the historic highway’s economic potential, Pinnell said increasing Route 66 tourism will help the entire state, especially with growing interest in agritourism.
"People love the small-town charm. So, if you can get them to Tulsa or you can get them to Oklahoma City, they’ll go to Luther, they’ll go to Miami, they’ll go to Claremore. But you’ve got to get them to some of those urban areas first," Pinnell said.
Besides funding, Pinnell said Oklahoma needs a uniform identity for Route 66. There will be a convention in December where the state’s mayors and other local officials can help develop one.
