Editorial

Vacationing near home makes extra sense this year

Friday, May 13, 2011

With college and high school graduations here, can Memorial Day and the first big summer weekend be far behind? If you haven't already made summer vacation plans, time is growing short.

And, if you've checked the price of gasoline lately, you'll know that the price of travel will play a big part in making those plans.

We've touted Nebraska vacation destinations before, but with $4 gasoline, they make even more sense in 2011 -- even for travelers from other states.

"Travelers will find that their lodging, dining and entertainment dollars go farther in Nebraska," said Gov. Dave Heineman as he signed a proclamation declaring May 7-15 as "See Nebraska Week," and announced the 2011 Nebraska Passport program.

It might surprise you that the toruism and travel industry is the third-largest revenue producer from outside the state, behind agriculture and manufacturing, and generates more than $3 billion a year. Total travel expenditures in Nebraska have increased by more than $2.4 billion from 1990 to 2010. In 2009, tourism accounted for more than 45,000 jobs statewide.

We do invest in this business; a 1 percent lodging tax provides funding for the Division of Travel and Tourism at the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, which promotes statewide attractions and attracts visitors to Nebraska. Lodging tax revenues reached a new high in 2010, totaling more than $3.8 million.

Most of us have visited the Harold Warp Pioneer Village in Minden, but how long has it been? How about Ole's Big Game Steakhouse in Paxton, or the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in Royal?

Have you ever taken time to stop to visit the 20th Century Veteran's Memorial in North Platte or the Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland? How about the Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Hastings, or the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney?

Then there's Carhenge at Alliance, the Lake McConaughy Visitor/Water Interpretive Center at Ogallala, the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center at Chadron or the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln.

For that matter, when friends and relatives are in town, have you considered taking them to the George Norris House, the High Plains Historical Society Museum, visiting an area winery or booking a bed-and-breakfast for them?

Check out a list of sites included in current promotion at NebraskaPassport.com.

You might be surprised how much vacation fun you can find within a day's drive of home.

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