Hello Tourism Partners,
Ring the bell!
What a thrill it was to be in New York City with Tulsa Regional Chamber Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Justin McLaughlin and Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols for a series of media appointments and interviews to tell Tulsa's story. We got to visit the New York Stock Exchange, and Mayor Nichols was interviewed live on NYSE TV— “Tulsa's rolling,” he said!
We also got to see (and hold!) the actual key to the city former Mayor G.T. Bynum gave the cast of "The Outsiders: A New Musical” on Broadway. It was great to see some of the cast members and we can’t wait for the nationwide tour to open in Tulsa this Fall. Stay gold!
We ended January by hosting a group from Southwest Airlines on a tour of Black Wall Street for Black History Month, including Greenwood Rising, Fixins Soul Kitchen, Fulton Street Books & Coffee and Silhouette Sneakers & Art. The team created social media content from that trip, exposing Tulsa to more than 8 million followers combined between LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
The month kicked off with the second annual Big Show Off to benefit the Tulsa Day Center. Nine incredible contestants competed, with Brock Robinson taking home third place, Trinity Lake winning second place, and Nicholas Scharf taking home the top prize. Congratulations to all!
Much more on this below, but I have to mention SavvyTulsa. On Valentine’s Day, we launched a brand-new tourism ambassador program to Tulsa and the response has been INCREDIBLE! The free online learning module lets anyone who takes the course gain a deeper understanding of the offerings, assets and attractions that make our city the thriving, vibrant destination it is. Thanks to our team for all their hard work putting it together, and if you haven’t signed up yet, well, it’s Tulsa Time! Stay Savvy!
One of Tulsa’s best springtime traditions is IrishFest, and it’s almost time. March 7-9 at Dream Keepers Park, this “family-friendly, culturally authentic way to celebrate Celtic heritage in the arts, music and culture” strives to be the best Irish Festival in the world. This year’s music lineup includes international sensation The Wellermen. Get your tickets today!
The Big 12 Wrestling Championship is close-at-hand as well. March 8-9 at the BOK Center, 14 teams—including, of course, Oklahoma State—will compete for the conference championship. It’s the ninth straight year Tulsa has hosted the Championships as we continue to cement our place as the amateur wrestling capital of the world.
Looking for something to do this Friday night? Cain’s Ballroom hosts King Cabbage Brass Band’s Carnival, featuring Greyhounds. Doors open at 6:30, tickets are available here. Congratulations are also in order for King Cabbage; they’ll accompany country music megastar and Oologah native Zach Bryan for a show at Michigan Stadium in September, the largest sold-out ticketed event in American history!
Speaking of music, Bob Dylan (and the Bob Dylan Center) is still front-and-center thanks to the success of “A Complete Unknown,” and this month, the Bob Dylan Center and Woody Guthrie Center will host “Stepping Into the Unknown,” where props from the film will be on display in the first concurrent exhibit at both centers. Finally, none other than Dylan himself will play at the Tulsa Theater on March 25 as part of his “Rough and Rowdy Ways” world tour!
Your Tulsa Regional Tourism team has definitely hit the ground running in 2025. Our city’s momentum has never been stronger, and it’s only going up from here!
Now, on with the tour...
Renee McKenney, President
+ Your Tulsa Regional Tourism Team!
Tulsa Tourism in National News
- 18 Remote Islands That Are Surprisingly Easy to Reach - Probe the Globe
- The Sit Down with Corey Kent - Country in the UK
- Hanson Talk ‘Underneath,’ Hair and Dreams of Collabing With Haim - TODAY
- BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Greenwood Rising aims to educate, empower community a century plus after Tulsa Race Massacre - Black News and Views
- Top Music Venues 2025: Billboard's Picks - Billboard
- Oklahoma's Economy Lights Up with $531M Impact from "Filmed in - Hoodline
- 'A Complete Unknown' Props on Display at Bob Dylan Center - Variety
- 6 powerful Black heritage museums in the USA that don't pull any punches - The Awkward Traveller
Tulsa Tourism in Local News
- Tulsa Zoo announces chimpanzee pregnancy - The Journal Record
- Arvest gets naming rights for Tulsa's convention center - Tulsa World
- Church Studio acquires history-rich microphone - Tulsa World
- Taj Mahal's 'Swingin' Live at Church Studio wins Grammy - Tulsa World
- Local director wins Best Director award at Sundance Film Festival for short film 'Tiger' - FOX23
- Sterlin Harjo announces plans for Jesse Ed Davis documentary - Tulsa World
- Oklahoma film industry sees six-fold growth in spending since 2021 incentive update - KTUL
- New Savvy Tulsa program empowers residents to share city's story - News on 6
- Tulsa band CLIFFDIVER joins Warped Tour lineup - News on 6
Visit Tulsa News
Leisure Travel
Community Leaders Come Together for SavvyTulsa
Visit Tulsa has partnered with 21 community leaders in all sectors of tourism for a groundbreaking new project, SavvyTulsa. A tourism ambassador program, SavvyTulsa is a free online learning module meant to equip anyone who passes with the ability to tell Tulsa’s story with warmth, confidence and authenticity. The course covers the pillars of Tulsa’s tourism community, such as attractions, dining, music and film, as well as the significance of Historic Greenwood District, the Osage Nation, Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
A mix of videos from key leaders, reading materials and interactive quizzes will make graduates a “SavvyTulsan,” not only preparing them to inform visitors of all Tulsa has to offer, but deepening their knowledge of their own community as well. Interested? Take the course at savvytulsa.com!
Is Your Visit Tulsa Listing Accurate?
- Local businesses—Don't forget to review your complimentary listing on VisitTulsa.com.
- You can use PartnerNet to make updates, add events and more!
- Having trouble updating yours? Reach out to pattikrausert@visittulsa.com.
Convention & Visitors Bureau News
Meetings & Conventions
Your CVB Recently
- Rhinos Corp. Feb 2025 Meeting
Feb. 6-9
500+ room nights
$1.13M estimated Direct economic impact | $1.95M estimated Total economic impact
Cox Business Convention Center - Teton Ridge Central Contender Tournament Regional Finals
Feb. 13-15
1,600+ room nights
$624.2k estimated Direct economic impact | $1.1M estimated Total economic impact
Expo Square
Upcoming Events
- Oklahoma Ride & Slide Show and Derby
March 4-9
2,300+ room nights
$1.1M estimated Direct economic impact | $1.9M estimated Total economic impact
Expo Square - American Kennel Club National Agility Championship
March 25-31
2,000+ room nights
$2.8M estimated Direct economic impact | $4.9M estimated Total economic impact
Expo Square
Sports Commission News
Professional & Amateur Sports
Your TSC Recently
- Oklahoma Wrestling Kids Novice State Nationals
Feb. 1
80 room nights
$240.9k estimated Direct economic impact | $423.6k estimated Total economic impact
Expo Square - Kaizen Volleyball Invitational
Feb. 21-23
2,000+ room nights
$987.6k estimated Direct economic impact | $1.7M estimated Total economic impact
Cox Business Convention Center
Upcoming Events
- Big 12 Wrestling Championship
March 8-9
900+ room nights
$1.19M estimated Direct economic impact | $2.1M estimated Total economic impact
BOK Center - Sports Events and Tourism Association (ETA) Symposium
April 14-17
3,100+ room nights
$1.1M estimated Direct economic impact | $1.9M estimated Total economic impact
Cox Business Convention Center
Tulsa FMAC News
Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture
Study shows half-billion-dollar impact of Filmed in Oklahoma Act
- The Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture, along with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office and the Oklahoma City Chamber, released a study showing more than $531 million of direct economic impact from the Filmed in Oklahoma Act, which was signed into law in 2021.
- The $30 million incentive offers a 20% base rebate to projects that film principal photography in Oklahoma and led to a near-six-fold increase in incentivized spending in its first year, from $31.8 million in 2020 to more than $187 million in 2021.
- “Filmmaking in Oklahoma is at never-before-seen levels of success, thanks in large part to the rebates and tax incentives offered by the Filmed in Oklahoma Act,” said Meg Gould, executive director of Tulsa FMAC. “Those funds have helped grow the industry locally and across the state, and to keep this momentum and further solidify Oklahoma as a global production hub, we must ensure our funding stays competitive with other states around the country. With additional funding, Oklahoma would continue to grow our local filmmaking industry and workforce, bringing more attention to the state and dollars to the economy.”
Broken Arrow Announces New Film Incentive
- On the heels of this study, Broken Arrow announced a new $100,000 pilot film incentive program designed to attract film productions to the community.
- The program includes a 10 percent rebates on local spending during a film project, a $500 rebate for every 12 room nights spent at a Broken Arrow hotel and a 10-20 percent rebate on the cost of production space used during filming.
Tulsa, Fort Worth Collaborate at Folk Alliance International
- Tulsa FMAC recently visited Montreal, Quebec, Canada, along with a group of Tulsa-based musicians for the 2025 Folk Alliance International Conference.
- Tulsa partnered with the Fort Worth Music Office to share a room, spotlighting arists from two of America's most storied music cities.
- Thursday, Feb. 20, the room featured Tulsa artists Josh Westbrook, Cassie Latshaw, Carter Combs and Avery Marshall. Friday the room was a collaboration between Tulsa and Fort Worth artists, and Saturday Fort Worth musicians took center stage.
Questions? Contact jonathanhuskey@visittulsa.com.
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