Hello Tourism Partners,
Hola! Ciao! Hallo!
March ended and April began with a whirlwind. With stops in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, it’s been an honor to be a part of the Brand USA Great USA Road Trip Europe. Along with other key Route 66 cities like Oklahoma City, Chicago, Flagstaff, Az., Santa Monica, Calif., Albuquerque, NM, Springfield, Mo., and the states of Texas, New Mexico and California, we traveled across the continent sharing the story of the Mother Road and looking ahead to the Centennial in 2026. On the first leg alone in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany I presented Tulsa as The Capital of Route 66® to more than 400 journalists, tour operators and travel agents as we hope to inspire European and international travelers from all over the world to come visit Tulsa as a true international destination.
Back home, the coming convention center hotel took another huge step forward as the City of Tulsa selected three developers to submit proposals for the transformative project coming to downtown.
The ninth consecutive Big 12 Wrestling Championship in Tulsa were the biggest yet with a conference-record 21,309 fans watching Oklahoma State win their first title since 2021—I even got to present a medal!
Our Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture had a successful trip south of the Red River to South by Southwest in Austin, showcasing Oklahoma’s film scene in tandem with film commissions across the state. And speaking of the arts, mark your calendars! “The Outsiders: A New Musical” will be at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center October 7-12 to kick off its national tour, and we know there are some Great Expectations for the Tony-winning “Best Musical.”
In mid-April we welcome the Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA) Symposium to Tulsa for the first time. Sports organizers from all over the country will be in Tulsa to learn, network and see what we have to offer from April 14-17. With more than 1,000 attendees already registered, it will be the largest Symposium in Sports ETA history!
Finally, every month it seems like Tulsa outdoes itself. This was such a great headline, and it highlights the incredible impact the George Kaiser Family Foundation makes on the city and the region: What America Can Learn From Tulsa
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Now, on with the tour...
Renee McKenney, President
+ Your Tulsa Regional Tourism Team!
Tulsa Tourism in National News
- Route 66 Through Tulsa - All the Best Spots
- Route 66: Missouri - Oklahoma - Samantha Brown's Places to Love
- New Hip-Hop Exhibit in Oklahoma Will Display Items From LL COOL J, Chuck D, MC Lyte and More - Okayplayer
- Tulsa’s Route 66 Reaches Milestone with 66th Neon Sign Grant - Focus on Travel News
- Unsigned, But Not Unseen: Unsigned Only Evolves Into Music Awards - World Music Central
- Must-See Attractions and Stops Along Route 66 - Atlas Obscura
Tulsa Tourism in Local News
- Tulsa filmmaker Loren Waters talks about Sundance award - Tulsa World
- Three to pitch plans for downtown Tulsa convention hotel - Tulsa World
- How sports equipment donations are impacting young athletes in Tulsa - News on 6
- The Enduring Legacy of 'The Outsiders': S.E. Hinton Talks Broadway and Beyond" - News on 6
- Tulsa's Ride & Slide draws global trainers, boosts local economy by $2.4 million in 8 days - KTUL
- City of Tulsa selects 3 firms to pitch convention center hotel designs - KJRH
Visit Tulsa News
Leisure Travel
Are you Seriously Savvy?
Just more than two months after the initial launch, SavvyTulsa is off to a roaring start. The online learning module meant to help educate Tulsans about our city’s history has already seen more than 330 signups and nearly 150 completions. As users complete the course, they will gain invites to exclusive Tulsa experiences and SavvyTulsa-only merchandise and swag from Mythic Press. Sign up today at savvytulsa.com!
Convention & Visitors Bureau News
Meetings & Conventions
Your CVB Recently
- Extraordinary Women Ministries Conference
Feb. 28-March 1
800+ room nights
$1.67M estimated Direct economic impact | $2.9M estimated Total economic impact
Mabee Center - American Kennel Club National Agility Championship
March 14-16
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
- Big 12 Wrestling Championship
March 8-9
950+ room nights
$1.19M estimated Direct economic impact | $2.1M estimated Total economic impact
BOK Center - Summit Volleyball Black Gold Brawl
March 1-2
2,600+ room nights
$1.3M estimated Direct economic impact | $2.3M estimated Total economic impact
Ascension St. John SportsPlex
Tulsa FMAC News
Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture
Tulsa FMAC Sponsors Film Crew Workshop
- Picture’s Up, a workshop presented by the Tulsa Film Collective, allows attendees the opportunity to work on the set of Sterlin Harjo’s new project, “The Sensitive Kind,” gaining valuable industry experience.
- Workshops will cover camera work, props, wardrobe, hair and makeup, lighting, and assistant directing and will be hosted by the Tulsa Artist Fellowship at Flagship on North Boston Avenue.
- “With every production that films in Tulsa, we see a ripple effect — jobs, tourism and new opportunities for our creative workforce,” said Meg Gould, executive director of Tulsa FMAC.
Second “Mix and Master” Event a Success
- A month after debuting the new educational series “Mix and Master,” Tulsa FMAC hosted the second meeting on March 25 at Vanguard Tulsa.
- Attendees heard from guest speakers Seth Saltzman of ASCAP and Robert Clement fo AllTrack on the role of PROs or “performing rights organizations” in how they collect and distribute royalties, ensuring artists get paid for their work on streaming platforms.
- “We’re really excited to get into more of the music industry specifics,” said Tulsa FMAC Manager Natalie Bowling during an appearance on News on 6.
Questions? Contact jonathanhuskey@visittulsa.com.
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