Close to 12 million out-of-town visitors spent $1.1 billion in Omaha last year.
Keith Backsen, Executive Director of the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau, says this is the fifth straight year tourism has grown in the Omaha market.
He says Omaha’s visitor spending has grown 11% from 2012 to 2014, while the national average grew 8.4% in the same time frame.
Backsen says Omaha holds a lot of appeal as a good weekend destination as well as a foodie destination. He says events like the College World Series have helped put Omaha on the map.
Backsen says visitor dollars not only benefit the city but also benefit residents when it comes to tax relief.
"They save us money because these visitors come in for the weekend, they spend their time and then they go home. They provide us sales tax revenues, occupational tax revenues, city of Omaha lodging taxes. It supports all our government services and it saves each of us as taxpayers about $682 in tax relief every year.”
Backsen says the Omaha Visitors and Convention Bureau’s meeting sales team is 149% above its booking pace for 2016.
He says 2016 will see the return of the US Olympic Swim Trials, as well as the opening of the African Grasslands exhibit at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.