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Nebraska Tourism Commission dba Visit Nebraska

General Information
  • Formal Name:
    Nebraska Tourism Commission dba Visit Nebraska
  • Contact Person:
    John Ricks, Executive Director
  • Purpose:
    Per Nebraska Revised Statute 81-3702 the purpose of the Nebraska Tourism Commission is to promote Nebraska as a tourism destination and to administer programs to attract an increasing number of visitors to Nebraska and further the use of travel and tourism facilities in Nebraska, (2) to provide for a lodging tax on hotels for the purpose of establishing a State Visitors Promotion Cash Fund, and (3) to authorize the governing body of any county to appoint a visitors committee and impose a lodging tax on hotels for the purpose of establishing a County Visitors Promotion Fund and a County Visitors Improvement Fund.
  • How Many Affectable:
    Countless potential visitors nationwide.
  • How Many Served:
    Countless potential visitors nationwide.
  • Year Created:
    2012
  • Year Active:
    2012
  • Sunset Date:
    blank
Authorization
  • Authorization Citation:
    The agency was created by LB1053 in 2012. Ne. Rev. Stat. 81-3702 transferred powers and duties from the Travel and Tourism Division of the Department of Economic Development.
  • Parent Agency:
    blank
Memberships and Meetings
  • Number Of Members:
    13
  • Who Appoints:
    Governor
  • Legislative Approval:
    Yes
  • Qualifications Of Members:
    Per Nebraska Revised Statute 81-3710. The members of the commission shall consist of the Director of Economic Development and twelve residents of the State of Nebraska appointed by the Governor, to include one member representing a state chamber of commerce organized under the Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation Act, and one member appointed from each of the eleven districts described in subsection (2) of this sectionFour of the district members shall have professional, volunteer, or public service experience that contributes to the fiduciary and governance duties of the commission. Seven of the district members shall be affiliated with the tourism industry.(2)(a) For purposes of this section, the state is hereby divided into eleven districts. The limits and designations of the eleven districts shall be as follows:(i) District No. 1. Douglas County;(ii) District No. 2. Lancaster County;(iii) District No. 3. The counties of Richardson, Pawnee, Nemaha, Johnson, Otoe, Gage, Saline, and Jefferson;(iv) District No. 4. The counties of Cass and Sarpy;(v) District No. 5. The counties of Saunders, Washington, Dodge, Colfax, Stanton, Cuming, Burt, Thurston, Wayne, Cedar, Dixon, and Dakota;(vi) District No. 6. The counties of Butler, Polk, Platte, Merrick, Nance, Boone, Madison, Pierce, Antelope, Knox, Holt, and Boyd;(vii) District No. 7. The counties of Thayer, Nuckolls, Webster, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Seward, York, Hamilton, Franklin, and Harlan;(viii) District No. 8. The counties of Kearney, Phelps, Hall, Howard, Greeley, Wheeler, Buffalo, Sherman, Valley, and Garfield;(ix) District No. 9. The counties of Lincoln, Keya Paha, Rock, Brown, Loup, Blaine, Custer, Logan, McPherson, Arthur, Grant, Hooker, Thomas, and Cherry;(x) District No. 10. The counties of Furnas, Red Willow, Hitchcock, Dundy, Chase, Hayes, Frontier, Gosper, Dawson, Perkins, and Keith; and(xi) District No. 11. The counties of Deuel, Garden, Sheridan, Cheyenne, Morrill, Box Butte, Dawes, Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Banner, and Kimball.
  • Per Diem:
    Yes for meal expenses while on official agency business
  • Expense Reimbursement:
    Yes for travel expenses while on official agency business
  • Term Length:
    4 years. No appointed member may serve more than two successive terms.
  • Terms Rotate or Expire At Once:
    Terms Rotate
Meetings Required In:
  • Required FY 21-22:
    None required.
  • Held FY 21-22:
    5 meetings held.
  • Required FY 22-23:
    None required.
  • Held FY 22-23:
    5 meetings held.
  • Required FY 23-24:
    None required.
  • Held FY 23-24:
    4 meetings held.
Operations
  • Support Staff:
    11 full time employees
  • Shared or Separate:
    Separate
  • FY 21-22 Budget:
    $5,826,316
  • FY 22-23 Budget:
    $7,571,767
  • FY 23-24 Budget:
    $9,584,977
  • Other Funding Sources:
    Received $2,250,000.00 Economic Development Administration Grant on June 10, 2021, to be utilized by September 10, 2023. Federal Share (EDA Amount) $1,800,000; Non-Federal Matching Share $450,000.
  • Spending Authority:
    $9,083,744
Accomplishments
  • Since July 1, 2020:
    Visit Nebraska is funded by a 1% lodging tax which has grown 42% from calendar year 2019 to 2023. Each dollar invested into marketing creates $20.28 in visitor spending. Since 2019, when Visit Nebraska introduced new marketing and brand strategies...Visitor spending in Nebraska has grown to a record $4.6 billion in 2023 from $3.5 billion! This 29.4% increase paced well above the national growth rate of 7%.The number of overnight guests has nearly doubled! 12.6 million people overnighted in 2023, up 311,000 year-over-year, with 75% of guests coming from out-of-state.Lodging revenue in Nebraska grew 26.4%, dwarfing the 2.5% bump nationally!Nebraska's tourism industry has shown steady growth in recent years. In 2023, travel spending reached $4.6 billion, generating $322 million in tax receipts and $997 million in direct earnings, with 41,250 jobs supported. This was an increase from 2022, when travel spending was $4.3 billion, and 2021, with $3.6 billion in spending. The sector's growth has contributed to higher earnings and job creation, highlighting Nebraska's growing appeal as a travel destination.