Opinion

Time to tell the truth to tourists

Thursday, October 25, 2018

I admire the Nebraska Tourism Commission for trying to come up with a promotional program aimed at attracting more visitors to our state.

Nebraska — strategically situated in America’s Heartland — possesses outstanding attractions and deserves to have the privilege of hosting guests from both near-by and far, far away.

Although I give the tourism board and A for effort, I have a problem with the strategy selected by the agency chosen to speak on the state’s behalf when it comes to tourism promotion.

I do agree, as the promoters suggest, that we need to tell the truth. That’s our way in Nebraska. We shoot straight with our words.

While the state’s tourism team is going in that direction, I think they are making a mistake by calling attention to the state’s flaws.

That’s dumb.

Why do I think that? I’ll give you an example. Think back to the time you were trying to win the affection of your sweetheart. I’ll bet big money you tried to show your sweetie your good side ... such as your giving nature and your pleasing personality. On the other hand, I’ll bet you didn’t spend much time calling attention to your shortcomings.

To me, that same positive-pointing strategy should be the way the state presents itself. What I’m leading up to is this: Let’s tell the truth, but let’s not make the mistake of calling attention to our blemishes and our bad apples. You learn that in old age: life has plenty of pits, but we’re much better off when we skip over them and look at life as a beautiful blessing bestowed by a far greater power than any of us who share space on this spinning globe called Earth.

Nebraska has its drawbacks. But so does every other state in the gold ole’ U. S. of A.

It rains a lot in Florida and it’s blistering hot in Arizona. Barbara and I can vouch for that because we’ve been to both popular retirement states several times.

Burt, never ever, in all my years of watching television, radio, newspaper and magazine advertising, have I ever seen a promotional piece for “The Sunshine State,” Florida, or the “Grand Canyon State,” Arizona, that made a single reference to the drizzly rainy days in Florida, or the horribly hot weather in Arizona.

So — the $64,000 ... no, make that $64,000,000 question — is what do we Nebraskans need to do to attract more visitors to our Great State,

The secret — I believe — is to turn to the people who know this state the best: its citizens.

The tourism board needs to challenge us, starting right now, to come up with a slogan and a strategy which truly reflects what the state of Nebraska is all about and why it is such a wonderful place to live, work, play and ... sound the clarion call ... visit!

There is a way, I promise you, to tell you the truth so clearly and convincingly that more and more visitors will come to our state in years to come.

Let’s get with it, Let’s start right now. Send your ideas for growing tourism in Nebraska to: “Great State” Ideas, % Gene O. Morris, P.O. Box 55, McCook, NE 69001.

I’ll sort through your ideas, select the best and submit them to the Nebraska Tourism Commission in time to launch a new Nebraska tourism strategy in 2020. Unless I miss my guess ,you’re going to come up with something great.

2020 is just around a couple of corners. What a great time it would be to finally unveil a Nebraska tourism campaign that would be a magnet for regional, national and world-wide travelers.

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