Oklahoma Travel Industry Association Tourism Education Members Governor's Conference on Tourism

Upcoming Events

The call for entries is now open for the 2009 RedBud Awards, an honor given by the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department recognizing Oklahoma's tourism attractions, destination marketing organizations and travel writers for their outstanding efforts to serve and promote Oklahoma's tourism industry.  Entries must have been produced, published, broadcast or held between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009, and submitted to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department by 5 p.m. on July 31, 2009.  Winners will be announced during the Governor's Conference on Tourism, October 19, 2009. 

Odyssey de Culinaire will set sail with the first dinner in Oklahoma City on Thursday, July 30th at Gaillardia Country Club.  The second dinner will occur in Tulsa on Thursday, August 13th at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.   These benefit dinners have a unique spin that creates collaboration among five chefs from Oklahoma City and five chefs from Tulsa.  Each group will treat the other city to an incredible six-course meal.  The chefs will be assisted in their meal preparation by high school students who are currently active in ProStart® schools in Oklahoma. More information here.

National Tourism Week Educational Conference was held Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the Oklahoma City Zoo Education Center.  Over 100 industry professionals attending, making for a highly successful event.  Thanks to our Partners!  Photos can be seen here.


Hot Topics

Out of 7.7 million employees and hundreds of video submissions, our industry has found a new "face of travel." Meet Paco Saldaña, Director of Guest Services at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.  He places a human face on the value of business and leisure travel and its impact on the lives of those in the travel community.

New OTIA Member Benefit: Tinker Federal Credit Union Membership

OTRD has started an Oklahoma Travel Industry blog to further communicate and interact within the industry. Check it out!

Our comprehensive and aggressive campaign to change attitudes about meetings, events and incentive travel continues to reap results. In addition to favorable stories recently on NBC's Today show, CNBC and the New York Times, an exchange on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives between Congressmen Barney Frank (D-MA) and Shelley Berkley (D-NV) is a clear sign that the tone has changed in Washington toward the value of business travel. Click here to play (may take a minute to buffer).

ESTA Requirements Begin for Travelers to U.S.

Meet the New ADA:  In perhaps the most sweeping change to the face of employment law in over 10 years, the recent passage of the "ADA Amendments Act" will mean a massive change for most of the country's employers. These changes, which will go into effect January 1, 2009, will not only have a tremendous impact on the defense of employment litigation claims, they will require almost all human resource professionals, managers and business owners to adopt new policies and procedures in dealing with accommodation requests.

Use of Updated I-9 Form Now Mandatory:  Employers must use this new form immediately.

The National Restaurant Association has released an inspirational 6-minute video as a tribute to what restaurants do for our country - their impact on their employees, on careers, on communities, and on the nation's economy. (approx. 100 MB)


 

   
 

Major Tourism Partners

Ackerman McQueen

Ardmore Tourism Authority – Convention Center

Bartlesville Convention & Visitors Bureau

Broken Arrow Convention & Visitors Bureau

Catch the Fever Music Festivals & City of Pryor

Cherokee Nation Tourism

The Chickasaw Nation

Edmond Convention & Visitors Bureau

Elk City Convention & Visitors Bureau

Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce

Oklahoma Dept of Tourism & Recreation
Oklahoma AgriTourism

Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau

Oklahoma City National Memorial

Oklahoma Museums Association

OPUBCO/The Oklahoman

Osage Nation Tourism

Norman Convention & Visitors Bureau

Red Carpet Charters

Southern Living Magazine

Stillwater Convention & Visitors Bureau
 
Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau

 

In Association with







 
View the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association's credit card acceptance policies.