OKLAHOMA CITY, 2013-06-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — TravelOK.com, the official tourism website of the State of Oklahoma, was the most visited website among state tourism agencies during April 2013 according to Quantcast.com. Quantcast is an independent source that ranks the top one million websites in the United States and provides Interactive Advertising Bureau certified traffic statistics.
Governor Mary Fallin praised the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department for creating a robust digital presence for the state’s tourism industry.
“Oklahoma’s tourism industry helps to create jobs, boost our economy and enhance the overall reputation of our state,” said Fallin. “In today’s digital age, it’s important to have a dynamic online portal for people to receive information about tourism destinations and recreational activities. In TravelOK.com, our team has put together a powerful tool to support tourism in Oklahoma and, ultimately, to retain and create new jobs.”
Quantcast.com tracked 303,800 visitors on TravelOK.com in April, compared to No. 2 Michigan’s 301,300. North Carolina, Virginia and Colorado were also among the top five states during April. Oklahoma has consistently been one of the top state tourism websites in average page views per session, ranking No. 1 for 10 of the last 12 months.
TravelOK.com’s increase in visitor sessions equates to a 114-percent increase over April 2012. Travelers viewed nearly 1.9 million pages during the record-setting month. The website has more than 15,000 listings that feature attractions, dining, events and lodging properties across the state. The digital marketing team works closely with industry partners to maintain the database.
TravelOK.com ranked No. 26 on Quantcast.com among state tourism agency websites in early 2010 and rose to its previous highest ranking of fourth in June 2012. April 2013 marks the first time TravelOK.com has been No. 1 in the rankings.
“Credit for this achievement goes to (Director of Digital Marketing) Jennifer Kalkman and her extraordinarily talented and dedicated team,” said Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department Executive Director Deby Snodgrass. “To put this accomplishment in perspective, Hawaii currently ranks seventh. Their annual travel promotion budget is $83 million – eight times what Oklahoma spends on all advertising and promotion each year.”
OTRD moved website operations in-house in December 2012 with a substantial cost savings. TravelOK.com is managed by Director of Digital Marketing Jennifer Kalkman along with seven staff members.
Travel and tourism is a $6.2 billion industry for Oklahoma, providing 75,000 jobs and generating $349.5 million in tax revenue for the state treasury (U.S. Travel, based on 2010 figures). Travel employs a broad and diverse workforce, from airline and hotel employees to restaurant, attraction and retail workers. Travel further supports employees in other industry sectors, such as construction, manufacturing and finance.
About the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department travel promotion division coordinates the agency’s marketing and promotions efforts. The division administers programs designed to build awareness of the state as a destination and educates on the economic importance of the Oklahoma travel and tourism industry.
The staff oversees numerous digital marketing, advertising, public relations, television and information programs, including the state’s media and digital marketing campaigns, domestic and international group travel programs and the oversight of the multi-county matching funds program. The agency also operates eight Oklahoma Tourism Information Centers, located a major points of entry across the state.
By Oklahoma Tourism Staff