Tourism Brings in Record-high $8.94 Billion, Supports 100,900 Jobs

OKLAHOMA CITY - New research by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department shows that visitor spending hit a record high in 2017. Tourism in Oklahoma directly supported 100,900 jobs that reflected earnings of $2.29 billion. An estimated 21 million visitors generated $8.94 billion in total direct travel spending for the state.

Tourism generated $656 million in state and local tax revenue in 2017 — the equivalent of $430 for each Oklahoma household. That number represents taxes paid by visitors that fund the core functions of government, displacing taxes that state residents would otherwise pay.