Nebraska Heritage Tourism Plan

National Trust for Historic Preservation; University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau for Business Research

From introduction: "Heritage Tourism is a solid contributor to Nebraska’s tourism industry—and there is tremendous potential to grow the economic impact of this sector. While heritage trips currently account for 6 percent of all person-trips in Nebraska, they constitute 13 percent of all visitor spending. Heritage travelers tend to stay longer and spend more than other travelers, making them a sought-after highv-alue traveler for the tourism industry. The total annual economic impact of the heritage tourism industry in Nebraska is more than $196 million, supporting over 3,010 jobs in Nebraska and generating $16.4 million in state and local tax revenue impact. More than most industries, the heritage tourism industry benefits Nebraska’s rural regions in addition to the metropolitan areas. Investing in heritage tourism is a cost effective approach for Nebraska because it represents an asset-based economic development strategy that builds on Nebraska’s existing assets and resources. Through this study, 220 existing heritage museums have been identified in Nebraska. The experiences at these museums can be supplemented by Nebraska’s 1,000+ historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 500+ state historic markers across Nebraska and numerous historic Main Street communities. In addition, the Nebraska Historic Resources Survey and Inventory includes documentation for 72,000 historic resources from every county in Nebraska. Collectively, these historic resources can help to place these heritage museums into a larger historical context. These existing heritage attractions (including historic sites and museums) provide a sustainable network of travel attractions and visitor services that is already in place. While Nebraska currently does not have a dedicated heritage tourism program, there are a number of state organizations as well as leading attractions that collectively provide support for heritage tourism marketing and development. Heritage tourism also complements other types of visitation, such as travel to experience natural attractions, agricultural attractions (commonly called agri-tourism), Nebraska’s rich and varied ecology (eco-tourism), culture, such as art museums and theaters (cultural tourism), recreation and community activities. When combined with these other complementary niche markets, the impact of heritage tourism is multiplied." Project funding was provided in part by a 2010 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office (project number NE-10-024, grant number 31-10-21934) administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Nebraska Heritage Tourism Plan

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