April 2013
Volume 13, Issue 4
A publication of the Manhattan
Convention &
Visitors Bureau
Around Town Page 2 Kansas River Update Page 3
Welcome to MHK Page 3
May is for celebrating! Specifically graduations and TOURISM! The Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau will be celebrating National Tourism Week, May 4-12.
According to the report conducted in 2011 on the benefits of travel and tourism in the state, Kansas received 32 million visitors and employed (directly and indirectly) 148,228 Kansans. One out of every ten Kansas citizens owes his or her job to tourism. IHS Consulting, a firm that measures the contribution of travel and tourism to an economy, conducted this study. The tourism industry is the third largest non-farm industry in Kansas.
In 2011, tourism generated 14.4 percent of all state and local tax revenue. Without tourism, Kansas households would have to pay about $917 more in taxes, annually, in order to maintain the current level of state and local tax receipts.
Here in Riley County, shopping, dining, transportation, accommodations and entertainment have seen a 7.6 percent growth in annual visitor spending through 2011. This is significant for businesses in and around Manhattan. Visitors continue to enjoy our Manhattan offerings. Our newest attraction, the Flint Hills Discovery Center welcomed 77,900 visitors
during its first year of operation. Did you know that Sunset Zoo has welcomed visitors for the past 80 years? These attractions need to be celebrated!
The color red is the signature color that promotes unity among travel and tourism workers and supporters. During National Tourism Week, May 4-12, throughout Manhattan, you will find local attractions, hotels, restaurants and the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau wearing red ribbons in celebration of tourism.
We encourage you to celebrate Manhattan with us dur-
ing National Tourism Week. Do so by taking photos of your favorite tourism destination here in Manhattan as well as across Kansas. Pull out your favorite RED shirt and wear it in support of tourism! Share your favorite
spot with us on our Facebook wall; facebook.com/visitmanhattankansas.
Celebrate Tourism!
Sharing Manhattan With the World
Travel writers invade Manhattan! Stephen Keeling is co-author of Rough Guide to the USA and will partake in an Oklahoma/ Kansas media trip in early May. He’ll be in Manhattan on May 3rd to take in the Flint Hills Discovery Center, Kansas State University and Aggieville. Matt Bates will also visit Manhattan to promote as a destination for UK travelers. Bates will be visiting the Flint Hills Discovery Center, Kansas State University, Tuttle Creek, and nearby Wamego before moving on in his tour. Bates works for TravelOK and is active in the UK>US travel market.
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