Dodge City CVB announces National Travel & Tourism Week schedule
(Courtesy of the Dodge City CVB)
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Dodge City will observe National Travel and Tourism Week from May 5th to May 11thand National Train Day on May 11th.
The annual National Travel and Tourism Week is designed to draw attention to, enhance perceptions of, and recognize the economic, social, and cultural impacts of tourism. This annual tradition brings industry professionals together to highlight the value of travel and consider the broad impact it holds for communities across the country. Last year alone, visitors spent $133 million in Ford County ranking us 8th in visitor spending among all 105 counties in the state. The theme this year is “Travel Matters.”
National Train Day is a holiday started by Amtrak in 2008 as a method to spread information to the general public about the advantages of railway travel and the history of trains in the United States. It is held each year on the Saturday closest to May 10th, the anniversary of the pounding of the Golden Spike in Promontory, Utah which marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S.
The City of Dodge City, Ford County, and Travel Professionals, along with the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) would like citizens to join us in celebrating our Western Heritage, see the services offered by Amtrak in the community, and learn more about the restoration of the Historic Depot. We’d like to see folks take some time to explore the attractions and history the city has to offer. We are eager to highlight Dodge City in this nationwide event and hope that this will remind the local citizens of all the things available in Dodge City, and peak the interests of the expanding tourism opportunities in and around our community. In the process, we’ll be showcasing how important travel and tourism is to our local economy and will demonstrate the many great things to see and do in Dodge City.
This year, Dodge City has been nominated to participate in the USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award as a contender of the nations ‘Best Historic Small Town.” Voting takes place until May 6th. The CVB encourages all citizens to vote, once a day until the contest end. You can vote at www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-historic-small-town/dodge-city-kansas/ Winners will be announced on Friday, May 17th.
Stay in the know of all the activities that week by checking out our website www.visitdodgecity.org and the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Facebook and Twitter pages (@visitdodgecity).
To celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week, the Convention and Visitors Bureau will host an Open House and Chamber Coffee on Tuesday, May 7th from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at the Visitor Information Center to kick off the week, and will be offering a complimentary Historic Trolley Tours at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:00 PM that day. Seating is limited to 24 riders per tour.
In celebration of National Train Day, there will be an Open House and tours of the Historic Santa Fe Depot on May 11th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. We will also offer complimentary Historic Trolley Tours to the public on Saturday, May 11that the Visitor Information Center. Tours will run at 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:00 PM. Seating is limited to 24 riders per tour.
