State tourism department planning an Oklahoma Route 66 Passport

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is planning to publish 200,000 copies of an Oklahoma Route 66 Passport where magnets and a special coin can be collected.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Association forwarded to Route 66 News a rate card for those who wish to advertise in the publication. The email from the tourism department stated:

The passport will feature only 66 attractions (listed geographically) across the state with 200,000 copies distributed to travelers during the two-year period.  The distribution will be in-state, nationally, and internationally. The space reservation is due March 15, 2020. OTRD content staff will design your ad for you.  All we need from you is an official log; your attraction’s address, phone number, and basic info; and a high resolution, quality photo submitted to us no later than March 27, 2020. The investment of the two-year campaign is just $1,200. Reservations are being offered on a “first come, first serve” basis.
An official collectors coin is given to travelers who complete entire passport.  A magnet will be distributed to participants after each stretch is complete.

Those who are interested in advertising should email Daneka Allen at Daneka(dot)Allen(at)travelok(dot)com or call (405) 650-9328. The publication date of the passport will be announced later.

The $1,200 rate for advertising initially startled me. However, after checking with Route 66 Navigation’s Marian Pavel with his Mother Road Route 66 Passport and Nikki Seegers at the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona about its passport, Oklahoma’s rate is not out of line with what they charge for advertising.

Jennifer Mullins, director of travel promotion at the Oklahoma tourism office, responded in an email to my questions about the passport initiative:

The Rt. 66 Passport is a pay-to-play initiative geared to generate visitation to attractions, route completions, and targeted measurement of Rt. 66’s economic impact. We also produce the Rt. 66 brochure, which features all of the industry partners along the route at no charge to industry partners. The passport will be a specialty product with a magnet and commemorative coin for those who complete each section of the route.  We are also looking at an app that would track visits digitally. The $1,200 cost to participate will offset a small amount of these charges, allowing us to offer both the regular Rt. 66 brochure as well as the passport, rather than having to choose between them. The Lt. Governor initiated the idea, based on a National Route 66 passport that is produced by Route 66 Navigation and sold at locations throughout the US. That program is also a paid participation.
The $1,200 cost, budgeted monthly over the 2-year period of production, comes out to $50/month. We anticipate printing 100,000 to 200,000 in that time period, and we believe that people who request the brochure will visit most, if not all, of the locations. The National passport comes out to $100/month, which is substantially more expensive. We have several locations who are being sponsored by the town/chamber/or private entity in order to participate, which may be a good option to recommend to people.

(Excerpted image of the upcoming Oklahoma Route 66 Passport from its rate card)