An article in the Daily Oklahoman reiterates what we’ve been saying for months — that Route 66 won’t be as adversely affected by the weak U.S. economy as other tourism segments because of a boom in foreign visitors.
“This year the overseas tourists are taking advantage of a weak U.S. dollar,” said Amanda Davis, Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau program director.”It’s a huge deal.”
Foreign tourists are fascinated by cowboys and American Indians and Oklahoma, she said.
Davis said a big draw to Oklahoma for Route 66 lovers is the 426 drivable miles of the highway. […]
Davis said motorcycle tour groups spend between 30 and 45 days driving Route 66, including 15 nights in Oklahoma. Those groups spend money in every community in which they stop, she said.
“In Miami, we had 35 groups stop by last year, and that’s not counting the groups that stop real early in the morning or late in the afternoon,” Davis said.
Most groups’ average 40 riders and may spend as much as $8,000 during an overnight stay, she said.
The world is bringing itself to the Mother Road. It sells itself.
All of this is certainly true. A half to a third of my visitors at Afton Station (Afton, OK) during summer ’08 were foreign tourists. And, they certainly bought the most “stuff”.