Oklahoma Route 66 Passport Sees 100th Submission, First International Entry
The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department collected its 100th Oklahoma Route 66 Passport submission this month, as well as its first international entry
OKLAHOMA CITY —Visitors and locals alike have been getting their kicks — and their stamps — on Route 66 in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department is celebrating its 100th Route 66 Passport submission and its first international completion. 
The Oklahoma Route 66 Passport highlights 66 Route 66 stops in Oklahoma. Passport holders can get their book stamped at each stop, then take it to a Tourism Information Center to be verified and earn an exclusive Route 66 coin. Photo provided by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department.
“Oklahoma’s Route 66 advertising campaign has been wildly successful, generating an ROI of 259:1 last year,” said Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell. “This passport is an important part of the campaign and draws people from around the country to our stretch of the Mother Road. We look forward to welcoming more visitors.”
Visitors from 19 states have completed the passport, from Florida to Alaska and many states in between. On Nov. 5, the department received its 100th submission at the Erick Tourism Information Center by Randy Callas from Mount Ida, Arkansas. Callas, his wife, Stacey, and Stacey’s mother, Pat Turner, all submitted passports.
“When we stopped at a state park and saw the book, we got interested in it, and I thought this is something my mother-in-law could do [with us],” Callas said. “So, we headed into the RV and started our trip.
“It was like a treasure hunt. [Oklahoma] is a really good, neat place to go. There’s a lot to do and there’s some sections we were in that we said we’d definitely go back.”
In October, OTRD received its first completion from international visitors when Klaudia Banachowicz and Adrian Korzan from Warsaw, Poland, finished their passports.
“My grandfather on the Torczynski side built his house on Route 66 back in the 1940s and I loved hearing his stories about the country and his family growing up while history unfolded,” said OTRD Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt. “Our Oklahoma Route 66 Passport and guide promote an important piece of Oklahoma history. There is something magical about the Oklahoma businesses along the Mother Road, and that magic is being rediscovered by Oklahomans and visitors alike.”
On the 400-plus miles of Route 66 in Oklahoma, there is plenty to see and do, and the passport features 66 stops along the Mother Road. The book is divided into three sections, Eastern, Central and Western. Stops include local restaurants, shops, museums and parks.
Upon completion of each section of the passport, participants can pick up a piece of a fun Route 66 magnet at one of the eight Oklahoma Tourism Information Centers.
The participants can return to a Tourism Information Center as they complete sections to get the remaining magnet pieces. Once they complete all three sections, they will win a collectible coin commemorating Route 66.
To order a free copy of the Oklahoma Route 66 Passport and the accompanying Oklahoma Route 66 Guide, visit TravelOK.com/Brochures.
Randy Callas, right, from Mount Ida, Arkansas, submitted the 100th Route 66 Passport at the Erick Tourism Information Center on Nov. 5 alongside his wife, Stacey Callas, center, and mother-in-law, Pam Turner. Photo provided by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department.
Klaudia Banachowicz and Adrian Korzan from Warsaw, Poland, submitted the first completed Route 66 Passport by international visitors at the Erick Tourism Information Center in October. Photo provided by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department.
Media Contact:
Rylie Mansuetti, Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department
Rylie.Mansuetti@TravelOK.com | 405-243-1063
About the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation DepartmentThe Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department works to preserve, maintain and promote the state’s natural assets and cultural richness through tourism. The Department’s Travel Promotions division administers programs designed to build awareness of the state as a destination and educates on the economic importance of the Oklahoma travel and tourism industry. The staff also oversees the agency’s marketing and promotions efforts along with operating Tourism Information Centers located at major entry points around the state. To learn more about the Department, visit TravelOK.com.