PRESS RELEASES
Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department Wraps Up Highly Successful Oklahoma Road Trip Video Series
Videos showcasing Oklahoma travel destinations have resulted in nearly $11.8 million in booking revenue, a 163 to 1 return on investment for department.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department wrapped up its Oklahoma Road Trip video series on Nov. 4, and the department has already seen nearly $11.8 million in projected lodging revenue resulting from the series.
The Road Trip series, which was filmed by Broken Arrow-based Retrospec Films, has resulted in 73,579 hotel bookings and produced a return on investment of 163 to 1, based on the programmatic digital spend of $71,744. Booking and revenue numbers are provided by ADARA, a pixel attribution tracking service that provides up-to-date data through agreements with travel brands — including major hotel brands and airlines — to help understand travel patterns, trends and behaviors.
The department’s YouTube channel, YouTube.com/TravelOK, has gained 12,967 subscribers since the series launched. The episodes, which have also been posted at RoadTripOK.com and on the department’s social media channels, have been particularly popular with viewers between the age of 25 and 34. That group makes up 38.7 percent of the series’ YouTube playlist views.
The series has also helped boost the department’s social media followings, with the Road Trip videos drawing more than half a million views on the department’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/TravelOK.
The department’s Instagram account, which can be viewed at Instagram.com/TravelOK, has also seen a boost from the series, gaining 16,974 subscribers since the series launch. The Road Trip videos have 177,950 views on Instagram.
“We have been so pleased with the enthusiasm shown for this series,” said Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also serves as the state’s Secretary of Tourism and Branding. “We have seen a tremendous return on our investment, and we’ve gotten such positive feedback from viewers.”
The Road Trip series was targeted at Oklahoma viewers looking for close-to-home travel destinations, an objective that became even more important with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With this series, we really wanted to show Oklahoma to Oklahomans, and we feel that we’ve accomplished that goal,” Pinnell said. “We’ve seen so many social media comments saying things like, ‘I never knew this was in Oklahoma,’ or ‘I’m putting this on my Oklahoma bucket list.’ We’re thrilled to see people getting out and exploring our great state.”
The series launched on Aug. 14, 2019, and a new episode aired each Wednesday. Filming was delayed for several months starting in March because of the pandemic, but the team returned to the road in June.
Throughout the series’ 52 episodes, the Road Trip team visited attractions, accommodations and events in 67 cities and towns around the state. The destinations including many museums, parks, restaurants, historic sites and Route 66 attractions. The team even tried its hand at extreme adventures like parasailing at Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees, off-roading at Little Sahara State Park in Waynoka and climbing at Quartz Mountain State Park in Lone Wolf.
The Road Trip series also helped promote the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department’s other initiatives, including the Oklahoma Fishing Trail and the Oklahoma Route 66 Passport. Launched in August, the passport features 66 stops on Oklahoma’s 400-plus mile stretch of the Mother Road.
Released on Nov. 4, the series finale featured the Road Trip team visiting Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton and sharing favorite memories from the second half of the series. The team then headed to Oklahoma City to chat with Pinnell at the Oklahoma State Capitol and visit the Capitol’s renovated Tourism Information Center. The series’ final stop was a trip to Oklahoma City’s Scissortail Park.
To watch the finale or any other episodes from the series, visit RoadTripOK.com or YouTube.com/TravelOK.
Oklahoma Road Trip by the numbers
Total projected lodging revenue* $11,786,096
Bookings produced* 73,579
Town and cities visited 67
Episodes 52
Restaurants visited 48
Museums visited 20
State parks visited 13
*Numbers provided by ADARA
Follow the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department on social media
Twitter: Twitter.com/TravelOK
Facebook: Facebook.com/TravelOK
Instagram: Instagram.com/TravelOK
Pinterest: Pinterest.com/TravelOK
YouTube: YouTube.com/TravelOK
About the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department
The 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.