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Omaha Magazine

Omaha CVB: The Faces of Omaha Tourism

Jan 25, 2023 12:19PM ● By Deborah Ward
Deborah Ward is the executive director of Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Photo provided.

Have you ever wondered who greets visitors traveling into Omaha? The ones behind the reigns of the proverbial “welcome wagon”? They’re a special group of people, and key to Visit Omaha’s initiative to help out-of-towners feel welcome when they touch down at Eppley Airfield, or stop by the Omaha Visitors Center at 10th and Farnam.

Each Visit Omaha ambassador serves as a personal concierge, offering helpful and inspirational information to our city’s guests. Last year, ambassadors helped more than 30,000 visitors find places to go and things to do during their stay in the metro. They encourage exploration throughout our community, increasing tourism spending along the way. In 2022, ambassadors made nearly 6,000 partner referrals—referring a visitor to an Omaha restaurant, hotel, or attraction based on their interest. 

The incredible people who work at the Visitors Center offer a wealth of information to out-of-town visitors, but there’s another special quality they all share: volunteerism. These dedicated individuals are invaluable to Omaha, helping to make each visit a success. They don’t stop there; volunteer ambassadors also educate local residents on things to see and do when friends and family come to visit.

In an effort to increase distribution and access to visitor information throughout the community, Visit Omaha created new mobile information carts located at CHI Health Center Omaha—the city’s downtown convention center and arena—and at the Union Bank & Trust Sports Complex in Elkhorn. Additionally, a partnership with the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) resulted in the “Walk the Park” program, wherein Visit Omaha ambassadors stroll the new Gene Leahy Mall wearing branded t-shirts while providing visitor information. 

Visit Omaha continues to find inventive ways to attract more visitors to our city’s doorstep. But the work doesn’t stop there. Once visitors arrive, they receive a personal welcome, and a customized roadmap for exploring the city, spending their money, and forging new memories—all thanks to volunteer ambassadors.

Please contact the Omaha Visitors Center if you’re interested in joining the Omaha Ambassador Program.

This article originally appeared in the February/March 2023 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.  

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