DestinationDestination Murray CountyMurray CountyAmy Cowley, Tourism Development Amy Cowley, Tourism Development

AssistantAssistantDebbie Sharp, Extension EducatorDebbie Sharp, Extension Educator

Wes Lee, Extension EducatorWes Lee, Extension Educator

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension ServiceOklahoma Cooperative Extension ServiceMurray CountyMurray County

BackgroundBackground►Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism and Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism and

Economic Development in Murray CountyEconomic Development in Murray County►Struggle to identify and address critical Struggle to identify and address critical

issuesissues►Several groups who share the common Several groups who share the common

goal of increased tourismgoal of increased tourism►Bring these groups together through the Bring these groups together through the

Initiative for the Future of Rural OklahomaInitiative for the Future of Rural Oklahoma

PartnershipPartnership►A formal partnership has been A formal partnership has been

established between the Murray established between the Murray County Extension Office, the Murray County Extension Office, the Murray County Industrial Authority (MCIA) and County Industrial Authority (MCIA) and the Arbuckle Mountain Area Tourism the Arbuckle Mountain Area Tourism Association (AMATA) for the next three Association (AMATA) for the next three years, to combine efforts for tourism years, to combine efforts for tourism development projects.development projects.

Advisory BoardAdvisory Board►Select individuals from Chambers of Select individuals from Chambers of

Commerce, Cities and the original Commerce, Cities and the original grant team membersgrant team members

►We host quarterly noon meetings in We host quarterly noon meetings in order to brainstorm for the next order to brainstorm for the next quarterquarter

GoalsGoals►Set up and equip an office in the Set up and equip an office in the

Murray County Rural Economic and Murray County Rural Economic and Workforce Development Center and Workforce Development Center and hire Tourism Development Assistanthire Tourism Development Assistant

►Organize a planning retreat for Organize a planning retreat for community leaders across the county community leaders across the county to begin bondingto begin bonding

►Develop a plan for coordination of Develop a plan for coordination of efforts to educate our entire county on efforts to educate our entire county on the importance of tourism dollarsthe importance of tourism dollars

GoalsGoals►Coordination of an ongoing series of Coordination of an ongoing series of

seminars related to customer serviceseminars related to customer service►Develop and implement a training Develop and implement a training

program for developing new leaders in program for developing new leaders in the countythe county

►Document and evaluate the results of Document and evaluate the results of the projectthe project

Our MissionOur Mission

►To enhance tourism in To enhance tourism in Murray County through Murray County through education, promotion and education, promotion and coordination of efforts related coordination of efforts related to tourism as an economic to tourism as an economic development industrydevelopment industry

ActivitiesActivities►Civic Club ProgramsCivic Club Programs►Murray County Tourism SummitMurray County Tourism Summit►Murray County CommitteesMurray County Committees►Oklahoma PRIDEOklahoma PRIDE►Leadership Murray CountyLeadership Murray County►The Murray County MessengerThe Murray County Messenger

Civic Club and Chamber Civic Club and Chamber ProgramsPrograms

► Sulphur RotarySulphur Rotary► Sulphur KiwanisSulphur Kiwanis►Murray County Murray County

KiwanisKiwanis►Davis KiwanisDavis Kiwanis► Sulphur Chamber of Sulphur Chamber of

CommerceCommerce►Davis Chamber of Davis Chamber of

CommerceCommerce

Tourism SummitTourism Summit► Purpose—the first Purpose—the first

step in the Initiative step in the Initiative project to pull the project to pull the two communities in two communities in the county together the county together as one.as one.

► Participants—select Participants—select individuals individuals throughout the throughout the county.county.

► Plans for another Plans for another group gatheringgroup gathering

Tourism SummitTourism Summit

Tourism SummitTourism Summit

CommitteesCommittees►Murray County Tourism Murray County Tourism

Task ForceTask Force Long range planning for Long range planning for

Murray CountyMurray County MembersMembers

►Murray County Murray County Beautification CommitteeBeautification Committee Clean up the countyClean up the county SignageSignage MembersMembers

► Lodging FeeLodging Fee

Oklahoma PRIDEOklahoma PRIDE

►Murray County Murray County PRIDEPRIDE

► Publicity ItemsPublicity Items►GraduatesGraduates► Plans for future Plans for future

classesclasses

Leadership Murray CountyLeadership Murray CountySouthern Oklahoma Technology Southern Oklahoma Technology

CenterCenter► Purpose—identify and motivate Purpose—identify and motivate

emerging leaders through emerging leaders through development of their potential development of their potential for community leadership for community leadership

► Assistance to program Assistance to program coordinatorcoordinator LogoLogo NotebooksNotebooks

► Class IClass I Application processApplication process MembersMembers

Leadership Murray Leadership Murray CountyCounty

The Murray County The Murray County MessengerMessenger

►A county-wide newsletter A county-wide newsletter ►Cooperative effort between the OSU Cooperative effort between the OSU

Extension Office and the Sulphur and Extension Office and the Sulphur and Davis Chambers of CommerceDavis Chambers of Commerce

►Mailed and E-mailed quarterly to all Mailed and E-mailed quarterly to all chamber memberschamber members

►Columns and calendarsColumns and calendars

Challenges and Lessons Challenges and Lessons LearnedLearned

►Difficult time gaining “buy in” for the Difficult time gaining “buy in” for the PRIDE trainingPRIDE training

►Experiencing “Burn-out” within the Experiencing “Burn-out” within the committeescommittees

►Trying to recruit new faces to the Trying to recruit new faces to the projects and activities that have projects and activities that have developed through the Initiative developed through the Initiative project.project.

What’s Next for Murray What’s Next for Murray County?County?

►Continue the PRIDE training Continue the PRIDE training throughout the countythroughout the county

►Continue the Leadership Murray Continue the Leadership Murray County classCounty class

►Continue work on the Long Range PlanContinue work on the Long Range Plan

A word from our A word from our residentsresidents

►““This has been an excellent This has been an excellent project. We are really getting project. We are really getting where we need to be. This grant where we need to be. This grant has brought together the entire has brought together the entire county and I hope we can continue county and I hope we can continue the same progress for several the same progress for several years,” said Dub Moore, President, years,” said Dub Moore, President, 11stst National Bank of Davis. National Bank of Davis.

A word from our A word from our residentsresidents

►““We have made progress in We have made progress in bringing the county together as bringing the county together as one to work for a common goal,” one to work for a common goal,” said Phil Key, President, Sulphur said Phil Key, President, Sulphur Community Bank.Community Bank.