Travel spending in Nebraska reached $4.7 billion in 2025, an increase of more than $117 million from the previous year, according to a new economic impact report released Friday by Visit Nebraska.
Visit Nebraska Executive Director Jenn Gjerde said the increase amounted to more than 2% even after adjusting for inflation. The state’s tourism industry also supported nearly 42,000 jobs last year.
“Today I get to spend every day telling people why Nebraska is worth the trip. But today I get to talk about what happens when they actually come here,” Gjerde said during a news conference with Gov. Jim Pillen at the State Capitol.
Travel spending generated $339.5 million in state and local tax revenue in 2025. Gjerde said that revenue amounted to an estimated $412 in tax savings for each Nebraska household.
Visit Nebraska also reported that its spring and summer advertising influenced more than 47,000 visits to the state between May and July. Gjerde acknowledged that no single advertising campaign accounts for all tourism but said the figures help show whether the state’s marketing is reaching travelers.
Pillen said Nebraska needs to do more to promote its attractions, pointing to the Nebraska Passport Program and destinations across the state as opportunities to continue growing tourism.