Visitors Center Takes On New Role

Beginning Jan. 1, Sidney will begin to play a role in providing tourism information to travelers with interest in western Nebraska.

The Sidney Visitor's Center already plays a large role in promoting Cheyenne County and the area in general, but that role will expand when the Visitor's Center becomes the information and call center for the Western Nebraska Tourism Coalition.

The Coalition, made up of tourism professionals from 22 western Nebraska, promotes and provides information on activities in the west end of the state. From Toadstool Geologic Park to Fort McPherson to Smith Falls State Park to the highest point in Nebraska, the coalition pushes the highways and byways of the west.

Among the Coalition's tools is a toll-free number travelers can use when planning their trips. In January, the voice travelers will hear will come from Sidney.

Heather Hausmann, director for the Cheyenne County Visitors Center, said the Sidney organization won out on a bid to field calls, as well as answer emails seeking information.

Hausmann and her staff will answer what they can of the inquiries, and provide those seeking information with a copy of "Journey," a high quality magazine focusing on western Nebraska. Inside its covers, maps, advertisements and descriptions of what western Nebraska has to offer are presented in colorful splendor.

Hausmann said while she expects good traffic from 866-684-4066, the coalition's toll free number, she feels most inquiries will come from email, provided through a link on the coalition Website, WestNebraska.com. She and her staff shouldn't have any problems handling that traffic, she said.

So if you happen to know of someone traveling through or wanting information on western Nebraska, let them know there is a crack group of people right here in Sidney ready to help them out.