2017 summer Nebraska Passport program starts Monday

LINCOLN, Neb. (April 28, 2017) — Celebrate Nebraska’s birthday, visit a haunted attraction or shop in some of the state’s cutest town squares, all of this can be done while collecting stamps in the 2017 Nebraska Passport. The annual campaign, which encourages travelers to explore the state while gathering stamps and earning great prizes, starts Monday.

Over the last eight years, travelers have grown to love the program, “We have really enjoyed exploring different towns in Nebraska thanks to the Nebraska Passport! We’ve had the fun of taking different routes to places we were already going just so that we could get another one or two stamps...,” said one participant on NebraskaPassport.com.

Once again, the Passport will run from May 1 through September 30 and features 80 attractions on 10 themed tours, including: Hidden Treasure, A Little Me Time, Uniquely Nebraska, Good People Good Times, Celebrate Nebraska 150, Be A Kid Again, Thrills & Chills, Art For The Heart, Hello Sunshine and A Warm Welcome. A full list of the stops can be found at nebraskapassport.com.

For each completed Passport tour, participants win 15 $1 Nebraska Lottery Scratch tickets. Travelers also can receive a 2017 Nebraska Passport T-Shirt (for 10 stamps), a Nebraska 150 ceramic Mug (for 20 stamps), a gift box of Baker’s Chocolates (for 40 stamps), a 2018 Nebraska Tourism Calendar (for 60 stamps) and a Passport Gift Box, including a jacket and car decal (for all 80 stamps). Prizes are cumulative.

A grand-prize drawing for an Omaha Steaks Butcher’s Share Quarter of Beef and free chest freezer will be held in October. In addition, a drawing for 300 $1 Nebraska Lottery Scratch tickets and one of four Nebraska weekend trips ($500 value each) will also take place. All prize entry forms must be postmarked by October 1, 2017.

Passports will be available at participating stops beginning May 1. Participants can also download and participate in the program via a free mobile app downloadable from the Apple App Store and Google Play, simply search “NE Passport.” With the app, Passport participants can get digital stamps and submit for prizes virtually.

“We’re eager to hear from this year’s Passport travelers,” said John Ricks, Nebraska Tourism executive director. “Many of the Passport enthusiasts are on the road for the experience and there are a lot of great experiences to be had at these 80 stops.”

More information about the program can be found at NebraskaPassport.com. Anyone looking for additional resources when planning their summer vacation should go to VisitNebraska.com.