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November 12, 2009

Tourism visit

Red River Tourism visits Duncan, Simmons Center for quarterly meeting

Derrick Miller

DUNCAN — In many communities, there’s something to draw tourism. To help promote some of the smaller communities around the Red River, several towns and related joined forces to create the Red River Valley Tourism Association as a way to increase tourism in those areas.

On Thursday, the association had its quarterly meeting at the Simmons Center in Duncan. The members discussed ways to invite more people to tour the Red River area.

Loisdawn Jones, executive director for the Duncan Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the second vice president for the association. As such, Jones has worked closely with other members of the organization to promote Duncan and nearby communities.

“The goal of the association is to promote the north and south sides of the Red River,” Jones said.

The association’s president, Sammie Hatfield, of Henrietta, Texas, led the meeting. Hatfield touched on everything from updating a travel guide for 2011, and creating an annual meeting committee.

The latter refers appointing people to a committee that would be in charge of planning for a large meeting for all the communities who have membership in the association.

Hatfield said her idea was to have the Texhoma Council of Governments, which was the founding organization of the association, to play a large role in planning this year’s annual meeting, possibly to host the meeting.

“The annual meeting is in August, as per bylaws,” Hatfield said. “We probably are going to need help from all of you.”

Hatfield has been involved in the association for 13 years. She said she has seen membership increase to 34 communities and entities.

The association expanded into Oklahoma six years ago. Since then, four Oklahoma communities have established a membership with the tourism group. Those communities include Duncan, Lawton, Ardmore and Frederick.

Hatfield said getting Oklahoma involved helps bring even more people to the Red River area.

“It’s a real asset to the organization to partner with Oklahoma,” Hatfield said.

To end the meeting, Jones gave members a tour of the Simmons Center, which she acknowledged as being one of many tourists attractions in Duncan because it houses many of the communities activities.

She covered everything from the recreation area (workrooms, gym and pool) to the convention rooms to the theatre.

Jones said the association is beneficial to the Duncan community because it does help to give the city more exposure.

“It gives us an opportunity to reach into north Texas,” Jones said. “There’s an opportunity to be a visible presence there, too.”

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