In December 2019, the Meredith Corporation’s Travel + Leisure released their Top 50 Best Places to Travel in 2020. Coming in at a strong #36 is our very own Oklahoma City! Editors of the publication announced that this annual list is the most anticipated list of places to visit in the New Year. This year’s global list includes seven destinations across the United States, including Oklahoma City thanks to projects with MAPS 3 like the streetcar, the new convention center, Scissortail Park, the Omni hotel and new arts venues (including Factory Obscura and the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center) are cited as catalysts for OKC’s inclusion on the list. MAPS 3 is a $777 million, debt-free capital improvement program to improve the quality of life in Oklahoma City. It is funded by a 1-cent sales tax initiative that began in April 2010 and ended in December 2017.

Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure says, "Whether you’re exploring new locations or seeing your favorite places in a new light, the destinations on our list are some of the most compelling across the globe right now. Each of this year’s picks offers fresh reasons to visit in 2020, from hotel openings and intriguing new adventures to innovative culinary scenes and enhancements in transportation that make them more accessible than before. This list is a welcome reminder of all the things that inspire us to travel in the first place."

Oklahoma City continues to be reinvented with major improvements to the State Fairgrounds, Oklahoma River, senior and wellness centers, trails and sidewalks. Oklahoma City voters approved the sales tax to fund MAPS 4 in a special election on Dec. 10, 2019, moving forward with a unique and ambitious plan to transform our community. The MAPS 4 sales tax collection begins April 1, 2020.