Each year, as part of its Community Development strategic initiative, the Tulsa Regional Chamber leads an Intercity Visit to a peer city to hear best practices.

Intercity Visits are an opportunity for Chamber members and staff, elected officials, business leaders, education administrators, young professionals and regional partners to gather ideas and insights from cities overcoming challenges and leveraging opportunities similar to those in Tulsa. 

“Intercity Visit is easily one of the most popular events the Chamber produces each year,” says Justin McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Tulsa Regional Chamber.

“No two cities are alike, of course, but looking at how another city has approached issues such as downtown development, housing and tourism can be extremely educational,” McLaughlin adds. “These trips help attendees better visualize both the advantages and the potential pitfalls of various approaches.”

Lessons learned

The Chamber’s first Intercity Visit went to Louisville, Kentucky, back in 2010. In the years since, Intercity Visits have spent time in cities as varied as Portland, Nashville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Fort Worth and—just last year—Denver.

These trips have featured in-depth looks at topics ranging from river development, healthy living initiatives and transit to regional branding, workforce and the arts.

“Regionalism and diversity, equity and inclusion are always very engaging topics during Intercity Visits,” says McLaughlin. “The best trips are when experts from the host city are willing to talk openly – not just about the successes they’ve enjoyed, but also about the challenges they’ve faced and the lessons they’ve learned as a result.”

In many cases, Intercity Visits have inspired conversations among attendees that ultimately led to real change back home. Packages like Vision Tulsa and Improve Our Tulsa made actionable some of the possibilities identified on past Intercity Visits.

Next stop: Austin

This year marks the fourteenth annual Intercity Visit, and the destination will be Austin, the vibrant and quirky capital of Texas.

One of the fastest growing cities in the nation during the past decade, Austin combines live music, mouthwatering cuisine, outdoor adventures, and its unique cultural scene.

Known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin features talented musicians playing in every nook and cranny, from legendary venues to local bars and even street corners.

Of course, Austin isn’t just about music; it’s a foodie’s paradise, too, offering everything from food trucks serving up innovative eats to award-winning barbecue joints and upscale restaurants.

There’s also lots to explore beyond the city limits, with stunning parks, beautiful hiking trails, and the refreshing waters of the Colorado River.

But for many, it’s the lively festivals and events – such as South by Southwest (SXSW) and the Austin City Limits Music Festival – that make Austin truly unique.

“People make comparisons between Austin and Tulsa, especially around our creative culture,” McLaughlin notes. “Lots of articles ask if Tulsa is the next Austin. Given the comparisons, it felt like a great chance to see up close what has fueled Austin’s growth – and to better understand the growing pains their community has experienced along the way.”

This year’s Intercity Visit will take place October 2 through 4, and direct flights from Tulsa to Austin are available via American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Registration for this year’s Intercity Visit is available here. This year’s trip is presented by Resolute PR and Nabholz Corporation.

“We’re very excited about visiting Austin this fall,” says McLaughlin. “Based on the extensive conversations we’ve had with many of their local organizations, Austin may well be the most content-rich Intercity Visit yet. Austin has so many stories to tell that the challenge will be fitting them all into the trip schedule. That’s a good problem to have. Attendees will love it.”

Past Intercity Visit Destinations

Louisville, KY (2010)

Indianapolis, IN (2011)

Charlotte, NC (2012)

Pittsburgh, PA (2013)

Portland, OR (2014)

Nashville, TN (2015)

Cincinnati, OH (2016)

Fort Worth, TX (2017)

Columbus, OH (2018)

Minneapolis – Saint Paul, MN (2019)

Multiple cities virtually (2020)

Northwest Arkansas (2021)

Denver, CO (2022)

Photo courtesy of the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau.