Abilene, Kan. –The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau has been awarded a $9,800 Kansas Tourism Marketing Grant to support the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail 2.0 initiative.The Kansas Gunsmoke Trail highlights cowboy-themed attractions in four historic cities—Wichita, Abilene, Hays (City), and Dodge City—that played significant roles in the storyline of Gunsmoke, the longest-running Western in television history.
The new phase of the project will build on its success through targeted advertising and digital campaigns, continuing the interactive passport program, and engaging visitors to follow the trail. "I'm so proud of our collaboration," said Julie Roller Weeks, Director of the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau. "This project spans multiple towns and regions and is already attracting visitors, bus tours, and travel writers."
The project, building on the success of the initial campaign, will officially launch in 2025, with a focus on attracting international visitors attending the 2026 World Cup in Kansas City.