There is a special irony in unveiling a new state tourism tagline amid a pandemic that’s grounded flights, canceled trips, and shuttered travelers in their homes.
But in a providential twist, the new tagline happens to be exactly what we need — a celebration of perseverance in the face of adversity.
In the upcoming year, the To The Stars campaign will continue with stories and features that capture imaginations and inspire travel.
A lot of us are not going far these days, but we still have the chance to embrace the horizon-expanding benefits of travel by exploring fantastic experiences just down the road.
Kansas is home to many revered destinations such as the Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site in Topeka, and the newly renovated Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. We can put those spots on our bucket list as they slowly phase in reopening protocols, as well as finding other ways to explore the To The Stars ideal while maintaining physical distancing.
Take a hike in the Flint Hills and experience the untouched landscape the same way early settlers did. Travel the Santa Fe Trail and imagine coming through in a wagon in search of a better life. Visit Little Jerusalem, the newest jewel in the Kansas state park system, and learn about the dedicated efforts to make it a public land accessible to all.
These are just a sampling of what Kansas has to offer travelers searching for new inspiration and fortitude. Kansas history is rich with people who stopped at nothing to chase their dreams and stake out freedom for themselves and others. There’s plenty of room to roam under the stars and learn how historical figures lived out our state motto. Just be sure to practice safe travels, bring a mask, and check in advance for the most up to date operating information from each stop on your bucket list.
Even though we’re experiencing unprecedented challenges, the answer has been inscribed on the heart of Kansas all along. We will make it through by not giving up. We will keep our eyes toward the sky even when trouble surrounds us. We will push forward To The Stars.
Kansas Country Living intern Brianna Magee interviewed Bridgette Jobe, director of Kansas, Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, bout the elements of the state’s new tagline “To The Stars” and how it represents Kansas.
Jobe says the tagline honors and builds upon the state’s motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, translated “to the stars through difficulty.” “
To The Stars reminds us who we are and shows us where to go. It is a salute to the free-spirited. To the rowdy. To the wide-eyed wanderers. To the dreamers. To the stars.
The color pallet of the campaign includes the blue and gold state colors as well as reds and yellows to emphasize the Kansas sunsets. The lettering is also in the same font as the original seal of Kansas. Each characteristic of the tagline draws upon a Kansas element that is meant to not only appeal to Kansans but to the rest of the world.
“We started developing this idea for those dreamers, those inventors, those thrill-seekers,” Jobe said. “You talk about ‘to the stars through difficulty’ and it really talks about who we are as a state. It was really a Kansas we wanted to portray to the rest of the world.”