Route 66 businesses report revenue spikes as highway hits 100

Small businesses along Route 66 reported major increases in revenue and visitor traffic this year as the highway reached its 100th anniversary. Many owners credited a surge in domestic travel for offsetting a decline in international visitors. The 2,400-mile highway, which spans eight states, marks its centennial on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026.

Gar Engman, who owns TeePee Curios in Tucumcari, N.M., said he experienced double the number of travelers and double the spending compared to 2025. Similar trends appeared at other locations. Kenneth Large, manager of Roy’s in Amboy, Calif., noted that receipts at his gas station and shop rose by 18 to 20 percent over last year. He observed a higher proportion of domestic travelers this year, though international visitors remain the majority of his customers.

The increase in business was not immediate for every stop. Anne Marie Gonzalez, co-owner of the Aztec Motel & Creative Space in Seligman, Ariz., described the first half of the year as difficult. She said customer numbers were nearly nonexistent until August, when traffic finally began to pick up. Although her 2026 figures still lag behind 2024 and 2025, she reported seeing more American customers than in previous years.

Lianne Halpern, co-owner of the U Drop Inn Cafe in Shamrock, Texas, reported a 30 percent year-over-year increase in business. She stated that while international travelers have historically dominated the route, they still make up a larger share of her customer base than domestic travelers. In Springfield, Mo., Phyllis Ferguson, owner of the 10-room Rockwood Motor Court, filled 286 of 300 available room-nights in June alone. That volume put her on track to exceed her total room-nights for all of 2025 by the end of June.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton reported that its business quadrupled in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Rhys Martin, manager of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Route 66 program, said positive reports have been consistent across the highway’s communities. He attributed the success to a mix of younger travelers and long-time enthusiasts who chose to visit during the centennial year.

The highway’s official birth date is Nov. 11, 1926, when transportation officials agreed to connect Chicago and Los Angeles with a route numbered 66. It took another 12 years to pave the entire span. Despite higher gas prices and concerns over tariffs affecting travel from countries like the United Kingdom and France, domestic tourists filled the gap left by some international visitors.

Advocates are now pushing for legislative action to formally recognize the route’s history. Martin is traveling to Washington, D.C., to support two identical bills in Congress. House Bill 5470 must clear a committee before a floor vote, while Senate Bill 2887 awaits a full Senate vote. Both bills propose creating a Route 66 National Historic Trail.