e-Traveler - Apply as Tourism Insider Meeting Host + More
January 8, 2025
REGISTER NOW: 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference Details
The Iowa Tourism Office is Proud to Host the Annual Tourism Awards
The Iowa Tourism Awards recognize communities, attractions, tourism businesses and the marketing professionals that promote them for excellence in raising the profile of Iowa as a tourism destination. Winners will have demonstrated creativity, innovation, collaboration and strategy grounded in research and results in their projects.
Award winners will be announced on Thursday, March 13, during the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference.
The deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, January 31, 2025, at 4 p.m. LEARN MORE
Meet our Keynote Speaker
We are thrilled to announce that Sarah Dandashy, from Ask A Concierge, will be our keynote speaker at the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference! Sarah is a renowned travel expert, content creator and hospitality consultant, known for her insightful perspectives on the tourism industry. AGENDA
Sign Up for the Next Iowa Tourism Office Update Webinar
Sign up now for the next Iowa Tourism Office Update Webinar, held on Thursday, January 16 at 2 p.m. We will go over the Soul of Iowa 2.0 marketing campaign results, marketing plans for 2025, share Tourism Insider meeting host information and a new social media tip guide! We will also share a full preview of the Iowa Tourism Conference agenda. Join us live or view the recording after. REGISTER
Register Now for the Next Tourism Insider Meeting
Join partners in Marshalltown February 4-5, 2025, for the next Tourism Insider Meeting. Discussion topics will include how to collaborate with others in your community, and how Marshalltown prioritizes being a welcoming community. The meeting will be held at the Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center, and tours will include the Fisher Art Museum. Hotel rooms are available at Holiday Inn Express and Suites. Please call the hotel to book, or book here. Please reach out to Stephanie Neppl (stephanie.neppl@iowaeda.com) with questions. REGISTER.
Join the Iowa Tourism Office at the Iowa Bike Banquet
A limited number of complimentary tickets for tourism partners are available to attend the Iowa Bike Banquet on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in downtown Des Moines. The Iowa Bike Banquet is the annual fundraiser for the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and will take place at the Iowa Events Center. If you would like to join the Iowa Tourism Office table, please reach out to Amy Zeigler (amy.zeigler@iowaeda.com) by Monday, January 13, 2025.
First Impressions Applications Now Being Accepted
The First Impressions for Tourism program is a comprehensive community assessment conducted by a trained team of unannounced visitors. This program helps communities with a population of 10,000 or fewer identify their strengths and weaknesses through the lens of a first-time visitor and develop strategies to strengthen their tourism economy. Two communities were chosen in early 2024 to be the pilot communities for this new program: Corning and Maquoketa (click the links to read their community reports).
In 2025, five communities will be selected to participate. Click here for more details and click here to apply. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.
Tourism Insider Meeting Host Application Now Open
Since 2023, nine Tourism Insider Meetings have been held around the state to provide opportunities for industry partners to gather, collaborate, share ideas and network. Communities, businesses and organizations are invited to express interest in hosting one of these meetings. They are a great opportunity to show off visitor assets and success stories to tourism industry partners around the state.
A few changes for this next cycle of meetings: The meetings will now be held on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hosts can choose to coordinate a location for an evening meal but this is not required. Overnights will still be encouraged for all participants, but an activity the next morning will not be offered to the entire group. Instead, the host community can choose to meet with Iowa Tourism Office staff on a topic of their choosing (examples: discuss grant opportunities, review marketing plans, review visitation research, have staff present to community stakeholders).
If you are interested in being a host community for the next cycle, please review the details and apply by 4 p.m. on Friday, February 14. Please reach out to Stephanie Neppl (stephanie.neppl@iowaeda.com) with questions.
Media Opportunity: Marshalltown Radio
Jessica O’Riley conducts a monthly interview with KFJB Radio in Marshalltown that highlights events for the upcoming month. In 2024, the segments also included representatives from Clinton and Ottumwa to talk about new events, Iowa PBS to talk about the new Road Trip Iowa show, a bookstore owner talking about the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour and someone from the Clay County Fair, among others.
There is no charge to participate. The segment (10-15 minutes) is typically pre-recorded over the phone on the morning of the fourth Tuesday and airs between 12:45 and 1 p.m. that afternoon. No travel to Marshalltown is required. The interview will be posted on KFJB’s website and social channels. You are welcome to share links to the segment.
If you would like to be considered for participation, please email Jessica (jessica.oriley@iowaeda.com) with proposed topic(s) and preferred month (For example: if your event is in March, you’ll want to request the February segment).
Helpful Tools to Organize Grant Opportunities
Be aware of the many components of tourism and know who is responsible for each. Well-rounded tourism includes business and community infrastructure development and maintenance, such as parks, trails and public gathering spaces but also business facades, signage and lighting. It includes wayfinding, interpretation, destination branding, marketing and customer service as well as visitor hours, products, outdoor spaces, ordinances, policies and other details.
Different grantors are interested in funding different tourism components. Unfortunately, many of your partners won’t know which grants could help them or who to partner with to succeed. Even if you never write a grant, make sure you know everyone on your tourism team, so you can keep them “grant informed” and/or work with them on projects. You and your entire community will win.
Featured Grant:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Program grant is due March 14, 2025. It is a federally funded grant program administrated by the Iowa DNR. It provides 50% cost share for outdoor recreation area development and land acquisition for Iowa cities and counties. Funds may be used to develop outdoor recreational projects such as skate parks, playgrounds, new and renovated swimming pools, campgrounds and multipurpose trails. However, apply one to two years from when you want to implement because this grant takes a long time to process. Contact IDNR’s Jessica Flatt at 515.975.8569 with questions.
Here are the most important updates this week:
- Register and join us for next week's Tourism Office Webinar.
- Apply to be a host community for the next round of Tourism Insider Meetings.
- See an opportunity to join Jessica O’Riley on a monthly interview with KFJB Radio in Marshalltown.
REGISTER NOW: 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference Details
WHEN: March 12-13, 2025
RATE: Full Conference Registration - $275
Wednesday Only Registration - $175
REGISTER
WHERE: Prairie Meadows
1 Prairie Meadows Drive
Altoona, Iowa
DIRECTIONS
STAY: Prairie Meadows
Rooms available for $134 per night plus taxes and fees
BOOK ROOM
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES:
DETAILS
RATE: Full Conference Registration - $275
Wednesday Only Registration - $175
REGISTER
WHERE: Prairie Meadows
1 Prairie Meadows Drive
Altoona, Iowa
DIRECTIONS
STAY: Prairie Meadows
Rooms available for $134 per night plus taxes and fees
BOOK ROOM
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES:
DETAILS
The Iowa Tourism Office is Proud to Host the Annual Tourism Awards
The Iowa Tourism Awards recognize communities, attractions, tourism businesses and the marketing professionals that promote them for excellence in raising the profile of Iowa as a tourism destination. Winners will have demonstrated creativity, innovation, collaboration and strategy grounded in research and results in their projects.
Award winners will be announced on Thursday, March 13, during the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference.
The deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, January 31, 2025, at 4 p.m. LEARN MORE
Meet our Keynote Speaker
We are thrilled to announce that Sarah Dandashy, from Ask A Concierge, will be our keynote speaker at the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference! Sarah is a renowned travel expert, content creator and hospitality consultant, known for her insightful perspectives on the tourism industry. AGENDA
Sign Up for the Next Iowa Tourism Office Update Webinar
Sign up now for the next Iowa Tourism Office Update Webinar, held on Thursday, January 16 at 2 p.m. We will go over the Soul of Iowa 2.0 marketing campaign results, marketing plans for 2025, share Tourism Insider meeting host information and a new social media tip guide! We will also share a full preview of the Iowa Tourism Conference agenda. Join us live or view the recording after. REGISTER
Register Now for the Next Tourism Insider Meeting
Join partners in Marshalltown February 4-5, 2025, for the next Tourism Insider Meeting. Discussion topics will include how to collaborate with others in your community, and how Marshalltown prioritizes being a welcoming community. The meeting will be held at the Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center, and tours will include the Fisher Art Museum. Hotel rooms are available at Holiday Inn Express and Suites. Please call the hotel to book, or book here. Please reach out to Stephanie Neppl (stephanie.neppl@iowaeda.com) with questions. REGISTER.
Join the Iowa Tourism Office at the Iowa Bike Banquet
A limited number of complimentary tickets for tourism partners are available to attend the Iowa Bike Banquet on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in downtown Des Moines. The Iowa Bike Banquet is the annual fundraiser for the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and will take place at the Iowa Events Center. If you would like to join the Iowa Tourism Office table, please reach out to Amy Zeigler (amy.zeigler@iowaeda.com) by Monday, January 13, 2025.
First Impressions Applications Now Being Accepted
The First Impressions for Tourism program is a comprehensive community assessment conducted by a trained team of unannounced visitors. This program helps communities with a population of 10,000 or fewer identify their strengths and weaknesses through the lens of a first-time visitor and develop strategies to strengthen their tourism economy. Two communities were chosen in early 2024 to be the pilot communities for this new program: Corning and Maquoketa (click the links to read their community reports).
In 2025, five communities will be selected to participate. Click here for more details and click here to apply. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.
Tourism Insider Meeting Host Application Now Open
Since 2023, nine Tourism Insider Meetings have been held around the state to provide opportunities for industry partners to gather, collaborate, share ideas and network. Communities, businesses and organizations are invited to express interest in hosting one of these meetings. They are a great opportunity to show off visitor assets and success stories to tourism industry partners around the state.
A few changes for this next cycle of meetings: The meetings will now be held on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hosts can choose to coordinate a location for an evening meal but this is not required. Overnights will still be encouraged for all participants, but an activity the next morning will not be offered to the entire group. Instead, the host community can choose to meet with Iowa Tourism Office staff on a topic of their choosing (examples: discuss grant opportunities, review marketing plans, review visitation research, have staff present to community stakeholders).
If you are interested in being a host community for the next cycle, please review the details and apply by 4 p.m. on Friday, February 14. Please reach out to Stephanie Neppl (stephanie.neppl@iowaeda.com) with questions.
Media Opportunity: Marshalltown Radio
Jessica O’Riley conducts a monthly interview with KFJB Radio in Marshalltown that highlights events for the upcoming month. In 2024, the segments also included representatives from Clinton and Ottumwa to talk about new events, Iowa PBS to talk about the new Road Trip Iowa show, a bookstore owner talking about the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour and someone from the Clay County Fair, among others.
There is no charge to participate. The segment (10-15 minutes) is typically pre-recorded over the phone on the morning of the fourth Tuesday and airs between 12:45 and 1 p.m. that afternoon. No travel to Marshalltown is required. The interview will be posted on KFJB’s website and social channels. You are welcome to share links to the segment.
If you would like to be considered for participation, please email Jessica (jessica.oriley@iowaeda.com) with proposed topic(s) and preferred month (For example: if your event is in March, you’ll want to request the February segment).
Helpful Tools to Organize Grant Opportunities
Be aware of the many components of tourism and know who is responsible for each. Well-rounded tourism includes business and community infrastructure development and maintenance, such as parks, trails and public gathering spaces but also business facades, signage and lighting. It includes wayfinding, interpretation, destination branding, marketing and customer service as well as visitor hours, products, outdoor spaces, ordinances, policies and other details.
Different grantors are interested in funding different tourism components. Unfortunately, many of your partners won’t know which grants could help them or who to partner with to succeed. Even if you never write a grant, make sure you know everyone on your tourism team, so you can keep them “grant informed” and/or work with them on projects. You and your entire community will win.
Featured Grant:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Program grant is due March 14, 2025. It is a federally funded grant program administrated by the Iowa DNR. It provides 50% cost share for outdoor recreation area development and land acquisition for Iowa cities and counties. Funds may be used to develop outdoor recreational projects such as skate parks, playgrounds, new and renovated swimming pools, campgrounds and multipurpose trails. However, apply one to two years from when you want to implement because this grant takes a long time to process. Contact IDNR’s Jessica Flatt at 515.975.8569 with questions.
- January 16, 2025 – Iowa Tourism Office Update, virtual
- February 4-5, 2025 – Tourism Insider Meeting, Marshalltown
- March 12-13, 2025 – Iowa Tourism Conference, Altoona