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December 5, 2024
Registration Now Open for the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference
Registration is open for the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference, which will be held on March 12-13, 2025 at The Meadows Events Center in Altoona. This is your chance to join industry leaders, network with peers and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and strategies in tourism marketing. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and grow your connections.
A new one-day registration rate for Wednesday, March 12, is now available to all attendees. This is a great opportunity to invite your board members, elected officials and other stakeholders to learn about tourism’s role in economic development and become more familiar with the work you do as tourism professionals. Book your room: The 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference has a discounted room block reserved at Prairie Meadows, which is connected to the Meadows Event Center. Rooms are available for $134 per night plus taxes and fees. Attendees are encouraged to book their rooms early as the room block is expected to fill quickly. REGISTER
Book your room: The 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference has a discounted room block reserved at Prairie Meadows, which is connected to their Meadows Event Center. Rooms are available for $134 per night plus taxes and fees.
Attendees are encouraged to book their rooms early as the room block is expected to fill quickly. LEARN MORE
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
Attend the Iowa State Association of Counties Spring Conference
As an added bonus, the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) Spring Conference is scheduled to begin the next day in Des Moines and also offers a one day rate. This conference would also be a great way to help educate your county supervisors and others about tourism. If stakeholders are planning to attend that conference, they may be able to align travel plans.
International Marketing Trainings - Next Steps
Thank you to those who were able to join the first two sessions of the International Inbound Travel Association’s Steps to SuccessTM Program! This program, presented by Alon Tourism Solutions, is the leading national training program to help tourism businesses thrive and secure long-term business with the international inbound travel market.
Even if you missed the first two sessions, consider registering for Step 3 to hear valuable information about working with the international inbound market.
Register now for the third and final training session: This series of trainings is offered FREE for partners, and upon completion of all three sessions you will be eligible to receive the “IITA Stamp of Approval.” The Stamp of Approval will validate to inbound operators that you have completed the Steps to Success program and are be invited to be a part of Travel Iowa’s presence at the IPW tradeshow in Chicago in June 2025.
All training sessions are virtual and must be joined live – they will not be recorded.
Tourism Insider Meetings - Next Cycle
As announced during the November Tourism Insider Meeting in Iowa City, the application process for the next cycle of meetings will be shared in January. For now, plan to attend the February Tourism Insider Meeting in Marshalltown and keep an eye on an upcoming e-Traveler newsletter for details on the third series of Tourism Insider Meetings. Please direct any questions to Stephanie Neppl (stephanie.neppl@iowaeda.com).
In Memory of Shirley Phillips
The Iowa Tourism Office extends its condolences to the friends and family of Shirley Phillips, a decades-long tourism advocate. The Western Iowa Tourism Region director died unexpectedly last week. The funeral is being held today in Sac City. Thank you to Shirley for her impact on Iowa's tourism industry
Recent Media Interviews Highlight Iowa's Holiday Events & Gifts
The entire Quad Cities Live show on November 20 featured tourism across the state. Jessica O'Riley did three segments on cozy getaways, holiday lights and events and new attractions in 2025. Jennifer Pickar with Cedar Falls Tourism joined to share more about the Gateway River Park project and Cherie Edilson with Shop Iowa showed off a diverse collection of Iowa-made gift ideas.
In Cedar Rapids on KCRG's Everyday Iowa (November 21), Jessica presented holiday gift ideas, courtesy of Shop Iowa. Want to be featured in media interviews? Make sure your events and listings are updated on traveliowa.com. (Pro tip: Adding photos helps!)
Helpful Tools to Organize Grant Opportunities
Don’t get discouraged. You put in hours of time researching, calling partners and writing a grant you didn’t get. Why keep trying? Research shows that organizations that submit more grants get more grants. This seems like an obvious statement when in fact it is something people come to understand over time. Do's and don’ts? Don’t give up after you get rejected. Do get feedback and develop a better application next time. Don’t concentrate on one type of grant from one organization. Do submit to several funders to find the right fit. Don’t get discouraged. Do make your grant writing useful no matter the award outcome. Grant writing is a skill people develop over time so do use it as a planning tool that informs your work or organization’s efforts, whether the grant is funded or not.
Featured Grant:
The Downtown Resource Center's Community Catalyst Building Remediation Grant has a pre-application deadline that is fast approaching, especially given that the city must be the applicant and provide financial and/or in-kind resources. The pre-application deadline is January 30, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. with a final application deadline of April 17, 2025 11:59 p.m.
Here are the most important updates this week:
- Register for the Iowa Tourism Conference and nominate Iowa destinations for the Iowa Tourism Awards.
- Sign up for the International Inbound Travel Association Steps to Success Training – Step #3 webinar.
- Watch Quad Cities Live and KCRG's Everyday Iowa (Cedar Rapids) to see Travel Iowa's Jessica O'Riley promote tourism across the state.
Registration Now Open for the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference
Registration is open for the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference, which will be held on March 12-13, 2025 at The Meadows Events Center in Altoona. This is your chance to join industry leaders, network with peers and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and strategies in tourism marketing. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and grow your connections.
A new one-day registration rate for Wednesday, March 12, is now available to all attendees. This is a great opportunity to invite your board members, elected officials and other stakeholders to learn about tourism’s role in economic development and become more familiar with the work you do as tourism professionals. Book your room: The 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference has a discounted room block reserved at Prairie Meadows, which is connected to the Meadows Event Center. Rooms are available for $134 per night plus taxes and fees. Attendees are encouraged to book their rooms early as the room block is expected to fill quickly. REGISTER
Book your room: The 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference has a discounted room block reserved at Prairie Meadows, which is connected to their Meadows Event Center. Rooms are available for $134 per night plus taxes and fees.
Attendees are encouraged to book their rooms early as the room block is expected to fill quickly. LEARN MORE
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
Attend the Iowa State Association of Counties Spring Conference
As an added bonus, the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) Spring Conference is scheduled to begin the next day in Des Moines and also offers a one day rate. This conference would also be a great way to help educate your county supervisors and others about tourism. If stakeholders are planning to attend that conference, they may be able to align travel plans.
International Marketing Trainings - Next Steps
Thank you to those who were able to join the first two sessions of the International Inbound Travel Association’s Steps to SuccessTM Program! This program, presented by Alon Tourism Solutions, is the leading national training program to help tourism businesses thrive and secure long-term business with the international inbound travel market.
Even if you missed the first two sessions, consider registering for Step 3 to hear valuable information about working with the international inbound market.
Register now for the third and final training session: This series of trainings is offered FREE for partners, and upon completion of all three sessions you will be eligible to receive the “IITA Stamp of Approval.” The Stamp of Approval will validate to inbound operators that you have completed the Steps to Success program and are be invited to be a part of Travel Iowa’s presence at the IPW tradeshow in Chicago in June 2025.
All training sessions are virtual and must be joined live – they will not be recorded.
Tourism Insider Meetings - Next Cycle
As announced during the November Tourism Insider Meeting in Iowa City, the application process for the next cycle of meetings will be shared in January. For now, plan to attend the February Tourism Insider Meeting in Marshalltown and keep an eye on an upcoming e-Traveler newsletter for details on the third series of Tourism Insider Meetings. Please direct any questions to Stephanie Neppl (stephanie.neppl@iowaeda.com).
In Memory of Shirley Phillips
The Iowa Tourism Office extends its condolences to the friends and family of Shirley Phillips, a decades-long tourism advocate. The Western Iowa Tourism Region director died unexpectedly last week. The funeral is being held today in Sac City. Thank you to Shirley for her impact on Iowa's tourism industry
Recent Media Interviews Highlight Iowa's Holiday Events & Gifts
The entire Quad Cities Live show on November 20 featured tourism across the state. Jessica O'Riley did three segments on cozy getaways, holiday lights and events and new attractions in 2025. Jennifer Pickar with Cedar Falls Tourism joined to share more about the Gateway River Park project and Cherie Edilson with Shop Iowa showed off a diverse collection of Iowa-made gift ideas.
In Cedar Rapids on KCRG's Everyday Iowa (November 21), Jessica presented holiday gift ideas, courtesy of Shop Iowa. Want to be featured in media interviews? Make sure your events and listings are updated on traveliowa.com. (Pro tip: Adding photos helps!)
Helpful Tools to Organize Grant Opportunities
Don’t get discouraged. You put in hours of time researching, calling partners and writing a grant you didn’t get. Why keep trying? Research shows that organizations that submit more grants get more grants. This seems like an obvious statement when in fact it is something people come to understand over time. Do's and don’ts? Don’t give up after you get rejected. Do get feedback and develop a better application next time. Don’t concentrate on one type of grant from one organization. Do submit to several funders to find the right fit. Don’t get discouraged. Do make your grant writing useful no matter the award outcome. Grant writing is a skill people develop over time so do use it as a planning tool that informs your work or organization’s efforts, whether the grant is funded or not.
Featured Grant:
The Downtown Resource Center's Community Catalyst Building Remediation Grant has a pre-application deadline that is fast approaching, especially given that the city must be the applicant and provide financial and/or in-kind resources. The pre-application deadline is January 30, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. with a final application deadline of April 17, 2025 11:59 p.m.
- December 19, 2024 – International Inbound Travel Association Steps to Success Training – Step #3, virtual
- February 4-5, 2025 – Tourism Insider Meeting, Marshalltown
- March 12-13, 2025 – Iowa Tourism Conference, Altoona