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e-Traveler - The 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference is almost here!

February 19, 2025




Here are the most important updates this week: 





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



Iowa Tourism Office + Industry Partners
The Iowa Tourism team has had a busy start to 2025 speaking at events and connecting with partners around the state.

Top left: Amy Zeigler and Stephanie Neppl attended the Explore the Impact Night with Explore Siouxland at the RE/MAX City Centre in Sioux City on January 14. Amy and Stephanie are pictured with the Explore Siouxland team: Ward Franz, Kristi Franz and Kristen Heimgartner.

Top right: Stephanie Neppl also attended the Iowa Lakes Corridor 14th Annual Business Recognition Luncheon at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer on January 29. Stephanie is pictured alongside Kiana Johnson (O’Brien County Economic Development) and Olivia Baxter (Clay County Tourism/Spencer Chamber of Commerce).

Bottom: Over 30 partners traveled to Marshalltown's Arts & Civic Center for a day packed with industry insights, educational panels and networking at the Tourism Insider Meeting on February 4. 

Partners can invite the tourism team to a meeting or event – either complete this speaker request form or reach out to anyone on the team.


The State of the American Traveler Update
Recognized as one of the nation's leading travel studies of American leisure travelers, The State of the American Traveler features quarterly research of over 4,000 adult travelers. The most recent report included survey information that was collected January 15-22.
  • Travel and Human Connection in 2025
    • 75% find building connection with the friends and family they travel with to be important
    • 41% say it’s important to connect with local residents
    • 38% value romance as a trip attribute; Millennials and men most likely to value (49% Millennial, 45% male)
  • Traveler Sentiment
    • Travelers remain largely positive on their financial outlooks; 52% think they will be better or much better off in a year
    •  Fewer travelers are set to make leisure travel a key spending focus (54% now compared to 58% last month)
    •  Travelers cut back on planned trips this month; mean = 3.7 (down from 3.9 last month)
    • 40% plan to travel internationally in the next year

Helpful Tools to Organize Grant Opportunities
Be prepared to be accountable. Whether you’re spending money from private or public grantors, you must be able to justify your expenditures. Your contract is a legal document, and most grantors include your application as part of your contract. So, say what you’ll do and do what you say. If you don’t, you may have to pay money back or forfeit funds you thought you would get reimbursed for.

Featured Grant:
Nonprofits are eligible for Iowa’s Rural Boost program. These funds are intended to be used to increase capacity, plan or develop additional skills within the community. Rural Boost communities are committed to the creation of innovative strategies that promote partnerships, community design and a strong business economy. Experts look holistically at community strengths and weaknesses and partner in the development of solutions. “Marketing Strategies” is one of the eligible uses of funding. 

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