eTraveler - April 19, 2023

April 19, 2023

Last Chance to Register for the Tourism Insider Meeting

The first-ever Tourism Insider Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 25 in Le Claire. Registration closes Thursday, April 20 at 5 p.m. The meeting will start at 10 a.m., and will consist of an update from the Iowa Tourism Office, time for networking and idea sharing, and community tours and experiences. The bulk of the meeting will occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, but we encourage you to consider staying the night and joining us for an optional morning activity on Wednesday, April 26. Hear the stories behind the creation of the Mississippi River Distilling Company, then participate in a spring clean-up of the Huckleberry Park Trail. Thank you to Visit Le Claire for being our first host!

REGISTER

Start Planning: National Travel & Tourism Week

Please join our office in celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week on May 7-13!
Help us show off Iowa to potential visitors by using the below themes for your promotional efforts on social media. Tag your social posts with #NTTW23 and #ThisIsIowa so we can engage with them! 

Bonus: Participation could earn you a FREE IOWA TRAVEL GUIDE ADVERTISEMENT! One partner who follows the daily theme and posts using the hashtags will be randomly selected to receive a free 1/6th page ad in the Fall/Winter Iowa Travel Guide. Post daily for up to five chances to win!
  • Monday - Brews & Foods 
    • Brag about your community's unique eateries and highlight menu items that are local favorites.
  • Tuesday - Small Business Spotlight
    • Take visitors on a tour of your community's unique small businesses.
  • Wednesday - How it started vs. How it's going
    • Jump on this trend and share how your destination has changed over the years.
  • Thursday - Outdoor Exploration
    • Showcase your destination's best outdoor adventures and encourage locals to explore their own backyard.
  • Friday - Toast to Tourism
    • Wind down the week by talking up your community's wineries, breweries, distilleries and restaurants. Or host a tourism happy hour for your partners.
For additional NTTW resources, review the current U.S. Travel Association toolkit for more inspiration. 

The State of the American Traveler Update

Destination Analysts held a webinar earlier this month to provide an update on The State of the American Traveler survey results. Watch the webinar and consider the key takeaways below. 
•    There is a tremendous amount of excitement around traveling, but also concern about the economy's future.
•    Travelers are evenly split on whether it's a good or bad time to spend money on travel. Though 47% are feeling better of financially than they were a few months ago.
•    Economics keeping people from traveling has been on the decline since December.
•    32% expect to travel overseas. 
•    85% are at an elevated level of excitement to travel over the next 12 months

Save the Date: Iowa Tourism Office Update

Don't forget to register for the next bimonthly Iowa Tourism Office Update webinar, which will be held on May 18 at 2 p.m. 

REGISTER
 

Reminder: Meet In Iowa Program

The Meet In Iowa program is continuing to take applications for events being held in 2023. The goal of Meet In Iowa is to attract, retain and expand in-person overnight meetings and events, increase mid-week overnight stays and incentivize groups to experience your area's tourism attractions.
Funding of up to $25,000 per event is available and can be used to pay for hard costs related to the event, including rental fees, food and beverages, entertainment and speakers, event materials and more. 

DETAILS 

Upcoming Meetings

•    April 25-26, 2023 - Tourism Insider Meeting, Le Claire
•    April 26, 2023 - Western Iowa Tourism Region Meeting, Harlan
•    May 18, 2023 - Iowa Tourism Office Update, virtual
•    May 24, 2023 - Central Iowa Tourism Region Meeting & Seminar, TBD
Check out the calendar of events for more details and upcoming meetings.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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