eTraveler - May 17, 2023
May 19, 2023
Thank you to everyone who joined our office in participating in National Travel and Tourism Week!
We saw great participation from partners throughout the state, who shared over 50 posts that helped spread awareness of the importance of tourism in Iowa. Many partners also shared a localized press release and included information in newsletters and on LinkedIn. Thank you for celebrating!
Registration is now open for the second Tourism Insider Meeting, which will be held in Stuart on June 20-21.
The meeting will start at 10 a.m. and lunch will be provided. It will consist of an Iowa Tourism Office update, insight into social media trends and an open forum alongside opportunities for industry partners to collaborate, network and explore the community of Stuart. Attendees will also learn about how byways create tourism assets, take an historical walking tour and hear the story behind the creation of retail shop Doe a Deer.
The bulk of the meeting with occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but we encourage you to consider staying the night and joining us for an optional morning activity on Wednesday.
REGISTER
Advertising space reservations for the Fall/Winter guide are due on June 13. View the media kit for pricing and contact information for details. Thank you for your support of the Iowa Travel Guides!
If you have any questions about the program, please reach out to Mary Kelly at mary.kelly@iowaeda.com.
How do I sign up?
• You can join the platform (for FREE!) by visiting our Industry Partners Localhood page and clicking the sign up link. Please be sure to select a time and date to attend a training session.
How do I gain access to the platform?
• After you attend the training session, CrowdRiff will create your account and reach out with your login information and the link to access the platform.
Where do I start?
• Once you're logged into the platform, let your creativity loose! Here are 50 ideas for your first web stories.
For more Localhood tips and tricks, visit our Industry Partners Localhood page and view the content calendar for more inspiration. Send platform questions to Amber Rottinghaus at amber.rottinghaus@iowaeda.com.
Congratulations to Visit Quad Cities, who was awarded the "Event Partnership of the Year" by the Sports Events & Tourism Association! The award is a result of the organization's work surrounding the Professional Disc Golf Association's Master Championship event.
Visit Quad Cities was one of 10 awardees honored among the 600 Sports ETA member organizations. Congratulations and thank you for your continued efforts in promoting Iowa as a sports destination!
A limited number of communities will be awarded the new prestigious designation, which includes lucrative scoring points for the Federal Housing Tax Credit and/or Workforce Housing Tax Credit programs. Therefore, developers will be highly incentivized to select an Iowa Thriving Community for a proposed development through the 2024 programs.
Applications are being accepted now through July 17. More information is available at welcomehomeia.com.
• May 24, 2023 - Central Iowa Tourism Region Meeting & Seminar, Ottumwa
• June 11-12, 2023 - 2023 iTip Summer Celebration, Cedar Falls
• June 14, 2023 - Western Iowa Tourism Region Annual Meeting, Audubon
• June 20-21, 2023 - Tourism Insider Meeting, Stuart
Check out the calendar of events for more details and upcoming meetings.
National Travel & Tourism Week Recap
Thank you to everyone who joined our office in participating in National Travel and Tourism Week!We saw great participation from partners throughout the state, who shared over 50 posts that helped spread awareness of the importance of tourism in Iowa. Many partners also shared a localized press release and included information in newsletters and on LinkedIn. Thank you for celebrating!
Register Now: Tourism Insider Meeting
Registration is now open for the second Tourism Insider Meeting, which will be held in Stuart on June 20-21. The meeting will start at 10 a.m. and lunch will be provided. It will consist of an Iowa Tourism Office update, insight into social media trends and an open forum alongside opportunities for industry partners to collaborate, network and explore the community of Stuart. Attendees will also learn about how byways create tourism assets, take an historical walking tour and hear the story behind the creation of retail shop Doe a Deer.
The bulk of the meeting with occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but we encourage you to consider staying the night and joining us for an optional morning activity on Wednesday.
REGISTER
Fall/Winter Travel Guide Opportunities and Ad Deadline
The Fall/Winter Iowa Travel Guide will highlight events held September 2023 through March 2024. Now is the time to make sure your event is listed on traveliowa.com (or add it if it's not!). If you have a new event or one celebrating an anniversary, please reach out to Jessica O'Riley at jessica.oriley@iowaeda.com.Advertising space reservations for the Fall/Winter guide are due on June 13. View the media kit for pricing and contact information for details. Thank you for your support of the Iowa Travel Guides!
Regional Sports Authority Districts Grants Update
This year, the legislature funded the Regional Sports Authority District Program at $700,000. We must wait to finalize the disbursement amounts until after the Governor reviews and signs the legislation. We anticipate the grants application to be open June 9 and anticipate the award amount to increase to $70,000 and require a 50% cash match. Up to ten districts can be certified per grant cycle.If you have any questions about the program, please reach out to Mary Kelly at mary.kelly@iowaeda.com.
Localhood Update
Our industry has now published over 250 stories and generated a total of 1.67 million Google impressions! As more partners join the platform, here are some frequently asked questions and answers.How do I sign up?
• You can join the platform (for FREE!) by visiting our Industry Partners Localhood page and clicking the sign up link. Please be sure to select a time and date to attend a training session.
How do I gain access to the platform?
• After you attend the training session, CrowdRiff will create your account and reach out with your login information and the link to access the platform.
Where do I start?
• Once you're logged into the platform, let your creativity loose! Here are 50 ideas for your first web stories.
For more Localhood tips and tricks, visit our Industry Partners Localhood page and view the content calendar for more inspiration. Send platform questions to Amber Rottinghaus at amber.rottinghaus@iowaeda.com.
Visit Quad Cities wins "Event Partnership of the Year"
Congratulations to Visit Quad Cities, who was awarded the "Event Partnership of the Year" by the Sports Events & Tourism Association! The award is a result of the organization's work surrounding the Professional Disc Golf Association's Master Championship event.Visit Quad Cities was one of 10 awardees honored among the 600 Sports ETA member organizations. Congratulations and thank you for your continued efforts in promoting Iowa as a sports destination!
New Thriving Iowa Communities Designation
The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) recently announced a new Iowa Thriving Communities designation to elevate best practices from communities that are leveraging innovative methods to attract housing development for their workforce.A limited number of communities will be awarded the new prestigious designation, which includes lucrative scoring points for the Federal Housing Tax Credit and/or Workforce Housing Tax Credit programs. Therefore, developers will be highly incentivized to select an Iowa Thriving Community for a proposed development through the 2024 programs.
Applications are being accepted now through July 17. More information is available at welcomehomeia.com.
Host the 2024 CenStates TTRA Chapter Conference
The request for proposals for the 2024 CenStates TTRA Chapter Conference has been released. DMOs and hotels are encouraged to apply. All proposals are due June 10th, 2023.Upcoming Meetings
• May 18, 2023 - Iowa Tourism Office Update, virtual• May 24, 2023 - Central Iowa Tourism Region Meeting & Seminar, Ottumwa
• June 11-12, 2023 - 2023 iTip Summer Celebration, Cedar Falls
• June 14, 2023 - Western Iowa Tourism Region Annual Meeting, Audubon
• June 20-21, 2023 - Tourism Insider Meeting, Stuart
Check out the calendar of events for more details and upcoming meetings.