eTraveler - May 3, 2023

May 4, 2023

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 
o    Brag about your community's unique eateries and highlight menu items that are local favorites.
•    Tuesday - Small Business Spotlight
o    Take visitors on a tour of your community's unique small businesses.
•    Wednesday - How it started vs. How it's going
o    Jump on this trend and share how your destination has changed over the years.
•    Thursday - Outdoor Exploration
o    Showcase your destination's best outdoor adventures and encourage locals to explore their own backyard.
•    Friday - Toast to Tourism
o    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. 

FY24 Co-op Advertising Options Released

The Iowa Tourism Office's FY24 Co-op Program provides opportunities from traditional favorites to exciting new marketing tactics to help you market your destination to out-of-state travelers.
earn more about the options by watching the recorded webinar or looking through the opportunities packet. 

Co-op sign-ups will open on June 7, 2023, at 10 a.m. Opportunities will be available on a first-come, first-served basis as there are limited spots for each option. Sign-ups will close on June 21 at 4 p.m. If you have tourism co-op program questions, email Jessica O'Riley at jessica.oriley@iowaeda.com.  

DETAILS 

Wanted: Fall/Winter Anniversaries and Openings

Would you like to see your community included in the Fall/Winter Iowa Travel Guide? We want to promote the anniversaries or openings (Example: new restaurants, lodging properties, events, attractions or exhibits) happening in your community between Labor Day 2023 and February 28, 2024. Share your local happenings with Jessica O'Riley at jessica.oriley@iowaeda.com

Know of an anniversary or opening slated for 2024? Please send that info, too! This would also be a good time to check that your fall/winter events are included on Travel Iowa's Calendar of Events

Localhood Highlights

Our industry has now published over 250 stories and generated a total of 1.67 million Google impressions! Here are some of the top performing stories from the past month:
Cedar Falls Tourism - Birding in Cedar Falls, Iowa
•    This is a great example of a story that utilizes the multi-text feature. 
•    So far, it's generated over 37,000 impressions on Google.
Newton - Get to Know Newton's Historic Downtown
•    This story provides another great example of how including points of interest causes your story to surface on Google. 
For more Localhood tips and tricks, visit our Industry Partners Localhood page. Send platform questions to Amber Rottinghaus at amber.rottinghaus@iowaeda.com

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. Topics covered will include details about the FY24 Marketing Co-op program, updates and results from the current Soul of Iowa campaign and more.

REGISTER 
 


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.
 

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