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Iowa Tourism Industry Strategic Plan

Iowa Tourism Industry Strategic Plan

In 2021, after unprecedented disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Iowa tourism industry set out to develop a five-year strategic plan to guide recovery efforts and create a foundation for economic growth. A strategic planning team led by the Iowa Tourism Office utilized stakeholder input to develop a plan to unite, grow and enhance tourism investments in Iowa. 
Having now completed the third year of the strategic plan efforts, the following are new and ongoing initiatives

Imperatives FY25 Iowa Tourism Office Progress & Initiatives
Unify industry around shared long-term vision
  • Established new partnerships and cooperative programs with AirDNA and Adara, providing deeper insights on Iowa's lodging economy.
  • Introduced Choose Iowa agritourism passport, in partnership with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS).
  • Formed the Iowa Tourism Advisory Group to provide industry insight and guidance.
  • Completed outreach to multiple special interest groups, including county conservation boards, county boards of supervisors, regional development groups and industry associations.
  • Aligned Iowa Wine, Beer & Spirits Promotion Board marketing with the broader Travel Iowa campaign.
  • Refreshed and expanded industry newsletter to include tourism trends, grant tips, data insights and additional partner news.
  • Maintained data partnerships and co-ops with Tourism Economics, Arrivalist and STR.
  • Continued professional development opportunities for industry members through the Iowa Tourism Conference, quarterly Tourism Insider meetings and industry webinars.
  • Strengthened partnerships with agencies and organizations, including IDALS, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Transportation (DOT), Iowa Arts Council, Main Street Iowa and industry associations including Iowa Travel Industry Partners (ITIP), the Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association, the Iowa Restaurant Association and the Iowa Museum Association.
Amplify awareness of Iowa’s tourism brand
  • Developed new marketing brand platform "Give it Time," securing 115 million paid media impressions and generating a 9.5x ROI on FY25 travel media spend.
  • Launched Goldie, an AI-powered chatbot on traveliowa.com, earning national industry coverage.
  • Expanded international marketing by hosting Latin America familiarization tour in partnership with Brand USA, securing a contract for an international bus tour group and engaging with international tour operators at IPW tradeshow.
  • Strengthened Iowa's position in bicycle tourism through strategic partnerships with the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and RAGBRAI.
  • Increased visibility at the Iowa State Fair, with an expanded booth presence in the Varied Industries Building and support of the Fair's inaugural drone show.
  • Supported Bike Iowa's mobile bike tourism welcome center to promote visitor experiences at RAGBRAI and other adventure events.
  • Integrated Travel Iowa branding (via travel area iconography) into Iowa DNR and Iowa Museum Association marketing initiatives.
  • Supported Iowa PBS' "Road Trip Iowa" television show.
  • Developed a cooperative marketing strategy to amplify awareness of Travel Iowa and partner brands in out-of-state markets.
  • Enhanced and maintained digital passports for state parks, scenic byways, wineries, breweries and distilleries.
  • Remained active in national and international tourism organizations, including US Travel Association, Brand USA, CenStates Travel & Tourism Research Association and Midwest Travel Journalists Association.
  • Continued cross-agency content planning and development of shared content calendar for industry integration.
Ensure Iowa’s tourism experience is welcoming to all
  • Supported partner programming with Wheel the World, a global initiative to develop and certify inclusive tourism destinations.
  • Supported Iowa State University (ISU) Extension's Agritourism Economic Impact report.
  • Continued administration and evaluation of tourism-related grant programs and supporting partner initiatives to welcome all.
Ensure tourism readiness
  • Collaborated with the Iowa Museum Association to assess visitor readiness at Iowa museums.
  • Partnered with ITIP to evaluate Iowa's group tour and meeting/convention sectors, guiding strategic growth.
  • Continued the First Impressions for Tourism program in partnership with ISU Extension, completing readiness assessments and action plans for five Iowa communities.
  • Provided technical assistance to a statewide network of partner-operated visitor centers through the Partner Welcome Center Program.
Drive an increase in long-term tourism investments
  • Provided strategic support for the implementation of the new $4 million Tourism Major Events legislation.
  • Launched the Elevate Iowa scholarship program, in partnership with ITIP, to fund partner participation in regional and national professional development opportunities.
  • Continued the Meet in Iowa incentive program to attract meetings and conferences to Iowa.
  • Sustained the Inspire Iowa program ($75,000) to promote and market major arts and cultural events with the Iowa Arts Council.
  • Administered the $300,000 Tourism Marketing Grant program to enhance partner marketing capacity.
  • Continued support of Destination Iowa, funding large-scale tourism infrastructure projects.
  • Continued support of Regional Sports Authority Districts to attract and expand sporting events statewide.

About the Iowa Tourism Office

Travel Iowa

Our mission is to elevate Iowa's unique visitor experiences and hidden gems to inspire travel and create lasting memories. We support local communities and destinations to strengthen the state's economy.

The Iowa Tourism Office is the official voice of the state's tourism industry. We work collaboratively with our local destinations and partners to lead and unify efforts to increase visitation, enhance economic impact, and promote Iowa to travelers through:

  • Brand strategy, marketing programs, media outreach, and storytelling
  • Thought leadership and industry research
  • Resources in support of training and education, the development of tourism products, and investment in industry infrastructure
Our Team Values:
  • Teamwork - We are committed to collaboration, strong partnerships, and building healthy relationships.
  • Ingenuity - We are innovative and use our creativity to find both unexpected and practical solutions.
  • Empathy - Before we act, we commit to understanding the experiences, perspectives, and feelings of stakeholders.
  • Fun - We revel in our work and are committed to bringing joy and happiness to others through travel experiences.
  • Purpose-Driven - We are here to serve and never lose sight of the fact that we are critical to creating lasting memories.
  • Transparency - We are honest, candid, and forthright; willing to share information even when doing so may be uncomfortable.

And we want to continue to grow our relationship. As you peruse this partner-focused microsite of traveliowa.com, we hope you’ll find new opportunities to work with us so we can continue to represent you to thousands of potential travelers.

New to the Tourism Industry?
Get started by learning how each of our team members can work with you.
Then, sign up for our industry e-newsletter list so you receive all of the updates from our office.

For more information, contact:

Amy Zeigler

515.348.6259
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