Tourism Tourism is a $6.4 billion industry in Iowa, employing nearly 65,000 people statewide and generating nearly $303 million in state taxes. The Iowa Tourism Office works to increase the number of people traveling to and within the state to showcase opportunities that will ultimately increase the length and frequency of visits. Some of the accomplishments from FY '09 are below.

A cooperative advertising option was offered for television in the Chicago and Minneapolis markets. Seven communities partnered with the Iowa Tourism Office in the production of the ads. The partners included Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Dubuque, Okoboji, Sioux City and the Quad Cities. The 30-second ads featured attractions and events from these communities and aired in the markets in spring 2009.
Out-of-state advertising grants were offered for destinations to place their own advertising in markets targeted by the Iowa Tourism Office. The grants ranged from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $10,000 and were matched dollar-for-dollar by the recipients. Sixteen grants totaling $119,260 were awarded for regional advertising.
Ten Regional Sports Authority Districts were certified and each received $50,000 for promotional efforts of nonprofessional sporting events. The ten districts included Ames, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, Quad Cities and Waterloo/Cedar Falls.
The Iowa Tourism Office and the Iowa Lottery joined together for a “Keep Your Ticket Handy” promotion. Attractions and events throughout the state made offers that people with non-winning Powerball tickets could redeem. The promotion was supported by nearly a million dollars in advertising placement in-state by the Iowa Lottery. Over 52,000 coupons were downloaded over the summer.
The Iowa Tourism web site, traveliowa.com, was redesigned to feature more photos and easily accessible attraction and event information. The site is freshened frequently to highlight seasonal opportunities and contests. During the Iowa State Fair, people could register on the web site to win $150 gift cards from Choice Hotels and during Iowa Tourism Month, $500 gas cards from Casey’s were featured as a giveaway.
In partnership with the Iowa Group Travel Association, the Tourism Office hosted tour operators in the Chicago area. The day-long event included a keynote speaker and one-on-one time for Iowans to suggest attractions and events for potential group tour itineraries. In partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, the Tourism Office hosted travel writers at Iowa’s first destination state park, Honey Creek Resort.
The Iowa Tourism Office works cooperatively with the Iowa Wine and Beer Promotion Board. A new directory with 61 wineries and 20 breweries was published. To market Iowa wine and beer at festivals and events, grants totaling $25,000 were awarded to 15 organizations.