Let`s Talk Tourism - Eastern Iowa Tourism Association

January 2007
FY’07 Executive Committee
President
Gary Wheat
Waterloo CVB
President-Elect
Sue Czeshinski
Dubuque Area CVB
Past-President
Kirk Brandenberger
Keokuk CTB
Treasurer
Julie Kronlage
Dyersville Area Chamber of
Commerce
V.P. of Education
Currently Vacant
V.P. of Grants
Rich Hall
Grand Opera House
V.P. of Legislative
Julie Allesee
Clinton CVB
V.P. of Marketing
Debi Ervin
The Lodge Hotel & Conference
Center
V.P. of Membership
JoElla O’Connell
DeWitt Chamber of Commerce
IDED Liaisons
Kathy Bowermaster
Lonie Mezera
Iowa Office of Tourism
EITA Staff
Carrie Koelker
Executive Director
[email protected]
Marion Kloser
Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
Make EITA a part of your New Year’s resolution
Have you decided to get more involved with your region? We have endless
opportunities for you to consider: involvement with committee’s,
volunteering at the Iowa State Fair, hosting a membership or Executive
Committee meeting, or serving as a TFI District Leader. Please take a moment
to submit your ideas, thoughts, and challenges to Carrie Koelker at
[email protected] as we begin working on our FY’08 Action Plan.
Wheat welcomes an invitation…
Are you looking for an industry peer to talk to your industry, committee’s, or
Boards about Tourism? Gary Wheat, EITA President extends an invitation for
your call. Gary can be reached at 319-233-8350 or e-mail him at
[email protected].
Let’s Talk Tourism
Legislative Day and Showcase…..
TFI’s annual Legislative Day and Showcase will take place
Tuesday, February 6. A variety of events and details are listed below:
• New this year. . . . a kickoff Legislative Luncheon at Latin King. Plan to
join and network with tourism industry peers and hear about Iowa’s tourism
issues. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting the Region
office or Vicki Hughes at [email protected] or 319-286-5763.
• The 2007 edition of the Iowa Fast Fact book will be available at the Legislative Luncheon
and Showcase. Make sure to pick up your copy so you can have Iowa’s tourism facts at your
fingertips. This can also be obtained by visiting www.TravelFederationOfIowa.org.
• A few booth spaces remain for the evening Showcase at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Contact Vicki Hughes at [email protected] or 319-286-5763 for additional details.
Statewide tourism industry members from all three Iowa Tourism Regions are able to
participate…..join us and Let’s Talk Tourism to our elected officials.
• The CITR, IGTA, and the Des Moines CVB are sponsoring a Tourism Trends seminar on
February 7 following Legislative Showcase. Ann Atkinson is the featured speaker. The
meeting and session will take place at Adventureland Inn. To register for this session please
contact the Central Iowa Tourism Region at 515-832-4808 or e-mail at [email protected].
The session includes lunch for only $20 per attendee if registered by January 30.
• Adventureland Inn is offering discounted room rates of $69. Please call 515-265-7321 or
1-800-910-5382 for reservations by January 30. Group block: Central Iowa Tourism/CITR.
Newly Released Guide
The 2007 Eastern Iowa Visitor Guides are
available at the Iowa Welcome Centers,
to all potential travelers visiting the EITA
website, or by contacting the region office.
We would like to thank the 60 EITA
members for supporting the publication.
This publication is solely dependent on
advertising placements - Thank you!
Amana Colonies CVB, Anamosa Penitentiary Museum, Bily Clocks
Museum, Brucemore, Cedar Falls TVB, Cedar Rapids Symphony, Clinton
CVB, Comfort Inn of Dyersville, Crystal Lake Cave, Czech Cottage, Deere
& Company, Dubuque’s American Lady Yacht Cruises, Dubuque
Greyhound Park & Casino, Dubuque River Rides, Fairfield Iowa CVB,
Fort Madison CVB, Four Mounds Foundation, Fun City, Grand Opera
House, Greater Burlington Area CTB, Hampton Inn of Waterloo, Hawkeye
Buffalo Ranch, Heartland Acres Agribition Center, Herbert Hoover
Presidential Library Association, Howard County Economic Development,
Hotel Winneshiek, The Iowa Children’s Museum, Iowa City/Coralville CVB,
Isle of Capri Casino & Hotel/Rhythm City Casino, Jackson County
Economic Development, Jones County Tourism Association, Keokuk CTB,
Louisa County, Muscatine CVB, National Czech & Slovak Museum &
Library, National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, National
Motorcycle Museum, Naturally Guttenberg, Inc., Ottumwa CVB, Potter’s
Mill Restaurant/Bed & Breakfast, Pull’r Inn Motel, Quality Inn & Suites
of Eldridge, River Cruises, Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area,
Spook Cave & Campground, St. Donatus Historical Society, Stone Cliff
Winery, Summer of the Arts, Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery, Tanger
Outlet Center, Tipton Community Development, UNI Museums, Usher’s
Ferry Historic Village, Villages of Van Buren, Washington Chamber of
Commerce, Waterloo Center for the Arts, Waterloo CVB, Waverly Area
Development Group, and Winneshiek County CVB.
We hope you enjoy your enclosed copy! Thanks to the many
members that submitted photo’s. The photo’s needed to be
high resolution with a minimum of 300 dpi. The quality photos
submitted will be stored in the EITA files for future usage.
Welcome Center travelers
Visitation for the month of December was down
-3.1% for travel parties, but up 3% for individuals.
For the calendar year of 2006 travel parties were
down -6.1% and individuals were down -6.3%.
A total of 201,994 travel parties stopped by an
Iowa Welcome Center in 2006, and 536,876
individuals.
The Iowa Tourism Office Staff will
be joining us at our next meeting!
Plan to attend our March 7 EITA General
Membership Meeting. The Iowa Tourism
Office staff plans to join us for their
annual visit. The meeting will take place at
the Best Western Longbranch in Marion.
Details will be mailed out soon. We look
forward to having them be our guests for the
day!
January’s Session
Eighty members kicked off the New Year at
The Lodge in Davenport to hear Jim
Mallman’s presentation. All attendees were
educated and informed about the importance
and value to wildlife viewing, trails, hunting,
fishing, and signage.
“Good parking, plenty of space
for meeting, good sound quality”
“Very informative & educational!”
“Looking forward to the March
EITA meeting in Cedar Rapids”
Grant Awards
EITA Grant Committee members met to review
the 80 submitted applications. Scoring on each
individual application took place and $38,000
was awarded to 55 projects. The anticipated
project expense will total over $150,000.
The following awards were made:
Education – $1,742.47 (4 projects)
Advertising - $ 9,391.95 (16 projects)
Promotion - $ 26,865.58 (35 projects)
Signed project agreements were due to the
EITA office January 1 to proceed with the
funding process. A list of the FY’07 Grant
Awards was distributed at the January
Meeting or can be obtained by contacting the
region office.
Please welcome
our newest members
• Comfort Suites, Coralville
• Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce
• Heartland Acres Agribition Center, Independence
• DreamCatcher Production LLC, Dyersville
• M. Smith Agency, West Liberty
• Mississippi Explorer Cruises, Lansing
• Curtis Mansion Historical Foundation, Clinton
• Americ Inn Lodge & Suites, Cedar Rapids
A few
AAA Travel Stats…
In 2005, according to a recent AAA study,
approximately 3.8 million AAA members visited
the state of Iowa and stayed overnight and 22% of
all room nights in Iowa were accounted for by AAA
members. Of those AAA members who traveled to
Iowa and stayed in paid accommodations 25% were
business travelers and 75% were leisure travelers.
The method of making reservations for AAA
members traveling to Iowa and staying in paid
accommodations varied:
• 10% had no reservations
• 23% made a reservation by using an 800 number
• 22% called the location directly
• 19% used a Corporate Travel Department
• 2% used a Travel Agent
• 12% made on-line reservations
• 4% made other booking reservations
Tourism Intern Positions Needed
The Iowa Tourism Office is in search for tourism industry internships. If your organization is in need
of an intern for 2007 (paid or un-paid credit position) please contact Lonie Mezera at
888-472-6035 or [email protected]. Information is due no later than February 2
and will be distributed to Iowa colleges and universities. Help train future Tourism Professionals!
Governor Culver
As our State moves into Governor Culver’s transition and we all prepare for the upcoming Legislative Session,
please take advantage of this opportunity and send your thoughts and tourism voice to our newly elected Governor.
He has contacted various industry members by letter asking for input. They have approximately 350 appointments
with Boards and Commissions to be made this year and are requesting Iowan’s help. The form can be downloaded at
www.govelect.iowa.gov. Your few minutes of time contacting our newly elected Governor at [email protected].
may help the Iowa Tourism Industry and can make a difference!
Dates and Deadlines
February 6
February 15
February 21
March 2
March 7 April 4
April 16-18
April 27
May 2
May 3 May 28
May 31
Legislative Showcase, Des Moines
TFI Board Meeting
EITA Executive Committee Meeting, Waterloo
Deadline - Bid Proposal to Host EITA Meeting
EITA General Membership Meeting, Marion
EITA Executive Committee Meeting, Dubuque
Welcome Center FAM Tour, Central Iowa
Unity Day, Des Moines
EITA General Membership Meeting, Davenport
SMART Conference, Des Moines
Memorial Day - Office Closed
Deadline - FY’07 Grant Reinbursement Forms
December Web Site Visitors
Page views - 16,049
User sessions -7,453
December Visitor Guide Distribution
Guides disributed - 9
FY’07 year-to-date - 9,275
(July 2006 - June 2007)