Iowa Tourism Grants awarded locally

Several area agencies were among the 33 state organizations earning Iowa Tourism Grants recently.

The Iowa Tourism Council rewarded several area agencies with grants as part of the 2023 Iowa Tourism Grant Program.

Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce in Decorah earned a $10,000 Iowa Tourism Grant for the “Print Marketing Partnership Pilot – Maximizing Local Assets and Improving the Visitor Experience”.

Northeast Iowa RC&D earned a $10,000 grant for “Revitalization of the Northeast Iowa Tourism Association Website, Travel Guide, and Visual Media Library”.

Winneshiek County Development & Tourism’s $10,000 award was for “Meteors and 6-Foot Sea Scorpions: Using the Decorah Crater to Promote Tourism in Northeast Iowa”.

The Iowa Tourism Office announced $299,200 in Iowa Tourism Grants to 33 organizations around the state.

The program funds tourism-related marketing initiatives, meetings and events that benefit both local economies and the state’s economy with awards ranging from $2,500-10,000 with a 25% cash match.

“We’re pleased to invest in campaigns that work to change the perception of tourism in Iowa and encourage more people to visit our state,” said Amy Zeigler, manager of the Iowa Tourism Office. “These projects will help us continue the momentum and growth of our industry.”

Visitors spent more than $6.1 billion across Iowa’s economy in 2021, an expansion of 35% over 2020 spending and within 5% of a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. This direct visitor spending impact generated a total economic impact of $9.4 billion in Iowa, sustained nearly 65,000 jobs and generated $1.0 billion in state and local tax revenues in 2021.

“Tourism is a vital component to Iowa’s economy,” Zeigler said. “The $6.1 billion in visitor spending means nearly $16.7 million was spent daily by our visitors.”

The Iowa Tourism Office, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $1.8 billion in tax revenues in 2021, with more than $1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 65,000 people statewide. For more information on everything Iowa has to offer tourists, visit traveliowa.com.

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