- TOMORROW: Learn about the 2027 Iowa Travel Guide Advertising Options
- Goldie speaks 40 languages at the Farm Progress Show!
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DNR has announced a special one-time Derelict Building Grant Program (DBGP)
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Reminder: 2027 Iowa Travel Guide Webinar
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Join us Thursday, September 10, at 2 p.m. for an Iowa Travel Guide webinar with People Inc., the new publisher of the Iowa Travel Guide. Learn about advertising opportunities and exciting improvements to the 2027 guide, including refreshed editorial content. The webinar will review advertising options and the process to provide ads to ensure the highest-quality guide.
The 2027 media kit is now available, and the deadline to reserve advertising space is November 13. Contact MaryPat Moore marypat.moore@people.inc for more information.
| September Tourism Insider Meeting
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Thank you to everyone who joined us in Independence for the Tourism Insider Meeting! We hope you left with fresh ideas, valuable insights, and a few new connections along the way. Thanks to our great partners in Buchanan County for hosting the event.
Our last Tourism Insider Meeting for 2026 will be on Wednesday, November 18th in Centerville – hope to see you there!
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Farm Progress Show Marketing
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The Iowa Tourism Office partnered with IEDA’s Global Business team to provide visitor information at the International Visitor Center during the recent Farm Progress Show.
Marketing materials highlighting attractions and destinations near the show were made available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. In addition, Goldie the AI Chatbot was promoted as a travel planning resource on both a pop-up banner and on the marketing handouts.
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Iowa Visits ESTO in Philadelphia
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Travel Iowa and partners from across the state recently represented Iowa at ESTO (the Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over three days, attendees dove into sessions, case studies and peer discussions covering the latest trends, strategies and tools shaping the future of destination marketing.
Iowa was proud to be recognized as a finalist during the event's awards ceremony, standing out among tourism organizations nationwide. Thank you to all the partners who traveled to Philadelphia to represent Iowa's marketing and tourism efforts. Your presence and insight help keep Iowa competitive on the national stage.
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Outdoor Recreation Task Force is Developing Recommendations
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The new Outdoor Recreation Task Force has been meeting weekly. They have been studying the impact of outdoor recreation on Iowa and the nation and developing recommendations to expand that impact. Did you know?
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In 2024, Outdoor Recreation in Iowa was a $5.9 billion industry, 2.2% of GDP.
- Iowa is 25th in percentage growth of GDP for recreation from 2014 to 2024 (5.6%).
- Iowa had the 2nd fastest growth in fishing/boating in the nation, 8% from 2023 to 2024.
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Silos and Smokestacks 30th Anniversary Celebration
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Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and the success they have had working with partners to share Iowa’s nationally significant story of American agriculture.
Tourism Marketing Coordinator Jim Lee snapped the timely photo above to capture the ribbon cutting. The smiling attendees include, Silos & Smokestacks founders, Board of Trustees, Heritage Area Sites and community partners, along with Grow Cedar Valley Ambassadors, Waterloo Mayor Dave Bosen and representatives from the offices of U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, and U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson for the 30th Anniversary Ribbon Cutting.
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Many grants are available on a regular schedule; others are announced unexpectedly. Prepare for the scheduled but don't miss the new or one-time opportunities.
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Applications are accepted annually on October 1st for the Federal Recreational Trails program, which provides grant funding for recreational trails and recreational trail-related projects. Funds may not be used to improve roads for general passenger vehicle use or to provide shoulders or sidewalks along roads. The Federal Recreational Trails program is currently open. Email applications to scott.flagg@iowadot.us no later than 4:00 p.m., October 1, 2026.
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced a special, one-time funding opportunity for the Derelict Building Grant Program (DBGP). The DNR is launching this initiative to help Iowa municipalities cover the essential costs of managing asbestos in dilapidated buildings. For this grant, a "derelict building" is defined as a structure whose owner has abandoned the building, is uncooperative, or is unable to bring it into compliance with local and state codes due to financial constraints. The building is dilapidated, damaged, considered a nuisance, or has fallen into a state of disrepair or ruin. However, note that buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places or on a State of Iowa Historical listing are not eligible for this program. These applications are due by Friday October 9, 2026.
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Iowa Tourism Office
1963 Bell Avenue, Ste 200 | Des Moines, IA 50315 US
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1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 200 | Des Moines, IA 50315 US
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