Here are the most important updates this week:
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- Travel Iowa's new Marketing Manager
- Register for November's Tourism Insider Meeting in Centerville
- Airbnb Farm to Stay Grant Opportunity
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Iowa Tourism Welcomes Brianna Burds to the Team
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Brianna joins the tourism team with a background in marketing, communications, and community development. As Marketing Manager, she will administer and run the co-op program and help with content development. She brings experience developing engaging content, building partnerships, and connecting brands with people and communities. Previously, she worked in the financial services and credit union industry, where she led content strategy, digital campaigns, and community-focused marketing initiatives.
Brianna is excited to bring her passion for storytelling and partnership building to the tourism team, helping showcase the people, places, and experiences that make Iowa a great destination. She earned her BBA in Marketing Management from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. She can be reached at brianna.burds@iowaeda.com.
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Congratulations to Stephanie Neppl on her new role, Tourism Trade & Development Manager. The updated title reflects the expanded work she has been leading in travel trade development and international marketing. Stephanie will continue conducting industry outreach across the state, serving as a key connection between tourism partners and the Iowa Tourism Office.
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Iowa Tourism Office Update Webinar — October 22
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Join us for the last Iowa Tourism Office Update Webinar of the year, Thursday, October 22 at 2 p.m. We'll take a deep dive into the 2025 Economic Impact Report, including visitor spending, visitor volume, and county-level data. No pre-registration needed — just click to join at the time of the webinar.
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Registration Open for Next Tourism Insider Meeting
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Registration is now open for the next Tourism Insider Meeting, hosted by Appanoose County Tourism on Wednesday, November 18, in Centerville. Join fellow tourism professionals for a day of updates, engaging panel discussions, and local experiences, including a tour of the newly renovated Majestic Theatre.
Room blocks have been secured at both The Continental Hotel and Westbridge Inn & Suites. Please contact the properties directly and ask for the Tourism Insider Meeting blocks. We hope to see you there!
Register here: Appanoose County Tourism Insider Meeting
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Reserve Your Ad Space with the 2027 Iowa Travel Guide
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People Inc. (formerly Meredith Corporation) is the new publisher of the Iowa Travel Guide, and planning for the 2027 edition is underway. If you missed September's webinar, check out the 2027 Iowa Travel Guide Media Kit for full details on People Inc. and this year's ad options.
Two deadlines to note, both November 13:
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- Reserve your ad space: Complete the insertion order form to lock in your spot.
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Submit your ad creative: All creative must be uploaded to the People Inc. ad portal. Be sure to review the attached ad specs and share them with your designer.
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Visiting the Little House and the Prairie House
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With all things Laura Ingalls Wilder enjoying a lift in interest due to the new Netflix show, Stephanie Neppl, Tourism Trade & Development Manager, toured the “Little House on the Prairie House” in Emmetsburg with partners Gretchen Reichter (City of Emmetsburg Marketing and Development Coordinator) and Christy Willmore (Emmetsburg Chamber Director). The trio were given a tour by owner Howard Argabright, who built a replica of the Ingalls home and barn on his property, without using any blueprints! The home and barn are available for tours by appointment.
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Capturing Nightlife: Visit Quad Cities Video Co-Op Shoot
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Seth Howard of Sizzle Media, Lea Nelson of Visit Quad Cities and Cameron McCoy of Travel Iowa teamed up to capture content for a video co-op showcasing nightlife in the Quad Cities. The crew started at Tanglewood in Bettendorf and Mississippi River Distilling Co. in Le Claire, then moved on to Armored Gardens and Devon's Complaint Department. The evening wrapped with live music from Colin Bracewell at the Raccoon Motel, along with interviews with the staff of The Last Picture House.
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Visiting Iowa's Court of Dreams
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In August, the Travel Iowa team visited the All-Iowa Lawn Tennis Club outside of Charles City to record an interview with owner Mark Kuhn about how the grass-court club came to be a destination hub for tennis enthusiasts. The finished video is now live on the Travel Iowa YouTube channel and will be featured in upcoming spring marketing efforts highlighting sports-related destinations across the state.
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Yes, there are grants for private businesses! While less common than grants for public entities, they can provide capital to start new ventures, develop new products, help with production and marketing, enrich local culture and tourism opportunities and more.
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A recent Airbnb report found the typical farm-stay host earned nearly $8,000 in 2025, with U.S. farm stays generating almost $120 million in income. The Airbnb and American Farmland Trust "Farm to Stay" program offers grants of up to $10,000 to help farmers and ranchers start or expand agritourism experiences.
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Dozens of Iowa producers have successfully secured USDA Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) to produce and market value added products, such as cheese, wine, grass-fed beef, soy candles, and personal care products. These businesses strengthen local economies while enhancing visitor experiences. This grant takes time to develop so start months ahead of time by looking at the VAPG Application Portal User Guide.
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America’s Seed Fund provides funding for entrepreneurs to develop new technology from Proof-of-concept to technology development to commercialization. The awards are offered multiple times a year across multiple topics by multiple agencies.
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The Artist Professional Development Grant provides support to Iowa’s artists to undertake activities that advance their artistic practices and elevate the creative industry in Iowa. The program supports learning, mentorship, and business development opportunities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
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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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