FY16

IOWA TOURISM OFFICE PLAN

IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY | IOWA TOURISM OFFICE200 E Grand Avenue | Des Moines, Iowa 50309tourism@iowa.gov | 888-472-6035 | traveliowa.com

/iowatourism @travel_Iowa /traveliowa /iowatourism blog.traveliowa.com /traveliowa +iowatourism /traveliowa /travel_iowa

TELL IOWA’S STORY

A STORY TELLER IS A DESTINATION

MARKETING ORGANIZATION

A FRONT DESK VOLUNTEER

A VISITOR

A MUSEUM DOCENT

AN ADVERTISEMENT

A SOCIAL MEDIA POST

A BLOGGER

Everything we do tells a story. Whether it’s a face-to-face conversation,

a photo posted to Instagram, a status update shared on Facebook, or a

hand-written notecard, every piece of communication shares a story. What

is Iowa’s story and how is it most effectively communicated to inspire

travelers? That is the challenge of the Iowa Tourism Office (Travel Iowa) and

all of us who believe in the power of the tourism industry.

THE BRAND In FY13, Travel Iowa and its marketing partner ZLRIGNITION conducted an online survey and in-person

focus groups in the target markets of Kansas City, Chicago and Minneapolis. The potential travelers

we talked to admitted that they didn’t know much about Iowa and hadn’t considered us as a vacation

destination. They acknowledged, however, that their impression was that we probably had natural beauty,

outdoor fun, surprising destinations and friendly people. We took those insights – and many, many more –

and boiled it down into what is our brand: IOWA OFFERS AN ESCAPE TO THE UNEXPECTED.

THE STORYYou won’t often hear or see us use the exact words “escape to the unexpected” in our work, but it’s what

guides all our efforts. Our goal in everything we do is to showcase those remarkable, unexpected, unique

and awesome destinations that make our state great, and to tell the story of these places to diverse

audiences on various communications channels (print, web, social, etc.) with a variety of tactics (words,

images, video, etc.).

THE MESSAGINGWe tell our story with bold messaging: “This Is Iowa.” This message strategy gives us the freedom

and flexibility to position it as either a statement or a question: “Whitewater rafting? This is Iowa?” or

“Tame whitewater in three Iowa communities. This is Iowa.” Either way, we use This is Iowa to tell the

story of those unexpected places and destinations. What’s more, This is Iowa works well as a hash tag

(#ThisIsIowa), and it has the potential to become ubiquitous in our state. All our partners are encouraged

to use the hashtag or This Is Iowa logo in their work. Doing so strengthens the brand and extends Iowa’s

message reach, introducing more and more people to our remarkable travel amenities.

TARGET MARKETSTARGETS

TARGET AUDIENCEIt’s no secret that women make the majority of product purchasing

decisions in the household, including choosing where their families

travel. Children, too, have a role in deciding where and how the

family spends its leisure time. Travel Iowa primarily targets women

with children in their homes. As social media become increasingly

ubiquitous, we specifically target women who are making and sharing

vacation experiences via social media, as those woman are influential

storytellers and brand ambassadors.

DID YOU KNOW?

Travel Iowa has created an entire tool kit to

help our industry partners use This Is Iowa

in their own marketing work.

VISIT TRAVELIOWA.COM/INDUSTRY

TO LEARN MORE.

CHICAGO

MINNEAPOLIS

OMAHA

KANSAS CITY

NICHE OUTDOORS SHOPPING SCENIC ARTS & CULTURE FAMILY FUN EVENTS/SEASONAL FOOD & DRINK

SUBCATEGORIEScamping/cabins, hunting/fishing,

lake/river leisure, bikingantiques/junking, Main Street,

destination shopping (e.g. Amana)

scenic byways, fall colors, river cruises, overlooks/vistas,

Mississippi River/Great River Road

museums, history, art, cultural experiences (e.g. Amish), cinema

attractions (e.g. Bridges of Madison County)

waterparks, amusement parks, zoos/aquariums

fairs, music, holiday events, seasonal celebrations

wine/beer, farm to table, distilleries, sweet treats

CONTENT MARKETINGWinter Outdoors Content Package

Fall Foliage Content Package

Americana & Grant Wood Content Packages

Monster/Extreme Content Package

Holiday Content Package & BOMC Broadway Promotion

Wine Content Package

(WEB, SOCIAL, EMAIL) Winter Outdoors Email Antiquing Email Fall Foliage Email Grant Wood Email Monster/Extreme Email Holiday Email Wine Email

Winter Social Posts Antiquing Social Posts Fall Foliage Social PostsAmericana & Grant Wood

Social PostsMonster/Extreme Social Posts Holiday Social Posts Wine Social Posts

PAID ADVERTISING Native Text & Video Ads Native Text & Video Ads Native Text Ad Native Text Ad Native Text & Video Ads Native Text Ad Native Text Ad

(TRADITIONAL & DIGITAL)Digital & Remarketing

Banner AdsDigital & Remarketing

Banner AdsDigital & Remarketing

Banner AdsDigital & Remarketing

Banner AdsDigital & Remarketing

Banner AdsDigital & Remarketing

Banner AdsDigital & Remarketing

Banner Ads

Facebook Ads Facebook Ads Facebook Ads Facebook Ads Facebook Ads Facebook Ads Facebook Ads

Search Engine Ads Search Engine Ads Search Engine Ads Search Engine Ads Search Engine Ads Search Engine Ads Search Engine Ads

Napoleon TV Commercial Napoleon TV Commercial Napoleon TV Commercial Napoleon TV Commercial Napoleon TV Commercial

Co-op Print Ads Co-op Print Ads Co-op Print Ad

MEDIA RELATIONS Grant Wood 125th FAM Tour NE Iowa Foodie FAM Tour

Fall Foliage Pitch Grant Wood Pitch Extreme Destinations Pitch Wine Content Pitch

Winter Outdoors & Biking National Pitches

Grant Wood 125th Pitch - National Pitch

Caucus - National Pitch

Monthly Events List Monthly Events List Monthly Events List Monthly Events List Monthly Events List Monthly Events List Monthly Events List

Now & Later Emails Now & Later Emails Now & Later Emails Now & Later Emails Now & Later Emails Now & Later Emails Now & Later Emails

Targeted Press Releases Targeted Press Releases Targeted Press Releases Targeted Press Releases Targeted Press Releases Targeted Press Releases Targeted Press Releases

Twitter Targeting Twitter Targeting Twitter Targeting Twitter Targeting Twitter Targeting Twitter Targeting Twitter Targeting

Individual Press Trips Individual Press Trips Individual Press Trips Individual Press Trips Individual Press Trips Individual Press Trips Individual Press Trips

TARGET NICHESWe know that women and their families aren’t the only people interested in visiting Iowa,

so we’ve analyzed various pieces of data to determine key niches that hold great potential

for attracting travelers to Iowa. All of our work aligns with these niche areas.

MARKETING PRODUCTSCONTENT MARKETINGToday’s travelers use a wealth of resources to determine their vacation

destinations and make their travel plans. Videos, slideshows, blogs

and narratives are just a few of the ways travelers become inspired

to explore. In FY16, the Iowa Tourism Office will more aggressively

and strategically create media-rich “content bundles” that live on

traveliowa.com and tell Iowa’s story. An integrated content plan

identifies the bundles based on our key niche targets and helps us

strategically share the content via social media and media relations.

CALENDAR YEAR SESSIONS

2013 492,935

2014 944,702

2015 (through 9/30) 1,070,304

SESSIONS SESSIONS SESSIONS

DESKTOP 384,222 78% 604,375 64% 527,961 49%

MOBILE 58,559 12% 229,885 24% 380,029 39%

TABLET 50,154 10% 110,442 12% 162,314 15%

492,935 100% 944,702 100% 1,070,304 100%

PAGE PAGEVIEWS

HOMEPAGE 455,409

ATTRACTIONS 150,866

CALENDAR 128,695

TRIP IDEAS 60,939

ORDER A TRAVEL GUIDE 54,896

MOST VISITED PAGES

MOBILE, TABLET, DESKTOP USE CY13 - CY15

JANUARY 1 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

2013 2014 2015 (through 9/30)

SITE USE CY13 - CY15

TRAVELIOWA.COM Traveliowa.com has grown to become the heart and soul of Travel Iowa’s work. The robust site serves as

Travel Iowa’s master database of events, attractions, lodging facilities, retail destinations and restau-

rants. An enhanced profile section allows anyone to add and update listings at any time. In addition, a

committed effort to creating diverse, media-rich niche content means traveliowa.com works hard to tell

Iowa’s story and inspire travelers to choose our state as a vacation destination.

In FY16 Travel Iowa will continue to enhance the site with more images, video and authentic user-

generated content that attracts users, motivates them to stay longer on the site and increases digital

engagement. Another FY16 priority is to use traveliowa.com as a source for email leads. The site will

provide new incentives and opportunities for travelers to provide their email addresses in exchange for

continued communication from Travel Iowa.

6 # t h i s i s i o w a

i o w a t r a v e l g u i d e 7

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must buy iowa

souvenirs. Mementos. Keepsakes. No matter what you call them, every good getaway has them.

But the mementos you’ll find all around iowa aren’t just tchotchkes to be tossed as soon as you

get home. No, our unique destinations offer souvenirs you can savor – and keepsakes you can

treasure for years to come. f

Mementosyou’ll never forget

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RAYGUN Vowels shirt des Moines $21.00

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1 iowa state Fair Cookbook Des Moines $15.00 2 sawmill Hollow salsa Missouri Valley

$6.50 3 steel Cow Magnet $ X; Necklace $X waukon 4 schoeppner Designs Barrell Ring

Ball Templeton $75.00 5 Maytag Blue Cheese Crumbles Newton $15.00 6 Field of Dreams

Baseball Dubuque $7.50 7 isabel Bloom Figurines Davenport $12+ 8 Kaleidoscope

Factory Mini Kaleidoscope Pocahontas $18.99 9 Woolen Mills Wool Blanket Amana $75

10 Okoboji sticker Arnolds Park $X 11 Fox River® sock Monkey Osage $19.99 12 Jaarsma

Dutch Letters Pella $4.50 13 Monastery Candy Caramels Dubuque $X 14 Blue Bunny ice

Cream spade Le Mars $6.75 15 sterzing’s Potato chips Burlington $X

*Pricing subject to change. Check retailer for current price.

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In FY16 Travel Iowa will print and distribute 125,000 copies of the Iowa Travel Guide. The guide is a

comprehensive directory of Iowa’s attractions and lodging facilities, including hotels, campgrounds, RV

parks and bed and breakfasts. Again in the 2016 edition of the guide, Travel Iowa will dedicate 12 pages

to niche editorial-style content that inspires travelers with more in-depth information about specific travel

interests. This content is or will be replicated at traveliowa.com, fulfilling Travel Iowa’s goals of providing

not just information but inspiration.

UNIQUE IOWA SOUVENIRS

HOLLYWOOD IN IOWA

HISTORIC HOTELS

GRANT WOOD’S 125TH ANNIVERSARY

BEST PLACES FOR PIE

BIKING IN IOWA

TRAVEL IOWA BLOG“Blog” is nothing more than a fancy term for story-telling. The beauty of blogs is that they’re authentic,

first-person accounts of real travel experiences – the very kind of human-to-human inspiration that today’s

travelers desire.

Anyone can create an account and submit a blog to Travel Iowa’s blog site. Readers can vote for their

favorite blog, and the blog with the most daily votes receives $20. The cash prize incentivizes bloggers

to share their stories and increase the amount of votes. As blogs are shared, readership increases. As

readership increases, more and more people become aware of Iowa’s travel destinations.

In FY16 Travel Iowa will continue to utilize the blog as the primary provider of authentic, user-generated

content, and will work hard to incorporate blogs with content at traveliowa.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA As the array of social channels continues to grow and mature, travelers use them for different purposes.

Travel Iowa executes specific strategies for each of the nine channels we manage based on the kind of

content we’re sharing and our goal for what we want travelers to do with that post, including comment,

like, retweet, etc.

In FY16 the Iowa Tourism Office has unique access to digital/social media expert Jay Baer, CEO

of Convince and Convert, for consultation on social planning and routine insight on top trends and

recommendations. With Jay’s guidance, we will implement more strategic social strategies in FY16 built

around sharing the wealth of content available at traveliowa.com and from our partners. We will also use

social media as a primary lead generation tool, incentivizing travelers to provide their email address for

continued communication from Travel Iowa.

In FY14 Travel Iowa acquired a robust customer relationship management system that includes an integrated

TRAVEL GUIDE REQUESTS

2014

JAN - SEPT 2015

85,556

91,343

IOWA TRAVEL GUIDE

FY16 NICHE EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 # t h i s i s i o w a

i o w a t r a v e l g u i d e 1 1

must see iowa

Ames Parks libraryAnamosa grant wood art gallery

grant wood scenic Byway riverside Cemetery stone CityCedar Rapids i-380 rest area

Brucemore Cedar rapids Museum of art Coe College stewart Memorial library

grant wood studio grant wood veterans Memorial window

washington high schoolCharles City Mooney art CollectionCouncil Bluffs looft hall Conference Center lobby at

iowa western Community College

Pottawattamie County CourthouseDavenport Figge art MuseumDes Moines des Moines art Center

terrace hillDubuque dubuque Museum of arteldon american gothic house and visitor Center

iowa City university of iowa Museum of artMt. Vernon american gothic Barnsioux City sioux City art Centertipton

tipton Public library

ou’ve seen the painting. A man and woman stand shoulder to shoulder in front of a white house. The man

holds a pitchfork. The woman wears an apron. Yes, it’s American Gothic – the painting that would come to epitomize America’s heartland and make Grant Wood

one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. And it all started in Iowa.

Even if you don’t consider yourself an art aficionado, you’ll still

enjoy immersing yourself in the history of one of Iowa’s most famous sons – and you can do so all across our state. That’s because Iowa is full of unique destinations that illustrate how Grant Wood helped shape American art – and how Iowa helped shape Grant Wood.

In 1891, Wood was born in Anamosa. It’s here that you’ll find the Grant Wood Art Gallery. This free gallery features displays where you can learn all about Wood, including videos and photos depicting his life.

When Wood was 10, his father passed away and his mother moved the family to Cedar Rapids. At the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, you can view the world’s largest collection of works by Wood. While you’re in Cedar Rapids, you’ll also want to visit the Grant Wood Studio, which is Wood’s original

home and studio.

By the time he graduated from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Wood knew he wanted to pursue art as his career.

But it wasn’t until 1930 that he would paint American Gothic. It’s said that Wood first sketched the house with the Gothic-style window on the back of an envelope. When you visit the American Gothic House and Visitors Center in Eldon, be sure

to recreate the famous painting by dressing up in the clothes they

have on site.

Wood is famous for this quote, “All the really good ideas I ever

had came to me while I was milking a cow.” And as you travel along the Grant Wood Scenic Byway in eastern Iowa, you’ll see where Wood no doubt found his inspiration. In the cows that dot the pasture. In the hills that gently roll. In the people that call this place home. f

grantwoodCelebrating 125 years of one of America’s most iconic artists.

America’s painter

share your American Gothic photos

All the good ideas i ever had came to me while i was milking a cow.

American Gothic House. Photo by Mike whye

Grant Wood Museum. Photo by erik ernst

Grant Wood Studio. Photo by xxxxx

Grant Wood artwork. Photo by xxxxx

Sioux City

Council Blu�s

Charles City

Ames

Des Moines

Eldon

Cedar RapidsIowa City/Coralville

Tipton

Mount Vernon

Davenport

DubuqueAnamosa

tHe GRANt WOOD tRAiL

Grant Wood, American, 1891 - 1942self-Portrait, 1932, 1941Oil on Masonite panelFigge Art Museum, City of Davenport Art Collection, Museum Purchase: Friends of Art Acquisition Fund, 1965.1

8 # t h i s i s i o w a

dream statecyclists’a PUt tHis ON YOUR BiCYCLiNG

BUCKet List.

Chances are you’ve heard of RAGBRAI (the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). It is the world’s longest, largest and oldest bike-touring event, after all. Started in 1973, RAGBRAI has attracted hundreds of thousands of cyclists from all 50 states and countless countries around the world. In just seven days, cyclists weave their way from the Missouri River in western Iowa all the way to the Mighty Mississippi. You’ve got to add this to your bicycling bucket list.ragbrai.com

YOU’LL LOVe tHese LOOPs

Are you a fan of loop trails? Well, of course you are. So you’ll definitely want to ride a few of Iowa’s loop trails, where you’ll end up right where you started.

• Fairfield Loop Trail

• Cedar Falls (series of loop trails that will take you around the community)

• Trout Run Trail

• Raccoon River Valley Trail

Hit tHe GRAVeL

Iowa is overflowing with gravel roads great for biking. Grinnell is even home to Trans-Iowa, which has been called Iowa’s “grand-daddy gravel race.” It features 300 miles of gravel riding and attracts cyclists from around the country. If you’re feeling adventurous, check out iowagravelroads.com for a map of Iowa’s gravel roads.

must do iowa

Do you bike? share your photos!

F

dream

or more than 150 years, Iowans have had a love affair with bicycling. And why wouldn’t we? After all, we have the perfect terrain for all types of pedaling. Long stretches of wide-open

road. Gently rolling hills. Gravel that provides a unique way to travel. This is the topography that cyclists’ dreams are made of.

But that’s not all we offer those in love with bicycling. We even have more than 1,800 miles of well-kept biking trails that traipse through charming small towns full of cafés and shops that will welcome you with open arms. So if you were to say we’re a little obsessed with providing cyclists the perfect place to pedal, you wouldn’t be too far off.

One such trail is the Wabash Trace Nature Trail that winds for 63 miles from Council Bluffs through the beautiful Loess Hills to Blanchard. This is one of the trails that bicycling enthusiasts from the popular blog The Path Less Pedaled say you have to bike. Join the Thursday night Taco Ride, where dozens of cyclists ride to the Mineola Steakhouse for dinner with friends old and new.

Making your way east, another one of our popular trails is located in the heart of our state. The High Trestle Trail goes from Ankeny to Woodward and includes an extraordinary 13-story bridge, making it one of the largest trail bridges in the world. Be sure to stick around to see the bridge at night, when it’s bathed in ethereal blue light.

Heading even further east to Decorah, which just happened to be voted one of the 50 best small downtowns in America*, you’ll run across the Trout Run Trail. Cyclists love this 11-mile loop trail for many reasons. One of those reasons is that you can visit the Iowa DNR Trout Hatchery at Siewer Springs, where kids love to feed the fish.

But no matter where you are in Iowa, you’re sure to find a trail perfect for your pedaling sensibility. So bring your bicycle and helmet. And, of course, don’t forget your sense of adventure.

Find out more about biking in Iowa and download the Iowa By Trail app by going to traveliowa.com/GetInspired/Biking. f

*2015 Best Choice Reviews

Wabash Trace. Photo by Path less Pedaled

Grinnell. Photo by Path less Pedaled

Decorah. Photo by Path less Pedaled

Wabash Trace. Photo by Path less Pedaled

14 # t h i s i s i o w a

i o w a t r a v e l g u i d e 1 5

must eat iowa

When the rest of the country was in the midst of basketball madness

in March, we were experiencing our own kind of mania in Iowa

– only ours was a lot more delicious. That’s because we were busy

pitting pie against pie to find some of the best slices in our state.

Cream versus meringue versus fruit versus custard. No slice was left

unturned. No crust left untouched. Here are a few of our favorite

slices from some of Iowa’s best bakeries, cafés and restaurants.

Country Junction

Dyersville

sour Cream raisin

Coffee CupSullyCoconut Cream

Coffee CupSullyCoconut Cream

Coffee CupSullyCoconut Cream

Picket Fence

Guttenburg

triple Fruit

O’Farrell sistersOkoboji

lemon Meringue

Ox Yoke inn

Amana Colonies

rhubarb Custard

Ox Yoke inn

Amana Colonies

rhubarb Custard

Cronk’s CaféDenison

Chocolate Cream

Crouse CaféIndianola

Cherry

Crouse CaféIndianola

CherryCrouse Café

IndianolaCherrythe sancturary

Shenandoah

Peanut Butter

Picket Fence

Guttenburg

triple Fruit

Crouse Café, Cherry

8

2 31

4

65

LiGHts, CAMeRA, Visit:

1. Johnny Carson Birthplace, Corning

2. John Wayne Museum Birthplace & Museum, Winterset

3. Covered Bridges, Madison County

4. Antique Archeology (American Pickers on HGTV), Le Claire

5. Field of Dreams Movie Site, Dyersville

6. State Historical Museum, Des Moines

7. Simon Estes Amphitheatre, Des Moines

8. West End Salvage (on DIY Network), Des Moines

Part of Iowa’s allure is undoubtedly our scenery. But

our people have also proven to be popular in film, TV,

the arts and more. Here are just a few famous Iowans:

Tom Arnold, Actor/comedian

American Pickers: Mike Wolfe & Frank Fritz

Johnny Carson, Late-night television host

Michael Emerson, Actor

Simon Estes, World-renowned opera singer

Ashton Kutcher, Actor

Cloris Leachman, Actress

Glenn Miller, Musician

Michelle Monaghan, Actress

Donna Reed, Actress

Brandon Routh, Actor

John Wayne, Actor

Andy Williams, Entertainer

Meredith Willson, Composer

Elijah Wood, Actor

Hollywood IoWA

7

Iowa’s sites and citizens have been making a lasting

impression on the silver screen for years. Check out

some of our famous sites and stars.

12 # t h i s i s i o w a i o w a t r a v e l g u i d e 1 3

must stay iowa

1853

18391913

18961910

1905 1915historic hotels

spend the night where history never sleeps Imagine this. It’s the late 1920s and the police are hot on Al Capone’s trail in Chicago. He needs to get out of town – and quick. But where does he hide out until the heat cools off? Paris? London? Madrid? No, he heads to the quiet river town of Dubuque and holes up in the luxurious Hotel Julien.

Now let’s go even further back to 1910. Frank Lloyd Wright has been commissioned to design a hotel that will stand the test of time. Is it for the city of New York? San Francisco? Boston? No, it’s for Mason City, Iowa, smack dab in the middle of the heartland.

Now imagine that you can spend the night in these hotels, where history greets you from the moment you check in. Where you can almost see Capone rambling down the hallways, larger than life. Well, we have good news. You can. And it’s an experience you’ll never forget.

Even though you’ll catch some of the best winks of your life in these historic hotels, this is where the past never sleeps.

tHe BLACKHAWK HOteL, CeDAR FALLsblackhawk-hotel.com | 319.277.1161It takes more than a fire to close the Blackhawk Hotel. Opened in 1853 as a wooden frame “stage coach” hotel called the Winslow House, in the late 1870s it was destroyed by fire but soon replaced with the four-story structure that’s standing today. History buffs will love staying at one of the oldest continuously operating hotel sites in the country, where you’ll find everything from standard rooms to luxury multi-room suites. And even better yet, it’s located right on Main Street, so you’re close to great dining, shopping and nightlife.

HOteL BLACKHAWK, DAVeNPORthotelblackhawk.com | 888.525.4455When you stay at the Hotel Blackhawk in Davenport, you’ll be among guests that have included presidents, movie stars and legendary athletes who have visited since the hotel opened in 1915. Hotel Blackhawk’s beautifully renovated guestrooms and suites are decorated with comfortable furniture, as well as works created by local artists. Enjoy their luxurious amenities, which include an indoor pool, bowling alley and more.

HOteL WiNNesHieK, DeCORAHhotelwinn.com | 563.382.4164If you’re a fan of antique furnishings, exquisite millwork and grand staircases, then you’ll want to stay at the Hotel Winneshiek. Built in 1905, this well-appointed hotel has hosted numerous dignitaries including heads of state, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway,

President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Whether a distinguished guest or a weekend traveler, the hotel’s restaurant and spa will make any visitor feel pampered.

HOteL JULieN, DUBUqUehoteljuliendubuque.com | 563.556.4200Al Capone wasn’t the only famous guest to stay at the Hotel Julien. Other notable visitors include president Abraham Lincoln, author Mark Twain and famous Wild West performer Buffalo Bill Cody. Built in 1839, this was the first building travelers saw as they crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa’s oldest city. If you really want to live it up, stay in the special Capone Suite that encapsulates vintage glamour.

HistORiC PARK iNN HOteL, MAsON CitYhistoricparkinn.com | 641.422.0015Of the six hotels Frank Lloyd Wright designed in his lifetime, only one remains. You guessed it – it’s the Historic Park Inn Hotel in downtown Mason City. This prairie school style building with large ribbons of windows and wide overhangs opened for business in 1910. Unfortunately, during an economic crisis in the early 1920s the hotel became a third-rate establishment and eventually closed. But don’t worry, because in 2005 a local group of volunteers formed a nonprofit organization and spearheaded the hotel’s restoration. Today, the facility stands as a four-star boutique hotel with 27 guest rooms that architecture aficionados will ooh and ahh over.

tHe iNN At OKOBOJi ResORt, OKOBOJi bojifun.com | 712.332.2113Okoboji is a legendary vacation spot. And The Inn at Okoboji just happens to be one of Okoboji’s most iconic hotels. Built in 1896 on the northeast shore of the famous blue West Okoboji Lake to take advantage of the lake’s cool summer breezes, thousands of families have made this resort their go-to getaway spot. The lakefront accommodations include a par three nine-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hot tub, dining, boat rentals, shuffleboard and more.

HOteL PAttee, PeRRYhotelpattee.com | 515.465.3511You can stay getaway after getaway at the Hotel Pattee and never have quite the same experience. That’s because each room is decorated with its own unique theme, from a Louis Armstrong-themed suite to a room that will make you feel like you’re spending the night in a farmhouse from 1913 – the year the hotel happened to be built. Guests will also enjoy amenities like a spa, bowling alley and more. So it’s really no wonder the Hotel Pattee has been called one of the finest boutique hotels in the world. f

share photos of your historic iowa visits.

The Inn at Okoboji. Photo property of travel iowa

Blackhawk Hotel. Photo by xxxxx

Hotel Pattee. Photo by xxxxxHotel Julien. Photo by xxxxx

Hotel Winneshiek. Photo by xxxxx Hotel Blackhawk. Photo by xxxxx

The Inn at Okoboji. Photo property of travel iowa

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In FY14 Travel Iowa acquired a robust customer relationship management system that includes an integrated

e-mail marketing platform. To date, we have sent a handful of very general e-mails to our list of more than

15,000 prospective travelers. In FY16 our focus will shift to creating a more strategic and targeted e-mail

marketing strategy. Driven by a plan to more proactively solicit e-mail addresses for traveliowa.com, social

media, Iowa Welcome Center and more, e-mail marketing in FY16 will include targeted messages to travelers

with identified interested in niche travel areas. We’ll also deploy digital communications highlighting new

and/or seasonally timely content, all of which directs travelers back to traveliowa.com.

IOWA WELCOME CENTERSAs the “front porch” of Iowa’s tourism industry, the 18 official Iowa Welcome Centers greet more than a

half million travelers annually. Four of these centers are state-owned and operated and are located within

Iowa Department of Transportation Rest Areas. Another 14 centers are locally owned and managed,

but have a contract with the Iowa Economic Development Authority that stipulates some primary travel

services. But the goal for each center is the same – to educate travelers about Iowa’s amenities so those

travelers will stay longer and spend more money in our state. 1,521

3,951PINTEREST ENGAGEMENT

CY2014

CY2015 THROUGH 9/30

21,844

230,362

INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS

PINTEREST FOLLOWERS

58%INCREASE

E-MAIL MARKETING

DID YOU KNOW?

Many Iowa Welcome Centers conduct

research at the centers to gather data

about traveler spending and habits.

ACCESS THE ANNUAL IOWA WELCOME CENTER

SURVEY AT TRAVELIOWA.COM/INDUSTRY.

YOUTUBE VIEWS

PARTNERSHIPSPartners are the key to our success. Whether it’s an industry partner who provides great photos to enhance

their listing at traveliowa.com, a corporate partner who provides giveaway items for a social media

campaign or a media partner who has credible content to supplement our marketing efforts, Travel Iowa

relies on the support of many friends and colleagues to tell Iowa’s story. In FY16 we will roll out a new plan

to better educate our industry about the work of the Iowa Tourism Office and how our partners can be a

part of it and benefit from it. Our goal is to make the industry feel like a valued part of our work.

RESEARCHBefore we design any strategies or deploy any tactics, we look to research to guide our efforts. Staff at Travel

Iowa manages the annual major study, “The Economic Impact of Travel on Iowa Counties,” which the US Travel

Association produces. Additionally, we conduct three annual internal research projects to measure traveler

interests, trends and spending patterns. The amount and type of data we gather has broadened to include

website, blog and social media metrics, usage and trends, along with the key performance indicators of our paid

media campaign. Ongoing, Travel Iowa will consider new and efficient ways to measure the impact of tourism

and the success of our work, given the changing landscape of destination marketing and advancements of data

collection tools.

MEDIA RELATIONS On a daily basis, staffs at Travel Iowa and our marketing partner ZLRIGNITION are in contact with members

of the media responding to requests for information about Iowa or sharing new and newsworthy story ideas

about our state. Several new opportunities have allowed us to more efficiently reach media, including the

creation of a monthly newsletter called “Now & Later” that shares story ideas media can take advantage

of now, and those they can consider for later. In FY15, Travel Iowa acquired a digital asset management

system that not only consolidates all of our images and video files into a single, searchable database, but

it allows us to easily share those assets with media. In FY16, Travel Iowa will continue its commitment to

sharing Iowa’s story with local and regional media, and a new partnership with DCI, an international leader in

economic development and travel marketing, will allow for increased exposure to national media. Travel Iowa

will take advantage of DCI’s strong national media relationships to bolster Iowa’s presence among them.

PAID MEDIAThe bulk of Travel Iowa’s marketing budget is committed between March and June. In FY15, 24 percent

of the campaign budget supported television advertising in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Omaha and

Kansas City. Though expensive, broadcast advertising gives us the broadest reach to a mass audience.

The remaining 76 percent of the budget included a highly targeted digital campaign that garnered

472,434 web visits. In FY16 we’re broadening our efforts to purchase our most successful advertising

tactics year-round. These include search engine marketing, native advertising, remarketing and social

media advertising (Twitter and Facebook).

DID YOU KNOW?

COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMAnnually, the Iowa Tourism Office invests more than $500,000 in the Cooperative Partnership Program,

negotiating the purchase of large advertising buys and then selling that space back to our tourism partners

at a cost far cheaper than what they could purchase directly. In addition, the Cooperative Partnership

Program allows Travel Iowa to diversify its audience and gives the industry a range of advertising choices –

from group travel to boomer travel to meetings-focused publications and niche websites. The program truly

is a public/private partnership that extends the reach of Iowa’s travel message and gives the tourism industry

a chance to be a part of Iowa’s broader marketing efforts.

BOUNCE RATE AVG. PAGES VISITED AVG. TIME ON SITE

TRAFFIC 52.29% 3.70 2:30

GOALS <55% >3.5 >2:30

FY2015 TRAVELIOWA.COM KPIS

Travel Iowa commissions an annual study

that assesses the economic impact of

travel in each Iowa county. You can use

this information to support your case for the

impact of tourism locally.

GET THE STUDY AT

TRAVELIOWA.COM/INDUSTRY.

PROGRAMMING PRODUCTSGRANTSTravel Iowa administers three grant programs dedicated to the growth of the tourism industry in Iowa.

Celebrating its 16th year in FY16, the Community Attraction and Tourism Program has invested

$152,603,006 in 404 projects since its inception. An independent board of directors administers the

program with staff support from IEDA.

The Regional Sports Authority District (RSAD) program is created in statute and funds efforts to solicit

and host amateur sporting events in Iowa. By law, only convention and visitors bureaus are eligible for the

money and a maximum of 10 may receive equal awards each fiscal year.

The Iowa Tourism Grants program is available to all Iowa tourism entities for a variety of uses, including

marketing, continuing education, and meetings and events. Travel Iowa worked closely with members

of the tourism industry to craft this program and create the administrative rules that govern it. In FY15,

64 organizations received more than $210,000 in grants funds. This is truly the Iowa tourism industry’s

program, as members of the industry review and score each application and determine the successful

applicants and the amount of their awards.

REGIONSTravel Iowa can’t do it alone. We rely on support from Iowa’s three regional tourism associations to help

us expand our reach throughout the state. Our partners at the Western Iowa Tourism Region, Central Iowa

Tourism Region and Eastern Iowa Tourism Association deliver education, networking, technical assistance

and product development assistance on our behalf through an annual contract. Region members benefit

from each group’s support, providing the best access to Travel Iowa. Our team attends each association’s

board and membership meetings, ensuring a strong synergy between our work, the regions’ work and the

industry’s work.

WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGIONShirley Phillips | shirley@visitwesterniowa.com | (712) 662-7845

CENTRAL IOWA TOURISM REGIONAnn Vogelbacher | ann@iowatourism.com | (515) 832-4808

EASTERN IOWA TOURISM ASSOCIATIONCarrie Koelker | carrie@easterniowatourism.org | (563) 875-7269

OVERVIEW MISSION: Grow the state’s economy through travel expenditures

GOAL: Become the trusted resource to provide inspiration and information to potential travelers

MARKETING OBJECTIVES:• Inspire more travel to and within Iowa

• Increase awareness of travel opportunities

• Execute campaigns and programs that serve and support Iowa’s tourism industry

MARKETING STRATEGIES:• Create and curate a robust amount of traditional and digital content that tell the story of Iowa’s

unexpected and authentic destinations

• Customize content for niche targets

TARGET AUDIENCES: • Primary: Midwestern women with children under the age of 18

• Secondary: Niche audiences (outdoor recreation, shopping, scenic, arts & culture, family fun)

BRAND POSITION:• Iowa offers an escape to the unexpected

MESSAGE STRATEGY: • This is Iowa – Introduce travelers to Iowa’s unique variety of unexpected experiences

PART I WORK PRODUCTS

IOWA TRAVEL GUIDEOBJECTIVES:• Provide compelling information and inspiration that helps travelers plan travel in Iowa

STRATEGIES:• Use the best photography available to showcase Iowa’s unexpected treasures

• Incorporate more content that provides inspiration to travelers

TACTICS: • Host a social media contest that allows users to select the cover of the 2016 guide

• Inspire people to choose Iowa by enhancing the guide to include 12 pages of niche editorial content

• Emphasize digital and social tools available for further exploration

• Incorporate more opportunities to highlight interesting attributes of Iowa destinations

CONTENT MARKETING OBJECTIVES:• Create and curate content that positions Iowa as an unexpected travel destination

• Place a greater emphasis on content distribution via social media and media relations

• Place a greater emphasis on gathering traveler email addresses for further communication

STRATEGIES:• Highlight Iowa’s most unexpected travel destinations through a variety of story-telling mediums

• Collaborate with industry partners to produce compelling online content

• Share content through diverse, effective and targeted distribution channels, including media, industry

partners and private partners

TACTICS: • Based on seasonality, data and traveler insights, plan content bundles that feature several of Iowa’s most

remarkable travel experiences

• Share timely content on social media channels and via media relations

• Major content pieces will have third-party distribution elements built into promotional efforts

DIGITALOBJECTIVES:• Increase traffic to, time spent on and engagement at traveliowa.com

• Position traveliowa.com as the hub for telling Iowa’s story through content

STRATEGIES:• Create quick, easy one-step ways for users to send/share content via social plug-ins or email

• Continue to push updates that enhance core functionality

TACTICS:• Simplify navigation

• Enhance design consistency

• Improve usability/site speed

EMAIL/CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)OBJECTIVES:• Increase traffic to website and set benchmarks for quality users derived from email

• Increase target audience leads in database and segment current leads

• Increase engagements with database leads

STRATEGIES:• Incorporate email as a primary delivery tool as part of the content strategy

• Position Iowa Tourism Office digital assets to be lead developing tools

• Establish partnerships that lead to target audience leads

• Use project management and CRM resources for efficient and timely engagement

TACTICS:• Send content feature emails

• Send seasonal/event/highlight emails

• Generate robust increase in travel leads

SOCIAL MEDIAOBJECTIVES:• Position social media as a major driver of traffic to traveliowa.com

• Maintain high engagement among, and increase followers/likes with, potential travelers that allow for

ongoing interaction and creates opportunities to obtain email addresses

• Identify strategies to maximize the unique attributes of each social channel

STRATEGIES: • Create a successful mix of “one-off” posts about unexpected Iowa experiences and posts meant to share

specific, timely content

• Use social media as a vehicle to gather email addresses

TACTICS: • Execute contests such as choosing the cover of the Iowa Travel Guide

• Post at least daily on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Utilize other channels as is appropriate

• Share content that supports the tourism industry based on their submissions of events and

listings to traveliowa.com

• Create and curate blog content, then share it effectively via social media and traveliowa.com integration

MEDIA RELATIONSOBJECTIVES:• Build relationships with local, regional and national media to tell Iowa’s story

• Align with the content marketing strategy to share content bundles with targeted media

• Create media partnerships that position Travel Iowa as a valuable content producer

STRATEGIES:• Create and tailor story pitching information geographically or categorically to meet needs of target media

• Network with non-traditional, non-travel related media to gain unique placements

• Offer individual and group familiarization tours

TACTICS:• Proactively and regularly pitch Iowa to targeted traditional and new media around the nation

• Use tools like Twitter and email to reach media

• Conduct a media tour to a targeted national market to tell Iowa’s story

• Work with DCI to create a strong national media presence

PARTNERSHIPSOBJECTIVES: • Work with partners to increase Travel Iowa’s reach

• Offer a range of partnership opportunities that helps the tourism industry reach travelers

STRATEGY: • Establish relationships with entities that have resources of value to the Iowa Tourism Office and the

traveling public

• Create a task force to assist the Iowa Tourism Office in creating the Cooperative Partnerships Program

TACTICS:• Feature partners in content and social media campaigns

• Represent partners at Iowa Welcome Centers

PAID MEDIAOBJECTIVES: • Implement advertising creative that represents Iowa’s brand and inspires visitors to consider Iowa as a

vacation destination

• Increase visits to traveliowa.com

• Increase Travel Guide orders

STRATEGIES:• Surround the target audience with the Iowa tourism message utilizing both traditional (mass awareness)

and digital (niche/targeted) advertising

• Use cost-effective online media to further target the audience and generate website engagement

• Flight a majority of the advertising campaign in the spring/summer

• Run keyword search campaigns, remarketing, social and native advertising year-round

TACTIC:• Implement, track and measure an advertising campaign that uses a strategic range of new and traditional

media to tell Iowa’s story

PART IIINDUSTRY RELATIONSOBJECTIVES: • Work with the tourism industry to identify resources and programming that serves and supports the

tourism industry

• Effectively communicate partnership opportunities and the work of Travel Iowa to the tourism industry

STRATEGIES: • Include relevant/helpful industry information in email marketing back to the industry

• Establish partnerships with the industry to create content

TACTICS:• Participate in industry events and meetings

• Create task forces and committees to guide the Iowa Tourism Office’s work

• The E-Traveler newsletter

• Targeted, personal outreach

PART IIIGRANTSOBJECTIVE: • Offer grant programs that meet the greatest needs of Iowa’s tourism industry

STRATEGIES: • Work closely with the Vision Iowa Board to successfully implement the program

• Work closely with Iowa’s convention and visitors bureaus to successfully implement the Regional Sports

Authority District Program

• Work closely with the Iowa tourism industry and the Iowa Tourism Grants Committee to successfully

implement the Iowa Tourism Grants Program

TACTICS:• Vision Iowa/CAT Program

• Regional Sports Authority District Program

• Iowa Tourism Grants Program