2019WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION

annual report

PARTNERSHIPS

2 • WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION 2019 annual report

Western IowaTourism Region 615 West Main StreetSac City, IA 50583 712-662-7383 • 888-623-4232 Visitwesterniowa.com

Board of DirectorsPresidentFreda DammannManning Hausbarn Heritage

ParkVice PresidentAndy MilamShrine of the Grotto of

RedemptionFinance Offi cerKenner BaxterCass Co. Tourism & Baxter

CyclesPast PresidentErika NewtonSpectra Management, Sioux

City Kathy DirksHarrison Co. Historical Village &

Iowa Welcome CenterJessica BrownmillerLe Mars Convention & Visitors

BureauJosee BeierHelms Briscoe Merideth MaranvilleCornerstone Bank & Clarinda

Chamber of CommerceJulie Hering KentCherokee Chamber of

Commerce Kiana Johnson O’Brien Co. Economic

Development & Tourism

Executive Director Shirley Phillips shirley@visitwesterniowa.comAdministrative Assistant

Jane Berger j ane@visitwesterniowa.com

The Western Iowa Tourism Region has strong working relationships to Western Iowa and the State Tourism Offi ce, Iowa Economic Development Authority. • 160 members representing the tourism industry.• Financial support and representation from 35 counties in Western Iowa. • State tourism offi ce funding and technical support. In addition WITR is represented on the Travel Federation of Iowa Board, the Iowa Group Travel Association Board, the Iowa Destination Alliance, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byways council and economic development committee and the Iowa Department of Transportation Sign committee. We also partner with Central Iowa Tourism and Eastern Iowa Tourism Association.

BE A MEMBER! Join a progressive organization • Network with your peers involved in tourism product development and

promotion. • Create valuable partnerships. • Package and cross sell with other Region members• Showcase your attraction/business on www.visitwesterniowa.com.• Capitalize on opportunities offered by both the region and the Iowa

Tourism Offi ce. • Increase visitor numbers. • Target new customers.• Learn from the pros at Region membership meetings and workshops. • Have the opportunity to hear speakers from around the United States. • Exercise your leadership skills by serving on committees and the board. • Learn about new trends and opportunities including funding to develop

products. • Learn about grant opportunities. • Receive Legislative Updates throughout the Legislative Session. • Master advocacy skills to get the most fi nancial assistance from

foundations, organizations, and state and local governments.

WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION 2019 annual report • 3

2018-19 EDUCATION SESSIONS June 13, 2018 • Orpheum

Theater, Sioux City Annual Meeting, “Chaos &

Change Management: Are you surviving? Or thriving?”

Kit Welchlin

Aug. 1, 2018 • Corning Opera House

“Optimize your Digital Presence” Shelly Greving & Amy Zeigler

CONTRIBUTING COUNTIESAdairAdamsAudubonBuena VistaCalhounCarrollCassCherokeeClay

Crawford DickinsonEmmetFremontGuthrieHarrisonIda HumboldtKossuth

LyonMillsMononaMontgomeryO’BrienOsceola Page Palo Alto Plymouth

PocahontasPottawattamieSacShelbySioux TaylorUnionWoodbury

Contact the offi ce at 712.662.7383 or visitwww.visitwesterniowa.comfor a brochure.

TO BECOME A MEMBER

Oct. 24, 2018 • Saints Center, Stuart

“So What Sign Program is best for you?”

Bethany Waltersdorf, Iowa Department of Transportation and “Community Visioning” with Brad Riphagen, Trees Forever

Dec. 12, 2018 • Boulders Event Center, Holstein

“Working with you is killing me!” Kathy Peterson, People Works

Mar. 13, 2019 • Carrollton Conference Center, Carroll

State Staff Town Hall Meeting

June 5, 2019 • Hausbarn Heritage Park Konferenz Centre, Manning

“Marketing Power” Jeff Beals

LEGISLATIVE

4 • WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION 2019 annual report

WITR Liaisons to the Travel Federation of Iowa were Lisa Riggs, Kathy Dirks, Andy Milam, Rebecca Peters and Shirley Phillips. • The Legislative Showcase, held

annually in Des Moines, brought together industry representatives with elected Iowa offi cials to deliver information on the many issues facing the tourism industry. This was the fi rst year it was combined with the Iowa Tourism Conference, held on Feb. 6, 2019.

• Andy Milam served on the Executive committee as past president and on the Legislative committee; Rebecca Peters served as chairperson of the Showcase Taskforce and on the Executive committee; Kathy

Happy Retirement to Freda & LeRoy, a couple of Iowa’s greatest promoters. After decades of dedication to the Hausbarn Heritage Park, Freda & LeRoy “retired” this year. We know with their passion for this project and commitment, they will continue to volunteer and use their talents to enlighten visitors to their community and our region. Recently a tour bus operator told me what a fabulous time they had at the Hausbarn and how they loved Freda’s stories. This is the type of hospitality that will continue to bring visitors to our communities. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your time and dedication.

Dirks was marketing chairperson and developed the Fast Facts booklet, Lisa Riggs served as chair of the School Start Date committee and on the Education committee; Shirley Phillips served on the School Start Date committee and the Marketing committee.

• We continued to coordinate a statewide initiative called District Leaders enabling members to become more actively involved in the legislative system. We presented talking points, tools to engage your legislator, provided them with direct contacts to the legislative committees, and familiarized them with the process to pass a bill. Reports were given every membership meeting.

• A statewide industry legislative survey was conducted to recognize

tourism related issues and establish priorities and supported all these legislative issues, as well as outside organizations’ issues.

• Helped to coordinate information for priority sheets to educate the industry to the related issues for the legislative session.

• Travel Federation of Iowa contracted with lobbyists in partnership with the three tourism regions.

• Provided electronic Capitol Reports from the lobbyists to the membership and provided advocacy training.

• Attended all Travel Federation of Iowa Board meetings and assisted in the planning process for the organization.

Freda and LeRoy Dammann, Manning Hausbarn Heritage Park with Debi Durham, Director, Iowa Economic Development Authority.

WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION 2019 annual report • 5

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Sept. 19, 2018 • Power of Travel Day,Gateway Conference Center, Ames This event was a joint effort with all three tourism regions to provide a day of intense education featuring Nick Westergaard, “Brand Now: How Today’s Digital Dynamics can Help Build a Better Brand” and “”Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Business Big and Small,” and Berkeley Young, “Research Analytics and Big Data” and “Destination Competition or Coopetition”

#futurestartstodayApr. 30 & May 1, 2019 • Roger Brooks Destination Summit, Carroll Freda Dammann, President What a great opportunity to spend a day and a half with Roger Brooks. His bio says “Roger’s energetic, grass-roots guidance fi lls local champions with innovative ideas and confi dence in their ability to pull people together to accomplish great things in their communities. He is the motivational expert that helps communities become the best they can be.” He has 35 years of experience with communities big and small and gives specifi c examples of how places have fi gured out who they are and how to promote themselves.

The twenty eight communities who came together for two days gained so much. Each community followed Roger’s exercises to fi nd what made them different from others, who they had as champions in their communities and what goals they could set for the next 2 to 5 years. Some communities only had two members there and some had as many as 10, but all took home an enthusiasm for their “place” that they perhaps hadn’t felt in a while.

If you are in the tourism business or in the marketing of Main Street businesses, this was your opportunity to learn how to promote your community. Tourism IS economic development in every sense of the word.

6 • WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION 2019 annual report

2019 ANNUAL REPORT - MEMBERSHIPS

Adams Community Economic Dev. Corp. Algona Area Chamber of Commerce AmericInn of OkobojiArrowwood Resort & Conference CenterAtlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise Artisans Road Trip of NW IowaAssociations Inc. Atlantic Chamber of CommerceAtlantic Rock Island Inn & SuitesAudubon Chamber of CommerceAudubon County Historical Society Baxter CyclesBlue Bunny Ice Cream ParlorBoulders Conference CenterBoulders Inn & Suites Majestic HillsBoulders Inn & Suites, HolsteinBoulders Inn & Suites, Lake ViewBoulders Inn & Suites, Manning Breda, City ofBreezy Hills Vineyard & WineryBridges Bay ResortBuy Fresh, Buy Local Siouxland Inc. Calhoun Co. Economic DevelopmentCamp Algona P.O.W. MuseumCarroll Area Chamber of CommerceCarroll County Conservation Carrollton Inn & Event CenterCass County Tourism Chamber & Development Council of

Crawford Co.Chamber / Main Street Greenfi eld Chamber Main Street Sac CityCherokee Area Economic & Dev. Corp. Cherokee Iowa Chamber of Commerce &

RodeoClarinda Chamber of Commerce Clarinda Super 8 by WyndomClay County Conservation Clay County Fair Association Coon Rapids Development GroupCouncil Bluffs Convention & Visitors

BureauCrawford Co. Conservation Board/Dow

House Creston/Union County Tourism Dammann, Freda & LeRoyDanish Villages Economic Development Danish Windmill CorporationDickinson Co. Conservation Donna Reed Foundation Emmetsburg Chamber of CommerceEstherville Area Chamber of Commerce

Farmall - Land USA MuseumFort Dodge Convention & Visitors BureauFremont County Historical SocietyFrench Icarian Colony Foundation Friends of Downtown Harlan Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Golden Hills RC & DGrand Falls Casino Resort Guthrie County Tourism Harlan NewspapersHarrison County Development Corp. Harrison Co. Historical Village & Welcome

Center Hart Family Hotels Hawarden Chamber & Economic

Development Historic Arnolds ParkHiggins Museum Hitchcock HouseHoliday Inn @ AmeristarHoliday Inn Express & Suites, Council

BluffsHotel Greenfi eldIowa’s County Conservation System Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce Iowan Magazine, Heuss Printing Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Music MuseumIowa State Snowmobile Assn. Johnny Carson Birthplace Kings Pointe Waterpark & Resort Klondike HotelLake Park, City ofLake View, City of & Community Club Launchpad Children’s MuseumLe Mars Convention & Visitors BureauLewis & Clark Interpretive CenterLoess Hills Alliance Economic

Development Loess Hills Historical Society of Monona

Co.Loess Hills Hospitality Association Lyon Co. Economic Development M. Catton & Company Macedonia Hamilton Dev. CorporationMacedonia Historical Preservation SocietyManning Chamber of CommerceManning Hausbarn Heritage Park Midwest Partnership Economic Dev. Corp. Mills County TourismMissouri Valley Chamber of Commerce Museum of Danish AmericaNewell Historical Society/Allee Mansion

Northwest Iowa Development O’Brien Co. Conservation O’Brien Co. Economic Dev. & Tourism Okoboji Classic CarsOkoboji Inn & SuitesOkoboji Summer TheaterOkoboji Tourism CommitteeOnawa Chamber of Commerce Orange City Tulip Festival Our Iowa Magazine Page Co. Conservation Palo Alto Co. Conservation Foundation Parker Historical SocietyPottawattamie Co. Conservation Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery Red Coach Inn & RestaurantRed Oak Chamber of CommerceRock Rapids Chamber of Commerce Sac Co. Conservation Sac Economic & Tourism Development Sapp Bros. Travel CenterSgt. Floyd Riverboat Museum & Welcome

CenterShelby Co. Chamber of Commerce &

IndustryShelby Co. Historical Society/Museum Sheldon Chamber & Development Corp. Shenandoah Chamber of Commerce Shrine of the Grotto of RedemptionSidney Rodeo Assn. Iowa’s Championship

RodeoSioux City Art Center Southern Iowa Tourism Spencer Chamber of CommerceStanton Historical Society Star DestinationsStoney Creek Hotel & Conference CenterStorm Lake UnitedTrinity Heights/ Queen of Peace Union Pacifi c Railroad MuseumVan Wyngarden, DianeVillisca, City of Wallace Centers of IowaWatson Steam Train WATTA WAY to see Pottawattamie Co. Web Graphics White Pole RoadWhiterock ConservancyWilson, Gaela Consulting Wilson Performing Art Center of Red Oak Wisecup Farm MuseumWoodbine Main Street Chamber Woodbury Co. Conservation Board

WESTERN IOWA TOURISM REGION 2019 annual report • 7

MOVING BILLBOARDS

As in the past there are moving billboards on Alcohol Beverage Division trucks traveling across Iowa with messages from Western Iowa attractions. Some counties individually and the region were able to win a bid. The following are featured and we hope you see them traveling the state.

Spencer Chamber of Commerce; Sac Economic & Tourism Development; Loess Hills National Scenic Byway; Pocahontas County Economic Development Corporation; Adams Community Economic Development; and Boulders Inn & Suites, Donna Reed Theater, Shrine of the Grotto of Redemption, Danish Windmill, Albert the Bull, Manning Hausbarn Heritage Park, Whiterock Conservancy, LaunchPAD Children’s Museum, and Iowa Great Lakes.

Committees 2018-19Judges for 2019Iowa Tourism Awards Freda Dammann, Manning

Hausbarn Heritage Park Jill Heisterkamp, Calhoun Co.

Economic Development

Iowa TourismGrant Reviewers Brian Kessler, Dickinson Co.

Freedom RockDe Heaton, Corning Opera House Freda Dammann, Manning

Hausbarn Heritage Park Julie Hering Kent, Cherokee

Chamber of Commerce Kathy Fiscus, WattaWay

Pottawattamie CountyLana White, Mills County Tourism Shelly Greving, Emerge Marketing

Solutions

Travel Federation of Iowa Board Members Kathy Dirks, Harrison Co. Historical

Village & Welcome Center Andy Milam, Shrine of the Grotto of

RedemptionRebecca Peters, Okoboji TourismLisa Riggs, Danish Windmill

CorporationShirley Phillips, Western Iowa

Tourism Region

2019 Iowa Tourism Conference CommitteeRebecca Castle, Golden Hills

RC&D

Iowa DOT TODS CommitteeShirley Phillips, Western Iowa

Tourism Region

Iowa Group Travel AssociationMichaela Brown, Brown’s Century

TheaterMark Eckman, UnleashCouncil Bluffs

Showcasing at the Circle Wisconsin Shows:Lisa Riggs, Midwest Travel

Planners, Galena, ILFreda Dammann, Midwest

Marketplace, Lake Geneva, WI

2019 IOWA TOURISM AWARDS

Outstanding Attraction: (Metro) Cone Park, Sioux City

Outstanding Dining Business: (Rural) Waubonsie Station, Tabor

Outstanding Event: (Rural) Stone Pier Summer Concert Series, Lake View

Outstanding Website: Pottawattamie County Tourism Committee, Watta Way

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Elaine Farwell, Clarinda Chamber of Commerce

Becky Fear Hatting, Spencer Chamber of Commerce

Blair Weigum, Chamber & Development Council of Crawford County

Freda & LeRoy Dammann, Manning Hausbarn Heritage Park

Lisa Riggs, Danish Windmill Corporation

Kathy Dirks, Harrison County Historical Village & Welcome Center

Brandy Ripley, Sac Economic & Tourism Development

Jill Heisterkamp, Calhoun County Economic Development

Kathy Fiscus, Pottawattamie County Tourism Committee

2019 IOWA TOURISM CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS