Advocacy

iTIP’s advocacy efforts focus on identifying key issues, creating meaningful public/private coalitions, empowering members, and engaging in advocacy events and programming at the local, state, and federal levels.

Legislative Spotlight 2023 – WEEK 8

Legislative Spotlight 2023 – WEEK 7

Legislative Spotlight 2023 – WEEK 6

2023 Legislative Priorities

  • Tourism experienced a record year by receiving over $50.70 M in appropriations in 2022. Over $30.5 M of that was new funding to be used for the creation of new tourism resources and bolster current programming. iTIP will ensure those appropriations are deployed appropriately and  maintained in the FY24 budget.
  • Support the enactment of IWILL (Iowa Land and Legacy) or water quality initiatives that include funding for tourism and quality of life components.
  • Support Iowa’s current earliest school start date of August 23 to allow the tourism industry to generate revenue to pay for education. In 2021, tourism generated $1.0 billion in state and local tax revenues which support the state’s education system.
 

The focus of iTIP's Advocacy efforts:

Advocating for the travel and tourism industry and the many sectors connected to Iowa’s visitor economy is a mission critical focus for iTIP. The organization works to strengthen relationships and reinforce tourism’s value with the Governor’s Administration, Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), elected leadership, state agencies, industry stakeholders, and all Iowans. Furthermore, iTIP strategically monitors and advocates for policy and legislative issues that impact the tourism industry both domestically and internationally, as necessary.
Staying in the loop with the work of industry organizations such as the American Bus Association, U.S. Travel Association, and Destinations International, iTIP is the leader in understanding Iowa policy issues that will continue to shape current and future industry policy.