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Education

Member businesses can benefit by taking advantage of educational opportunities that the iTIP offers. All members are encouraged to become involved with the educational opportunities. Education may include leadership, professional development, networking, webinars, and advanced technical training.

The Education Committee meets the 1st Tuesday of every month at 1 PM. Reach out to Chelsea Lerud if interested in joining the committee.

D

Development

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Resources

E

Education

A

Advocacy

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Marketing








Education News

Make sure to frequently review the Events calendar to stay updated on newly added and upcoming events. Were you aware that you can also opt to subscribe to the events calendar? By doing so, iTIP events will seamlessly integrate with your work calendar, ensuring you never miss out on the fantastic content available. You can find the subscription link at the bottom of the events calendar webpage.








Host an iTIP Event

iTIP hosts two events each year that move throughout the state. An RFP for each event is open once per year.

  • iLEAD Leadership Symposium –
    • 2026 event is scheduled for February 18 – 20; hosted in Ottumwa at ToCA
  • iTIP Summer Celebration –
    • 2026 event is June 8 – 9; hosted at Hotel Millwright in Amana.

Recent Education Webinar Recordings

Click the videos below to watch the most recent educational session recordings. Additional videos can be found linked below and on the iTIP YouTube page.

Topic: Affiliate Insights – Marketing Trends & Missed Opportunities

December 18, 2025 – Webinar

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, DMOs face the constant challenge of staying ahead of the curve while managing numerous online programs. With new trends emerging and technologies rapidly advancing, it’s crucial to equip yourself with the latest digital marketing information to best reach your target audiences. In this webinar, get valuable updates on the latest digital marketing trends and hear TwoSix Digital’s list of things to watch out for and tactics that many destinations are missing.

Topic: Behind the Lens: Influencer Insights for Iowa Tourism

November 13, 2025 – Webinar

Content creators and influencers offer powerful ways to showcase Iowa destinations, but successful partnerships require understanding both sides of the collaboration. This webinar will explore practical tips and strategies for attracting and engaging creators to promote your destination. Brett Bachtle, former Visit Mason City team member turned content creator, will share his firsthand experiences from both the DMO and creator perspectives. He’ll be joined by special guest Megan Bannister, a well-known Iowa content creator, who will offer insights from the creator side of the partnership. Together, they’ll discuss what makes collaborations successful, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to maximize impact for your destination. This session is perfect for tourism professionals looking to strengthen digital marketing efforts and build meaningful influencer partnerships.

Topic: What’s In, What’s Out – Best Practices for Monthly Email Campaigns

October 2, 2025 – Webinar

Struggling to fit everything into your destination’s monthly email? This session will cover what to include, what to skip, and how to create focused, high-performing campaigns that align with your brand and drive results. Join Tempest as they share practical tips on layout, content planning, and streamlining your workflows plus ideas for making your emails more engaging, timely, and useful for your audience. No matter what platform you use, you’ll walk away with strategies to improve your next send.

Current FY Webinar Recordings

Topic: Affiliate Insights – Building Connections Across Iowa’s Tourism & Events Industry

September 11, 2025 – Webinar

Join us for a collaborative conversation with three of iTIP’s Affiliate Members to learn more about the unique roles they play in shaping Iowa’s tourism and events landscape. Hear from the executive directors of the Association of Iowa Fairs (representing county and district fairs across the state), the Iowa PGA (supporting golf professionals, courses, and tournaments), and the Iowa Gaming Association (advocating on behalf of Iowa’s commercial casinos). Each leader will share how their organization supports members, promotes economic impact, and creates opportunities within their sector. Let’s have a conversation on how we can all work together to build strong partnerships and a more connected industry.

Topic: Navigating Alcohol Licensing for Community Events

August 14, 2025 – Webinar

As summer winds down, communities across Iowa continue to plan fall and winter festivals – and it’s never too early to start thinking ahead to next year’s spring and summer events. Join the Alcohol & Tax Compliance Division of the Iowa Department of Revenue for an informative webinar covering recent changes and ongoing requirements for alcohol licensing at special events. Whether you’re a seasoned event organizer or planning your first community gathering, this session will help ensure you’re up to date and fully compliant with state regulations.

Topic: Maximizing Iowa’s Meetings & Conventions Potential

July 17, 2025 – Webinar

Explore the results of a comprehensive evaluation of Iowa’s meetings and conventions marketing efforts, conducted by Whereabout. This research highlights how Iowa stacks up against competitive destinations, what planners are looking for today, and how local communities and venues can better align their strategies to capture more business. If meetings and conferences are part of your destination’s future, this is a can’t-miss session.

Topic: Reimagining Iowa’s Group Tour Strategy

July 10, 2025 – Webinar

Join iTIP and Whereabout for a first look at the findings of Iowa’s new Group Tour Market Study. This in-depth research explores the current state of Iowa’s group tour landscape, emerging trends, and opportunities to grow and adapt in a changing tourism environment. Whether you’re a destination marketer, attraction, lodging provider, or group tour operator, this session will offer valuable, actionable insights to guide your efforts in attracting and serving group travelers more effectively.

Webinar Recordings

Topic: Travel Intent Targeting – How to Get in Front of People Ready to Book

May 15, 2025 – Webinar

In today’s competitive tourism landscape, reaching travelers at the right moment is key to driving visitation. This webinar, presented by Orange 142, will explore Travel Intent Targeting, a powerful strategy that allows destinations, attraction and lodging business to connect with potential visitors actively planning their next trip. Whether you’re a small DMO or a larger destination, attraction, or a lodging business this session will equip you with actionable insights to attract more visitors and increase overnight stays or visitation.

Topic: Tourism Blogging: Content Drives SEO & Attracts Visitors

March 27, 2025 – Webinar

It’s easy for your website’s blog to become an afterthought in your overall content strategy. However, a thoughtful and relevant blogging strategy can make a huge impact on your website’s user engagement and overall traffic, boosting your SEO and giving your blog a more meaningful purpose. McDaniels Marketing will talk through what it takes to write compelling content that wanderlust-driven readers actually want to consume, along with why blogging is a powerful SEO tool.

Topic: 50 Years of Promoting IA to Group Tour Audiences

February 13, 2025 – Webinar

Join Jim Holthaus of Greenspring Media and Group Tour Magazine as he delves into half a century of collaboration in promoting Iowa’s group tour offerings. This engaging session will explore the evolving needs and preferences of Group Tour Operators, Youth Travel Planners, Travel Agents, and other industry professionals. From motorcoach tours to innovative travel solutions, discover actionable insights and strategies to captivate and cater to group travelers. Whether you’re a seasoned planner or new to the industry, this conversation is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of Iowa’s vibrant group tour market.

Topic: Travel Industry Focused Marketing Platform

October 24, 2024 – Webinar

Compulse Travel is a new marketing vertical specializing in destination marketing for the travel & tourism industry. Through this new vertical, Sinclair Broadcasting has been able to consolidate their industry experience across 100s of markets and properties, allowing clients to benefit from access to leading market research, best-in-class solutions, and membership to several organizations, including the U.S. Travel Association, Destinations International, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Visit Florida. Sinclair Broadcasting / Compulse Travel can offer strategic placement in: CTV, Broadcast, Social, Email, Branded Content, Geofence, YouTube and much more.

Topic: Tips to Make Your Brochures Stand Out

June 20, 2024 – Webinar

Have you ever wondered what makes a brochure truly captivating? Why does one get picked up over another, leaving a lasting impression on potential visitors?

In this session, presented by CTM Media, we’ll explore the key elements that make a brochure eye-catching and engaging. We’ll cover the essentials to help your brochures shine and discover the nuances that differentiate a good brochure from a great one.

Our expert designers from CTM Media will share practical tips and industry best practices that can elevate your promotional materials, ensuring your location or attraction stands out in a crowded brochure rack.

Topic: Utilizing Shrpa to Enhance the Work of Your Organization

November 7, 2023 – Webinar

Shrpa is designed to help you get the content you need to deliver more visitors to your destination. The travel platform was built to deliver destinations the most impactful user generated content, proven to deliver more tourism. Learn from the Shrpa team on how to utilize the platform, then hear from Iowa’s very own partners on how they are making the platform work for them. This tool will help any destination enhance their assets to share with visitors.

Topic: An overview of Scout with Huddle Up Group

September 7, 2023 – Webinar

The Huddle Up Group and iTIP started a partnership in 2022 to provide all members with a free All-Access membership to the Sports Tourism Index + Scout platform. Cole McKeel of HUG will demonstrate the platform and share the benefits you can receive by promoting your destination’s sporting venues.

Topic: How You Too Can Work with Travel Writers

March 8, 2023 – Webinar

Sara Broers of Travel with Sara and the Midwest Travel Writers Network shared how to’s and best practices of working with travel writers. Sara was joined by organizations that have partnered with her team in the past to share their experiences that any organization can duplicate as one of their marketing strategies.

Topic: Key Takeaways for Winning in Meetings & Sports Tourism

May 1, 2025 – Webinar

Join industry experts Ali and Mike from Northstar Meetings Group as they present the latest insights shaping the meetings and sports tourism industries. Ali shares key findings from Northstar’s Planner Pulse Survey, highlighting current trends, planner concerns, and actionable strategies to attract more business. Mike digs into the latest State of the Industry Report from Sports ETA, covering sports traveler spending, economic impact, and what event rights holders are looking for in host destinations. Gain valuable data-driven insights to position your destination for success.

Topic: Positioning Small Markets as Prime Meeting Destinations

April 24, 2025 – Webinar

Are you looking to position your destination as a prime meeting spot to beat out larger competitors? Catch the webinar presented by Small Market Meetings Magazine as their team share ideas and tips to make your destination stand out. Hear insights from meeting planners and the industry to help you grow your meetings business.

Topic: The Craft of Developing a Profile Sheet

April 11, 2024 – Webinar

In the world of attracting meeting planners, group tour operators, and sporting event rights holders the profile sheet has become an important piece of the recruitment process. Planners are using this document to gain a quick snapshot of the offerings found within the destination and venues that are attractive for their events. But how does one know what is the best information to include on this small document? Nicole Boyer, veteran tourism sales professional, will share some of the tips of the trade she has learned over the years working in the hospitality industry.

Topic: Mastering the Art of Responding to RFPs

March 14, 2024 – Webinar

Are you struggling to craft winning proposals in response to Meetings and Conventions Requests for Proposals (RFPs)? Kyle Anderson of Small Market Meetings Magazine and meeting planner Jeanette Stensgaard  will delve into the essential strategies for mastering the art of RFP responses. They share insider tips and best practices to help you stand out in the competitive landscape of the meetings and conventions industry.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the world of meetings and conventions, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in responding to RFPs effectively. Don’t miss out on this invaluable opportunity to elevate your RFP game and win more business!

Topic: Deep Dive into the NCAA Bidding Process

 October 12, 2023 – Webinar

Do you have the desire to host an NCAA event in your community? Did you know that NCAA is so much more than basketball final 4? Small and large communities alike have a place with hosting an NCAA event in their community. Tune in to hear from NCAA staff to learn about the bidding process for hosting an NCAA event as well as which events work best in which types of communities.

Topic: What to Expect in the 2025 Legislative Session

January 9, 2025 – Webinar

Hear from iTIP’s lobbyist David Adelman of Cornerstone Government Affairs. David will provide an insider’s look at the upcoming legislative session, with a focus on the tourism industry’s slate of key issues for the year. This webinar will cover anticipated policy changes, emerging trends, and how they may impact tourism and related sectors. Gain actionable insights and prepare your organization for the legislative shifts ahead. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed and engaged with the legislative process!

Topic: A Preview of the 2024 Legislative Session

January 4, 2024 – Webinar

Tune in to hear from the lobby team at Cornerstone Government Affairs as we prep for the 2024 Legislative Session. Click here for the digital copy of the 2024 legislative priorities.

Topic: Advocacy Toolkit & 2023 Legislative Session Preview

January 4, 2023 – Webinar

Tune in to hear from Cornerstone Government Affairs as to prepare for the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session. Cornerstone will also discuss the advocacy toolkit for Iowa’s tourism industry.

Topic: How to Sell to Your Elected Officials

February 14, 2022 – Webinar

The First Amendment to our Constitution allows “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. Do you know how to petition your government officials? Through storytelling, the sales process, and use of social media, Kim Grzywacz, CIT Signature Transportation, shared her top 5 tips to successful grassroots advocacy.

Topic: Legislating and Communicating with the Mission in Mind

January 5, 2022 – Mississippi River Distilling Company, Le Claire

iTIP & EITA Lobbyist David Adelman of Cornerstone Government Affairs was joined by Senator Cournoyer, Senator Koelker, Representative Bradley, and Senator Kinney. Watch the recording for information on the 2022 legislative session, effective and ineffective ways to lobby, and details on what your elected official needs to hear.

Topic: Decoding Google Analytics 4

November 7, 2024 – Webinar

Understanding the complexities of website performance can be overwhelming, especially when adjusting to a new platform like Google Analytics 4. Neapolitan Labs will guide you through navigating the platform, utilizing its key reports, and identifying the most important metrics. With these tips, you can better understand your website audience, empowering you to make more informed decisions that enhance user experience, drive meaningful results, and, ultimately, encourage users to visit your destination.

Topic: Is Your Destination Accessible Online?

February 22, 2024 – Webinar

Traversing the internet can be frustrating if the right tools aren’t available. Your destination’s website must be accessible to everyone who is trying to reach it — after all, visitors may not want to continue on to your destination if your website experience keeps them from successfully planning a visit or learning more. Neapolitan Labs will share accessibility tips and best practices to make your site more user-friendly for those using assistive technology and beyond.

Topic: How to Be Master of Your Domain: SEO Strategies for Tourism

May 9, 2024 – Webinar

Organic search is a major way that people and families plan trips and outings. Without a solid SEO strategy, your location can run the risk of getting lost in the search results, decreasing visibility and affecting the trust between you and your audience.

If you want to ensure you are ranking in search engines for keywords that relate to the amazing things that your destination has to offer, while also establishing your website as a go-to resource that potential visitors trust, then an intentional, focused SEO strategy is what you need.

The team at McD Digital wants to empower you to take advantage of SEO as an important opportunity to increase visitors to your destination.

Topic: The Practical Side of AI

August 3, 2023 – Webinar

Join de Novo Marketing’s Education & Innovation Lead, Ryan Shenefelt, where he will cover not only the basics of Artificial Intelligence but also how small and medium organizations can start leveraging this new tool. We’ll learn how AI can help us with repetitive, yet time-intensive tasks, and how to use it for content creation to maximize you and your team’s creativity. Topics will include email responses, chatbots, ideation, email marketing, video editing, and more!

Topic: Make Your Website Work Harder

October 21, 2021 – Music Man Square, Mason City

Jen Neuman of de Novo Marketing shares tips of the industry on how to make your website do more of the work for you. Tips include running tests, cleaning house, be different, add value, and so much more.

Topic: Event Planning in a Post Pandemic World

April 19, 2022 – West End Architectural Salvage, Des Moines

Panelists include: Dana Jensen, Amana Colonies Festivals Inc.; Michaela Brown, Browns Century Theater; Stacy Doughan, Clear Lake Area Chamber; and Dave Herrell, Visit Quad Cities as the moderator.

Hear from event colleagues about how the pandemic continues to change planning for community events. 

Topic: Economic Impact Calculator Training Webinar

March 2, 2022 – Webinar

Join the webinar to learn how to use the new research tool for your community and provide powerful data behind your successful events. The Economic Impact Calculator was created by CyBIZ Labs of Iowa State University as a benefit of iTIP Membership. The calculator is designed to measure the full effect of an event on the local economy to help you prove the success behind what you do. 

 

Topic: Iowa Sports Market Analysis

September 5, 2024 – Webinar

Join the Iowa Tourism Office and Iowa Travel Industry Partners as Huddle Up Group presents findings from the Iowa Sports Market Analysis, completed in June 2024.

This webinar will cover findings from the report:

Topic: Iowa Hospitality & Tourism Industry Workforce Resource Webinar

November 17, 2022 – Webinar

In early 2022, the Iowa Department of Education partnered with many statewide partners to develop a robust and informative career pathways resource to highlight a wide range of exciting career opportunities in Iowa’s hospitality and tourism industries. This session shares about the new resource (available at CareerPathways.EducateIowa.gov) and additional partners or services to help address the growing skilled workforce needs in this critical industry here in Iowa.