Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Receives $10,000 Iowa Tourism Grant
December 20, 2022 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Tourism Office announced nearly $300,000 in Iowa Tourism Grants to 33 organizations around the state. The program funds tourism-related marketing initiatives, meetings and events that benefit both local economies and the state’s economy with awards ranging from $2,500-10,000 with a 25% cash match.
The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce received a $10,000 grant to fund a digital marketing campaign to promote The Day the Music Died tour sites. Clear Lake and the Surf Ballroom and the Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Big Bopper memorial crash site were heavily featured in the new Paramount+ documentary, “The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s American Pie.”
“Upon the release of the film, we created a landing page for those interested in learning more and touring the sites mentioned in the film. We will extend our reach by running a targeted digital marketing campaign to give more people the opportunity to learn about Clear Lake,” said Tourism Director Libbey Hohn.
“We’re pleased to invest in campaigns that work to change the perception of tourism in Iowa and encourage more people to visit our state,” said Amy Zeigler, manager of the Iowa Tourism Office. “These projects will help us continue the momentum and growth of our industry.”
Visitors spent more than $6.1 billion across Iowa’s economy in 2021, an expansion of 35% over 2020 spending and within 5% of a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. This direct visitor spending impact generated a total economic impact of $9.4 billion in Iowa, sustained nearly 65,000 jobs and generated $1.0 billion in state and local tax revenues in 2021.
“Our goal with this campaign is to bring new visitors to North Iowa, and also inspire travelers to go off their original path and insert Clear Lake into their travel itinerary while traveling through the Midwest,” said Hohn.
“Tourism is a vital component to Iowa’s economy,” Zeigler said. “The $6.1 billion in visitor spending means nearly $16.7 million was spent daily by our visitors.”
The Iowa Tourism Office, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $1.8 billion in tax revenues in 2021, with more than $1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 65,000 people statewide. For more information on everything Iowa has to offer tourists, visit traveliowa.com.
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Download a full list of the awards here.