November Newsletter

It was so good to see you in Liberal a couple weeks ago at the Kansas Tourism Conference(KTC). I want to personally thank the Tourism Industry Association of Kansas(TIAK) leadership and members for your partnership in putting this conference on each year. I truly believe the partnership between Kansas Tourism and TIAK helps us all rise in our efforts to better promote Kansas as a travel destination.

And now, welcome to November. This is a busy month, full of meetings and events, that we are all trying to fit in before the holidays arrive. Don’t forget to join us for the virtual Huddle on Wednesday, November 10 to hear some timely updates on programs that relate to tourism in your community. We only have two Huddles left for 2021 and we plan to use them wisely to bring you good information.

One important note I would reinforce from my update at KTC is, please make sure you are updating your listings and events on the TravelKS.com website. We are currently looking at these to help make plans for our marketing and PR for the next year, and we don’t want to miss something. And of course, keeping these listings updated is one of the best ways you can market yourself to visitors who are planning a trip to Kansas. I had someone ask me the other day when was too early to put an event on our events page. The answer is….it is never too early. But you can definitely be too late.

I hope you have a wonderful November, full of crunchy leaves, bonfires, and hot chocolate.

#ToTheStarsKS

2023 Kansas Travel Guide

Changes! We have moved up the deadlines for the 2023 Kansas Travel Guide. Listings will be available for as low as $80 when reserved before the early bird deadline of February 28th. Starting March 1st, standard listings are $100, and a highlighted listing is $140. All listings must be entered by March 31st and paid for by May 13th, 2022.

GUIDE LISTING DEADLINES

• EARLY BIRD – January 18 – February 28
• GENERAL – March 1 – March 31
• INVOICES SENT – After April 1
• FINAL PAYMENT DUE – May 13

LISTING PRICES

• EARLY BIRD - $80, Standard & $120, Highlighted
• GENERAL - $100, Standard & $140, Highlighted

Governor's Council on Tourism

Welcome! Two new legislators were recently appointed to the Governor’s Council on Travel and Tourism. To find out how the council supports Kansas Tourism, click here.

Senator Renee Erickson

Senator Ron Ryckman Sr. 

Website & Marketing Updates

Submit your events & updates! Don't forget to submit your Winter Events to TravelKS.com. These pages are the one of the most top viewed pages on our website. Also be sure to update your accessibility amenities on your listings. If you need information on how to do this contact Kelli or view our training tools for the Extranet.

Want to advertise on TravelKS.com? A quick heads-up that you may get an email and/or phone call from a company called “DTN” in the coming days or weeks. As you may already know, DTN is a digital partner that works with us to produce and publish paid content on our website and to help move our website visitors to become customers for our partners. Details about this opportunity are here.

Did you see our new gear items? We've added several so you can start your holiday shopping now! Don't forget we have these items available for wholesale as well. Contact Jordan for more information.

Tourism Industry Huddle

Join us on Wednesday, November 10 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM for two important presentations.  Scott Sewell with Kansas Main Street will be giving a short update on the newly released HEAL (Historic Economic Asset Lifeline) grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce. 

Then we will hear from Ethan Belshe, public affairs liaison for the Recovery Office, as he gives a short update from the SPARK committee.   

Kansas Tourism Regions

Have you connected with your local tourism marketing regions yet? 

Learn more about the regions and how you can get involved→

Webinars

• November 10 - Kansas Tourism Industry Virtual Huddle - 1pm - Sponsored by Kansas Tourism & TIAK
• November 16 - Partners that Prosper: Simpleview Extranet Overview & Training - 12pm
• November 16 - Group Tour Tactics for Our New Reality - 12pm
• November 18 - State of the American Traveler: Fall 2021 - 2pm
• November 30 - Wine Passes: Paid Tasting Passports - 12pm
• Recorded Webinar - The Future of Travel Mobility

Articles & Research

• 5 Reasons We Need DMOs More Than Ever
• 12 Website Conversion Rate Optimization Quick Wins
• DMO Checklist: 6 Signs You've Found a Great Content Creator
• Deals on Wheels:  Rideshare Ads
• Facebook Page Optimization Tips for 2022
• Google Rolls out New Travel & Leisure Products
• Is Paid or Organic Social Better For My Organization
• Social Media Engagement Cheat Sheet

November

• Wednesday, Nov 10 - Virtual Huddle
• Thursday, Nov 11 - State Offices Closed
• Nov 25-26 - State Offices Closed

December

• Wednesday, Dec 8 - Virtual Huddle
• Friday, Dec 24 - State Offices Closed
• Friday, Dec 31 - State Offices Closed

January

• Wednesday, Jan 12  - Virtual Huddle
• Monday, Jan 17 - State Offices Closed
• Saturday, Jan 29 - Kansas Day

We are continuously getting new and renewing Kansas Agritourism businesses that we'd love for you to explore and highlight in your own communities! For more information on the Kansas Agritourism Program, please contact Kelsey Tully.

New & Renewing in October 2021