December Newsletter

How did it get to be December?  I don’t know how many times I have heard that question in the last couple days, but somehow another year has passed.  

2021 was a memorable year for the Kansas Tourism division.  As you know, on July 1 we officially became a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce.  I continue to applaud the leadership in Kansas for seeing the value in this move as we are already seeing positive impacts.  The Kansas Tourism team continues to grow in numbers and ability.  We have a lot of work ahead of us for 2022, but I am confident in our mission and abilities.  Thank you all for being so supportive to the Kansas Tourism team during this past year.  You all are our inspiration.

I saw this on a motivational poster the other day and thought it was the perfect December quote.  “Starting Strong is Good, Finishing Strong is Epic.” Robin Sharma 

I hope you all have an Epic December. 

#ToTheStarsKS

2022 Official Kansas Travel Guide

It's here! The 2022 Official Kansas Travel Guide has been delivered to those of you that ordered bulk shipments. If you order by the box they can now be ordered for FREE through the Extranet.  If you need access contact Kelli or if you need a reminder on how to order click here.

If you'd like to see the digital version you can check it out now.

Kansas State Parks

Interested in how the state parks impacted the Kansas economy in 2020? Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) recently completed a study which showed Kansas parks have a positive economic impact across the state and across several industries. In 2020, state park visitors contributed more than $170 million to grow our economy. Learn more by downloading the report that was recently released.

Website & Marketing Updates

Update your listings now! The 2023 Kansas Travel Guide listings open in January so be sure to go in and start updating your website listings. Kelli's helpful hint...set aside one hour each month to update listings so you don't have to wait until the last minute! If you need information on how to do this contact Kelli or view our training tools for the Extranet.

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, December 8 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM.  Details to come next week!

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

• December 7 - Roadmapping: Make the Most of Bandwango in 2022 - 12:30pm
• December 8 - Kansas Tourism Industry Virtual Huddle - 1pm - Sponsored by Kansas Tourism & TIAK
• December 9 - Key Trends for Global Tourism in 2022 - 3pm
• December 15 - Event Trends to Watch in 2022 - 1pm

Articles & Research

• 5 Clever Ideas to Integrate Stories & UGC into your Holiday Strategy
• 9 Travel Trends To Guide DMOs Into 2022
• 2021 North American Camping Report
• Podcasts for DMOs
• U.S. Domestic Business Travel Trends
• Which Social Media Channels Do Consumers Spend the Most Time On

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

February

• Friday, Feb 4 - Governor's Council on Travel & Tourism Mtg
• Wednesday, Feb 9 - Destination Statehouse

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 November 2021