December Newsletter

Not sure how it happened, but we have somehow arrived at the final month of the year.  My mom used to tell me that time moves faster the older you get, and I now understand what she was talking about.  This year has flown by. 

Even though it has gone by quickly, 2022 has been a good year for the tourism industry in Kansas.  In many ways, we have rebounded to 2019 levels, while in some other areas, we still have a little way to go.  But overall, I continue to believe that Kansas is poised to come out of the pandemic era better than ever and we have ever-increasing opportunities to share our state with visitors.    

For the month of December, I anticipate we will all be tying up loose ends and finalizing projects.  My word of the year for 2022 has been Fortitude, and I anticipate using it quite often during the remaining weeks.  Fortitude means courage, tenacity, determination, grit and moxie, and I am going to need all of those characteristics as I am finishing up projects, cleaning out files, writing all those pesky end of year reports, and of course trying to complete all the shopping that I still need to do.  I wish us all the Fortitude to finish the year strong.    

I wish you all a happy holiday season and look forward to working with you in 2023. 

To The Stars.    

Agritourism Summit

The Kansas Agritourism Program has partnered with Kansas Farm Bureau to hold a one-day agritourism summit on Jan. 5, 2023, at the Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center in Manhattan, KS. This summit is for members of the Agritourism Program and agriculture producers interested in finding out more about the Agritourism Program. The goal of the summit is to bring producers together to network, learn, gather resources, and ask questions! Those who register before December 6th will be entered into a drawing to be featured in our monthly email that goes out to 20,000 subscribers, this is valued at $50!

Please share this with any agritourism locations in your area.  Registration is open until Thursday, December 22 and is only $25, which includes lunch.

Tourism Industry Huddle

Join us for the December tourism industry huddle on Wednesday, Dec 14 at 1:00 PM. The Kansas Department of Commerce Office of Broadband Development will be joining us to provide an update with what their office is doing, including information on the State Digital Equity Plan and how you can help with FCC mapping.  Plus TIAK will be providing a 2023 legislative preview.   

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85278580264?pwd=QUkvUG9KSTJxY2VxemZhK1MzcjRhUT09

Holiday Gift Ideas

Start your holiday shopping with us! The 2023 KANSAS! calendar has just been released and showcases the vibrantly, stunning beauty the Sunflower State holds within its border. Calendars are available to be purchased online. 

One sure way to treat your special someone to the whole Sunflower State is giving them a subscription to KANSAS! Magazine, which is the premier lifestyle magazine - celebrating our people, places and wide-open spaces.  With just one click your shopping is done!

And don't forget we have "To the Stars" merchandise available in our Gear Store. 

Kansas Visitor Profile Study

Check out our latest Visitor Profile Study. The report provides intelligence on Kansas travel trends with a comparison to the average US destination and the average US Business and Leisure destination.

Kansas Tourism Regions

Have you connected with your local tourism marketing region yet? 

Webinars

• Dec 6 - The Unexpected Path of Corporate Travel in 2023 - 10am
• Dec 6 - Q4 Virtual Insights Summit - 12pm
• Dec 7 - 2023 Event Trends Summit - 10am
• Dec 7 - Your Network is Your Net Worth - 12pm
• Dec 8 - The Future of Talent - 12pm
• Dec 13 - NetWorked Virtual Convening - 10am
• Dec 14 - 2022 Bandwango Round-Up - 12pm
• Dec 14 - The Critical Travel Trends & Technologies Reshaping Travel - 1pm

Articles & Research

• 12 inspiring graphic design trends for 2023
• 2023 Traveler Value Index
• Destinations Roll Out Electric Vehicle Charging Stations as a Tourism Draw
• Effective Destination Marketing Campaigns for your Organization
• Family Travel Report
• How Chatbot and Texting Improve Visitors' Experience 
• State of Business Events Report

December

• Wed, Dec 14 - Virtual Huddle
• Monday Dec 26 - State Offices Closed

January

• Monday, Jan 2 - State Offices Closed
• Thursday, Jan 5 - Agritourism Summit
• Wednesday, Jan 11 - Virtual Huddle
• Sunday, Jan 29 - Kansas Day

February

• Friday, Feb 3 - Governor's Council Mtg
• Wednesday, Feb 8 - Virtual Huddle
• Wednesday, Feb 8 - Destination Statehouse

For a full list of industry events click here.

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 2022