April Newsletter

Boldly inviting people to vacation in Kansas.  That is the premise of the Kansas Tourism spring marketing campaign that will be launching later this month.  I really like the sense of being bold and confident in our ask.  And I like purposely asking potential visitors to plan their vacation intentionally in our state.  This spring campaign will consist of broadcast and digital marketing in these 10 markets: Ames/Des Moines, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Lincoln, Topeka, Tulsa, and Wichita and will run approximately mid-April through mid-June.  We are excited for this campaign and how it will positively inspire new visitors to the state. 

I hope you will join us on the April 12th Huddle to hear about some “Good Things Happening in Kansas”.  All the details are below in this newsletter. This Huddle will be a great time to learn more about several events and projects that are important to our industry. 

One of those events we will talk about during the Huddle is National Travel and Tourism Week, May 7-13, 2023.  NTTW is always the first full week in May and is a time set aside to celebrate the positive impacts that tourism has on the economy of the state and on local communities.  This week is the perfect opportunity for you to share why tourism matters with your community leaders and residents.  I hope you will join the Huddle on April 12 to find about ways you can celebrate the 2023 NTTW. 

I hope you are all doing a much better job than I am of getting my yard ready this Spring.  Enjoy your time outside and I hope you get to take in a few beautiful Kansas sunsets. 

#ToTheStarsKS

2024 Official Kansas Travel Guide

Thank you to everyone who bought a listing for the 2024 Kansas Travel Guide.  Invoices will be sent out soon and will need to be paid by Wednesday, May 31st. If you missed the deadline for listings you still have time to purchase a display ad. Details and deadlines, can be found on the rate sheet. For more information, questions or to reserve your space, please contact Kim Sommerfeldt at Midwest Living.

In Memory of Susan Rathke

This week, Kansas Tourism lost one of our industry members. Susan Rathke, former Emporia Convention & Visitors Bureau Director, lost her battle with cancer on Monday, April 3rd. Susan was involved with many state and regional groups for tourism including the Travel Industry Association of Kansas and the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition, where her opinion was requested, respected, and appreciated. Our thoughts are with her family and friends as they grieve this loss. You can view her obituary here.

Tourism Industry Huddle

Join us for the next tourism industry huddle on Wednesday, April 12 at 1:00 PM. This Huddle is all about “Good Things Happening in Kansas” and will focus on 4 different projects and events that you need to know about.  Join us to learn more about the Gravel KS initiatives from Lelain Dains in Emporia, discover ways to explore during the upcoming Big Kansas Road Trip from Marci Penner with the Kansas Sampler Foundation, see how you can participate in the Midwest Travel Network Conference being held in Kansas City, KS from Alan Carr with Visit KCK, and see examples of how you can share with your elected officials the value of tourism during National Travel and Tourism Week. 

National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW) | May 7-13, 2023

The countdown for the 40th anniversary is on! Join the tourism industry from May 7-13, 2023, to illuminate travel's undeniable impact for our economy and communities. You can also gather inspiration and ideas from the U.S. Travel Toolkit.  NTTW demonstrates how integral travel is to every industry and nearly everything we do. Our recovery is the nation’s recovery, and travel is essential to a future of growth and innovation. Join us as we keep moving #TravelForward.

Charge Up Kansas

The Kansas Department of Transportation intends to issue a Call for Projects in the second quarter of 2023 for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funds and other potential federal funding opportunities that support installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment. Please check out the Request for Interest for information to prepare for the Call for Projects and other opportunities.  Please see the Charge Up Kansas website for more information on the Charge Up Kansas NEVI Plan.

Kansas Tourism Regions

Have you connected with your local tourism marketing region yet? 

Webinars

• April 12 - State of the American Traveler Survey Findings - 10am
• April 13 - Charge Up Kansas EV Call for Projects - 2pm
• April 14 - Charge Up Kansas EV Call for Projects - 10am
• April 18 - Group Sales Strategies and Tactics for our New Reality - 12pm

Articles & Research

• 5 Challenges to Diversity in Meetings & Business Events
• 5 Reasons Why I Love Writing a DMO Newsletter
• 5 Tips for Writing Irresistible CTAs Every Marketer Should Know
• 5 Trends That Will Define the Future of In-Person Events
• 5 Truths About Destination Branding You Didn't Want to Hear
• Event Technology Made Simple
• More millennials are turning 40 and they’re changing travel as we know it
• New Amex Travel Study Highlights Trends and Insights for 2023
• Picture-perfect social media strategies: 5 DMOs with hot hashtags
• Voice Search Is Stuck in Tourism Marketing Limbo

April

• Wed, April 12 - Virtual Huddle

May

• Fri, May 5 - Governor's Council Mtg
• May 7-13 - National Travel & Tourism Week
• Wed, May 10 - Virtual Huddle

June

• Thurs, June 1 - Marketing Grants Open
• Wed, June 14 - Virtual Huddle

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 Wendling.

New & Renewing in March 2023