November Newsletter

Welcome to November! It is hard to believe another year is almost over. It feels like we were ringing in the New Year just a few weeks ago. 

It was wonderful to see many of you at the Kansas Tourism Conference. This event always feels like a warm family reunion. Each year, one of my favorite parts is hearing about the innovative marketing projects your communities have launched. Your innovation and creativity in promoting Kansas always inspires me. 

A special thank you to Olathe for being a fantastic conference host – the food trucks at KC Wine Co on Monday night were such a fun idea. I know how much work goes in to being the conference host, and your team did a great job. 

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for next years conference in Manhattan, Oct 20-21, 2025. I’m already looking forward to it. 

To The Stars,

Due to our continue growth, we have some restructuring that is happening within the Kansas Tourism team. All these changes are designed to help us continue to grow and continue to be strategic in everything we do. Here are some of the key changes:

• Jordan Roemerman has been promoted to the new role of Deputy Director for Kansas Tourism. She will oversee all of our marketing efforts ensuring a cohesive approach across all our initiatives.
• Jaimee Salalac will expand her role to include being the Administrative Assistant for the Director.
• Andrea Etzel is launching an exciting addition to KANSAS! magazine called ‘KANSAS! Kids’ with the first issue coming out January 2025. She is also adding in additional responsibilities with photography and graphic design for our team. Andrea’s role overseeing the annual Travel Guide will now move to Jordan Roemerman and the marketing team.
• As the Love, Kansas initiative continues to grow, we are defining specific markets for our team members to focus on. Rosa Cavazos will continue working with our 57+ community partners, while Adam Roorbach is focused on engaging with our universities and colleges. Posting soon will be a new Tourism position that will focus on engaging with Love, Kansas businesses.

We're Hiring

Check out our latest job openings! Our Inspiration Agents will accompany the Mobile Visitors Center, serving as dynamic ambassadors for the great state of Kansas. Their role will be to passionately promote travel to Kansas, highlighting the state's unique attractions, rich history, and vibrant culture. With their engaging presence, they will inspire and inform travelers, showcasing the many reasons why Kansas is a must-visit destination.

A new contractor position has posted to represent the Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Tourism during the planning and execution of the 2026 World Cup event in Kansas City. Click here for more information. 

Website & Event Updates

The holidays are just around the corner! We need your help by adding your Holiday Events, Parades, etc thru the Extranet. If you need assistance please contact Hunter.

Also this is a good time to add/delete tourism businesses for TravelKS.com. Contact Kelli if you need help or would like for her to come to your office for further training on the Extranet.

Tourism Industry Huddle

Join us on Wednesday, November 13th at 1:00 PM for the next tourism industry huddle. This huddle will feature information about how you can get involved in the Kansas Global Cuisines and Cultures Week in March 2025.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88554254159?pwd=SnBvSzkwbTk4dzBIMnJFT08vRXMrUT09

Arts in Kansas

Express your appreciation for the artists and arts organizations in your community! The Kansas Governor's Arts Awards honor individuals, organizations, and communities for their exceptional contributions and leadership in the arts. These awards recognize remarkable efforts in various art forms. 

Support artists and arts organizations by completing the nomination form linked below. Nominations will be accepted through December 13, 2024. Find the full list of categories and the nomination form here: 2025 Governor’s Arts Awards

Kansas Tourism Regions

Have you connected with your local tourism marketing region yet? 

To find out when the next meeting is in your region click here.

Upcoming Events & Conferences

• November 1-2 - Western Cattle Trail Association Conference - Dodge City
• November 6-8 - Kansas Museum Conference - Fort Scott

Webinars

• November 13 - Kansas Tourism Huddle - 1pm
• November 20 - America Kansas 250 - 3pm
• Online - Canva - Mastering your marketing campaigns from concept to conversion

Articles & Research

• A Guide to Graphics
• An 'AI Travel Influencer' Named Emma Is the New Face of German Tourism
• How 'detour destinations' offer you a fresh take on classic trips
• How travelers find destinations for their trips
• Spending Kids Inheritance and Boys II Zen Trips Are The Trends to Watch in 2025
• Top traveler trends and motivations for 2025
• Travel Creators and the Power to Drive Conversion

November

• Mon, Nov 13 - State Offices Closed
• Wed, Nov 13 - Virtual Huddle
• Fri, Nov 15 - Gov Council Mtg
• Nov 28-29 - State Offices Closed 

December

• Wed, Dec 11 - Virtual Huddle
• Wed, Dec 25 - State Offices Closed

January

• Wed, Jan 1 - State Offices Closed
• Wed, Jan 8 - Virtual Huddle
• Mon, Jan 20 - State Offices Closed

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 October 2024