June Newsletter

Are you ready for the influx of summer travelers? 

Someone asked me the other day what they should be doing to prepare for the additional travelers coming to their community this summer.  I shared a few quick thoughts with them, and I thought I would share with you too.  Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list – but it is some good reminders for all of us. 

• First impressions matter. When someone walks into your CVB office or interacts with your front desk, a warm greeting can go a long way.   Simple things like good eye contact and a smile show you that you care and are glad they are here.
• Have enough materials on hand for the busy days. Have you ordered enough Kansas Travel Guides and state road maps?  (Remember, they’re free and we’ll ship them to you!) 
• Be ready for questions – lots of them. Summer travel often includes family travel, multi-generational groups, road-trippers, and tired sports teams. You are going to get lots of questions about restrooms, shaded areas, food options, pet policies, etc.  Consider putting together a reference sheet for front-line staff with things like local event highlights, weather info, construction updates, and other helpful info your visitors might need.  
• Be inclusive. Consider how you can support visitors of all abilities and backgrounds.  Think of ways to highlight your accessibility options, multi-lingual resources, and family-friendly activities.  

And most importantly - don’t forget that every interaction is a chance to showcase Kansas.  It’s your unique chance to share your pride and hospitality with visitors from around the world.

Thank you for being on the front lines of Kansas hospitality.  Here’s to a safe, successful, and welcoming summer travel season! 

To The Stars,

Welcome Our New Staff

Fiscal Manager - Julianna Hagen - julianna.hagen@ks.gov - 785-250-1900

My name is Julianna Hagen, and I am the new Tourism Fiscal Manager!  I was born and raised in Kansas, and graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in International Business and Management.  I studied with Semester at Sea in college, sailing west from Mexico until we landed in Florida!  And thus, my passport started getting stamps.  I enjoy exploring new destinations, especially where I can bring my kayak and paddleboard.  I love studying sustainability, planting butterfly gardens, camping at the lake, trivia nights, candlemaking, and writing postcards.  My favorite drink is a spicy chai latte!  A bucket list item is to kayak in New Zealand near a pod of orcas!  (Not sure I can plan the orca sighting, but I'm trying!)

We invite you to be a part of the Kansas tourism industry's "don't miss" conference of the year. Registration is now open! Join us October 20-21 in Manhattan to enjoy inspiring speakers, valuable educational information, and fun networking opportunities. Kansas has so many things to celebrate this year and we can't wait for you to be a part of the fun!

Summer Sunflower venues will be announced soon! In the meantime, you can encourage Kansans to download the app and to keep updated on the webpage.  The program will run from July 12th - August 3rd.  

Remember to also utilize the Coupons/Deals page on TravelKS.com by uploading your local offers thru the Extranet. Last summer this was one of our most frequently visited pages on our website!

Website Updates

Be sure to join the party! We need your Independence Day events to add to our blog. Visitors are using TravelKS.com to make plans so make sure you enter your events thru the Extranet to be included. Contact Hunter if you need help. 

Also don't forget to add amenities to your website listings. This will help give visitors more information about the businesses in your community.  Amenities include hours of operation, accessibility, and more! Learn how to upload these thru the extranet here.  

The Kansas State Fair still has some opportunities available this September. Contact Tina at (620) 669-3624 for information on the Explore Kansas weekend, sky ride bench advertisements, and carnival umbrella sponsors in the Midway.

Tourism Industry Huddle

Join us for the next tourism industry huddle on Wednesday, May 14  at 1:00 PM.  

Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84755990233?pwd=dxty1agpOgrDIkpau71hLNIFZnJAyx.1

Check out the Industry Page to view previous huddles.

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 Conferences & Workshops

• June 25 - Don't Turn A Blind Eye to AI by Burton Kelso - Great Bend
• July 23-25 - Kansas Arts Network Conference - Wichita
• October 20-21 - Kansas Tourism Conference - Manhattan

Webinars

• June 11 - Kansas Tourism Huddle - 1pm
• June 12 - Tourism Budgeting for Uncertain Times - 11:10am
• June 12 - Canva Hacks for Social Media - 1pm

Articles & Research

• Best Travel Influencers to Follow in 2025
• How to Use AI for Strategic Communications in the Heritage Sector
• Social Media Management for Hotels and DMOs

June

• Wed, June 11 - Virtual Huddle
• Thurs, June 19 - State Offices Closed

July

• Tues, July 1 - Marketing Grants Open
• Fri, July 4 - State Offices Closed
• Wed, July 9 - Virtual Huddle

August

• Fri, Aug 1 - Governor's Council Mtg
• Wed, Aug 13 - 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 May 2025