Iowa tourism $7.3 Billion!!!

[BrunoMars420]

Iowa tourism sets record, topping $7B last year - Radio Iowa

A report from the Iowa Tourism Office finds visitors spent $7.3-billion dollars in Iowa during 2023, a new all-time record. The report says tourists shelled out an average of $20-million — per day — experiencing all that Iowa has to offer. Chelsea Lerud, executive director of Iowa Travel...

www.radioiowa.com

Everyone loves Iowa!!!

 

[Rifler]

That seems overstated...

 

[hawkbirch]

that's a lot of people coming to Caitlin play.

 

[jonesy5960]

It's probably the new Casey's that are springing up everywhere.

 

[95Hawk]

“…experiencing all that Iowa has to offer”

That sentence is insisting upon itself.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Without know how it’s calculated I will assume most of it is by residents of Iowa.

Traveling sports, state fair, Iowa and ISU athletics, RAGBRAI are all cash cows and pretty much all Iowa people.

 

[Rifler]

So essentially everything that isn't a utility bill is considered tourism..

 

[EasyHawk]

Nebraska - It's Not for Everyone

 

[IIowaFarmBoy]

FYI, NJ is #25 @ 45 Bn.

Iowa, where the tall corn grows, field of dreams, old threshers and the summit of Hawkeye Point (all 1600 feet of it).

 

[HawkMachine]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

 

[Rifler]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

Good job, that's exactly what we want them to believe...

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

FYI, NJ is #25 @ 45 Bn.

Iowa, where the tall corn grows, field of dreams, old threshers and the summit of Hawkeye Point (all 1600 feet of it).

And even though Iowa is reporting an amount equal to only 10% of NJ’s annual total it still seems wildly overstated IMO. Color me skeptical.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

Generally agree with you - with the exception of Iowa alumni. I visit frequently for football and occasionally for basketball.

I grew up in Iowa and still have family in the state, but they mostly visit me - cause Chicago has WAY more to do.

 

[MitchLL]

Good chance a significant amount of the spending is driven by political candidates and their campaigns swarming into the State ahead of the Caucas season.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

The beautiful Driftless area. Decorah brings in over a million dollars on its own most years. Lots of people fly in from all over the country just to get TG beer.

 

[ThorneStockton]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

I grew up there, will probably never live there again.

Used to imagine it would be a good state to raise a family.

With that being said, I can only think of a handful of reasons for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Just a few.


RAGBRAI. Iowa/ISU athletics. Hunting.

 

[EasyHawk]

If you take out the Pella Tulip Festival, that drops to $2B.

 

[ICHawk-I]

Imagine the revenue Iowa would bring in if it legalized weed. Currently, anyone can cross most of our borders out of Iowa and be in a state where its legal, so that is where a lot money is going.

 

[NDallasRuss]

I grew up there, will probably never live there again.

Used to imagine it would be a good state to raise a family.

With that being said, I can only think of a handful of reasons for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Just a few.


RAGBRAI. Iowa/ISU athletics. Hunting.

The Field of Dreams location has to be the biggest tourist draw for out-of-staters, doesn't it? Is there something bigger I'm not realizing?

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Are casinos included?

 

[ThorneStockton]

The Field of Dreams location has to be the biggest tourist draw for out-of-staters, doesn't it? Is there something bigger I'm not realizing?

Perhaps the biggest draw when they host MLB games that have teams like the Yankees, Cards and Cubs. But I think there's only been a handful of those games. But I'm not sure how big of a draw it is the rest of the year. I lived the first 22 years of my life just an hour and a half away from the Field of Dreams and never visited...

 

[IIowaFarmBoy]

And even though Iowa is reporting an amount equal to only 10% of NJ’s annual total it still seems wildly overstated IMO. Color me skeptical.

Snake Alley? It ain't ISU football.

 

[95Hawk]

If you take out the Pella Tulip Festival, that drops to $2B.

Incorrect.

The Dutch are famously stingy.

Might drop by $10.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Everyone loves Iowa!!!

A. Told you all.


B.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

The Field of Dreams location has to be the biggest tourist draw for out-of-staters, doesn't it? Is there something bigger I'm not realizing?

OP’s mom’s house.

(Somebody has to post it)

 

[torbee]

Now that Davenport is a cruise destination on par with Miami, Anchorage and New Orleans, this should come as no surprise.

 

[NDallasRuss]

OP’s mom’s house.

(Somebody has to post it)

The only thing OP's mom isn't raising is seven billion dollars.

 

[funksouljon]

Was trying to see where that ranks. This only shows the top 25, and #25 is New Jersey at $45B...

Top 25 US States Earning the Most from American and International Tourists - Passing Thru - For the Curious and Thoughtful Traveler

Tourism plays a significant role in the U.S. economy, with certain states leading the charge by turning their unique attractions into major sources of revenue. Let's explore which states are leading in tourism income and how they're doing it. Did your state make the list?

passingthru.com

Perhaps on a per capita perspective, $7B is pretty good, but....

 

[SolarHawk]

Without know how it’s calculated I will assume most of it is by residents of Iowa.

Traveling sports, state fair, Iowa and ISU athletics, RAGBRAI are all cash cows and pretty much all Iowa people.

I bet you're wrong about RAGBRAI. I rode RAGBRAI 8 years, and there are a TON of out of towners. I met many people that weren't even US citizens. It's the largest bike ride in the world.

 

[SolarHawk]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

Iowa, like many midwest states are great places to raise a family because of midwest values. That's not exclusive to Iowa. If you can't think of one reason for out of staters to visit, I'm guessing you've never rode RAGBRAI. It's a big deal in the bicycle community. Probably the biggest besides the Tour de France. Not joking.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

I bet you're wrong about RAGBRAI. I rode RAGBRAI 8 years, and there are a TON of out of towners. I met many people that weren't even US citizens. It's the largest bike ride in the world.

I would bet most are from Iowa. Also a big chunk of Iowans don’t sign up as official or register. They grab a camper/bus and between everybody they can find a house in all the towns.

The Ragbrai fee gets you nothing, not even a shower. Sag wagon is it.

 

[IndisputableEvidence]

Lived here my whole life, will probably die here.

Can't imagine a better state to raise a family.

With that being said, I don't know one reason for someone out of state to visit Iowa unless for family. Not one.

This used to be true in my opinion but no longer is.

 

[Ree4]

*Insert OP's Mom's house joke*

 

[Ree4]

OP’s mom’s house.

(Somebody has to post it)

Shit, didn't see this until after I posted.

 

[The Tradition]

I heard there were some nice bridges.

 

[HawkMachine]

The Field of Dreams location has to be the biggest tourist draw for out-of-staters, doesn't it? Is there something bigger I'm not realizing?

Grew up not very far from there, less than an hour.

I’ve NEVER been there.

Hell I’m still around an hour or so away and have no desire.

Not a huge baseball fan anymore and the movie could easily go on my slightly overrated movie list.

 

[franklinman]

Only been in Iowa once, took my grandson over to the University of Iowa after he received a D-1 offer for FB, we stayed watching practice and a meet with coach after that, and then hit a restaurant in town and headed back east.

 

[SolarHawk]

I would bet most are from Iowa. Also a big chunk of Iowans don’t sign up as official or register. They grab a camper/bus and between everybody they can find a house in all the towns.

The Ragbrai fee gets you nothing, not even a shower. Sag wagon is it.

lol, you’re telling me this like I don’t know? Yes, there are plenty of in staters. But there are a shit ton not from Iowa.

 

[fredjr82]

that's a lot of people coming to Caitlin play.

I heard Sara Silverman was thinking about doing a one woman play but didn't know it was confirmed. Hancher is going to be rockin'!!

 

[funksouljon]

This used to be true in my opinion but no longer is.

This is how I used to feel about N FL / Tallahassee to be and raise. Times have changed.