Tourists Part of #TeamAbilene

I recently spent time out of town attending a funeral. During my time away, I was fortunate to stay in a community with a hotel. Being a customer, instead of a provider, gave me a unique perspective on this experience. I found my hotel by referencing the community's CVB website and also made sure to ask the front desk about the "best local eats".

Finally, upon checkout, I noticed a line that few people understand or pay attention to: lodging tax. I was paying to help that community with its promotion.

What's a Lodging Tax?

If you've ever stayed at a hotel or bed and breakfast, you may have noticed a "lodging tax" on your bill. This tax, also known as a Transient Guest Tax, is a tax that is used to promote the community you're visiting with the goal of attracting more people to visit and spend the night.

In 2017, Abilene collected nearly $178,000 in the form of Transient Guest Tax. This mea ns our lodging establishments sold nearly $2,250,000 worth of rooms.

So, how is that money spent?
  • Advertising purchases in KANSAS! Magazine, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism's Official Visitors Guide and other media.
  • Billboards promoting Abilene
  • Abilene Visitors Guide and distribution services - During my stay, I smiled when I saw Abilene's Visitors Guide in the brochure rack at the front door - did you know the Abilene Visitors Guide is distributed in more than 300 brochure racks in businesses and attractions across Kansas, as well as in parts of Nebraska? The Abilene Visitors Guide is also available in Tourist Information Centers across the State.
  • Visitors Center staff to greet visitors and answer questions about Abilene
  • CVB staff to strategically promote Abilene at trade shows, through press releases, newsletters, pitches to reporters, hosted trips for travel writers and bloggers, as well as on social media. 
  • And on so many other opportunities to share Abilene with potential visitors.
All of this is paid for by visitors to our community who chose to spend the night in one of the 200+ rooms available in Abilene. 

We're pleased that the City of Abilene recognizes and supports tourism in our community. According to Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company hired by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, tourism spending in Abilene and Dickinson County accounted more than $20 million in 2015. In simple terms, visitors to our community stay in our rooms, shop in our businesses, eat in our restaurants, pay admission to our attractions and support our local economy. These visitors are all part of #TeamAbilene. Their visits make our community better.

The next time you stay in a lodging establishment and see an ad, billboard or visitors center promoting that community, know you are helping their team and community.

Thank you to all of our visitors!


Julie Roller, Abilene CVB Director

#AbileneProud #TeamAbilene

Abilene, KS - Travel Survey

The Abilene CVB is pleased to partner with  Kansas State University 's  A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications  and Dr. Alec Tefertiller's Ad Campaigns class. 

Please assist them in their research by participating in this survey . 

Thanks in advance for your help!


Tourism Tidbits..

  • Congratulations to Abilene's Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast for being nominated as the "Hotelier of the Year" by the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association.
  • Thanks to Brad Streeter and family, of Vista/Streeter Family Businesses for spending his birthday at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home in Abilene!
  • Cool weather means it's time to start planning for a Night of Christmas Magic. Save the date: Saturday, December 2. Join us at the Depot for a Night of Christmas Magic. A jolly night for horse drawn carriage/wagon rides, candy cane lane, Santa, and the Mayor's Tree Lighting.
  • The City of Abilene, Kansas, named one of the "Top 20 Best Small Towns to Visit" by Smithsonian Magazine, is seeking an energetic and organized individual with superior customer service skills to serve as a Tourism Assistant at the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau.  The qualified candidate must be detail oriented and organized, have knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and website administration, and possess excellent phone skills.  Duties include performing general office administration, assisting individuals and groups in planning tour itineraries and managing Civic Center rentals. Work includes some weekends at travel shows and the Kansas State Fair.  This position is a 40-hour work week. Click here to learn more. 
  • Don't miss out! St. Andrew Church Annual Fall Dinner & Bake Sale:
Photo courtesy of the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum.
Throwback Thursday

This photo is of the the Trails End Motel, 2300 N. Buckeye . The photo was taken in the 1970's. 

Visit the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum's Facebook Page for more photos. 
Trip Advisor - Eisenhower 
Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home

Have you visited an Abilene business or attraction? Make sure to share your experience by leaving reviews.
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad

Two dinner trains remain for the 2017 season. 
  • Saturday, October 14 - Brookville Hotel - fried chicken
  • Saturday, October 28 - West's Country Mart - prime rib
All dinner trains depart at 6:00 p.m. and are pulled by the Diesel Locomotive.

Cost: $45/person. Advanced purchase required.

Click here to learn more.

Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home

Dwight D. Eisenhower
127th Birthday Events Announced

Several events are planned to celebrate Dwight D. Eisenhower's 127th birthday which is Oct.14, 2017.

VFW Vigil - Friday 10/13 - 4:30 p.m. (ends at 7:00 a.m.10/14)
VFW posts from across the state will stand vigil overnight at the burial site of the President. The public is also encouraged to stop by and pay their respects at the Place of Meditation.

Wreath Laying Ceremony - Saturday 10/14 - 10:30 a.m.
Saturday events begin with the Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony led by the 1st Infantry Division of Ft. Riley at 10:30 a.m. The procession from the Library building will include a number of dignitaries and proceed to the Place of Meditation for the placement of the wreath.

American Legion Pilgrimage - Saturday 10/14 - 10:45 a.m.
The American Legion Pilgrimage will be held at the center of campus in front of the statue. American Legion Riders Post #240 will provide the rifle salute for the ceremony. Representatives from every post around Kansas will gather to pay their respects to the President.This ceremony is free and open to the public.

Eisenhower Legacy Gala - Saturday 10/14 - Library Courtyard
This year's Gala welcomes some very special guests. Two members of the Eisenhower administration will speak during the event, Stephen Benedict and Robert Kieve. Stephen Benedict was part of the Citizens for Eisenhower organization and the 1952 campaign. Benedict worked in the administration until 1955. Robert Kieve joined the White House communications staff at the start of the Eisenhower administration. He has a lengthy career in communications and radio broadcasting.

Also in attendance, the Eisenhower Foundation is proud to welcome a contingent of sailors from the USS Eisenhower. The sailors will spend several days visiting Abilene and speaking to students and community groups and participating in the wreath laying ceremony to honor General and President Eisenhower.

The 2017 Eisenhower Legacy Gala is sponsored by Waddell & Reed and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. This year's event is already sold out. For more information about the Legacy Gala or giving opportunities, please contact the Eisenhower Foundation at 785.263.6771.

Cokie Roberts will moderate a discussion with directors Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about their PBS documentary series, The Vietnam War PBS, in conjunction with the November 10 opening of the US National Archives exhibit, Remembering Vietnam. 

Presented in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of L3 Technologies.


The Chisholm Trail: Driving the American West
August 24 - October 12 | Library Lobby

This traveling exhibit, a collaboration between Symphony in the Flint Hills and Flint Hills Design in partnership with Lost Trail Soda, invites visitors of all ages to explore the Chisholm Trail from its inception in the 1860s to today. The Chisholm Trail revitalized the cattle industry following the Civil War, and gave rise to the iconic American cowboy. Exhibit highlights include an interactive musical exploration of the scores of verses to the cowboy song, "The Old Chisholm Trail," video and audio clips of movies and songs that reference the Chisholm Trail. Younger visitors can create their own brands with the "Brand Your Beeves" interactive station.

Chisholm Trail and the Cowtown that Raised a President
Exhibit in the Museum Temporary Gallery until May 2018

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail, which brought nearly two million cattle from Texas to the railhead in Abilene, Kansas, between 1867 and 1871. See rare artifacts and historic photographs. Learn about the square meal, the real McCoy, origins of the cowboy boot, and "the wickedest town in the West." Discover stories behind the legends of T.C. McInerney, Bear River Smith, and Wild Bill Hickok among others. Find out why Dwight Eisenhower developed a love for all things western in the Cowtown that raised a President!

Eisenhower and the Great War
Exhibit in the Upstairs Library Gallery until May 2018

War erupted in Europe in 1914 and soon involved nations around the globe. The Great War, as it became known, shocked the world with its massive scope and the industrial-like slaughter created by advances in military technology. The United States reluctantly joined the conflict in 1917 and began to build a large professional army from the ground up. One of the young officers who helped in this endeavor was a lieutenant by the name of Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower showed remarkable talent for organization and leadership during the years of American involvement in the war. Tasked with training thousands of inexperienced troops in the new and untested art of armored warfare, Eisenhower quickly built a strong and motivated group of soldiers while overcoming severe obstacles and setbacks. This exhibit tells the story of the Great War and its influence on Eisenhower's leadership abilities. World War I, as it would become known later in the century, proved critical to the making of this American Icon.

Great Plains Theatre 

Get Your Tickets Now!






Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum

Click image to view schedule


Calendar of Events

DATE
EVENT
LOCATION
DETAILS
10/13/2017 VFW Vigil Eisenhower Place of Meditation 4:30 p.m.
10/14/2017 Presidential Wreath Laying Ceremony Eisenhower Place of Meditation 10:30 a.m.
10/14/2017 American Legion Pilgrimage Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum 10:45 a.m.
10/14/2017 Eisenhower Legacy Gala Eisenhower Library & Museum  6:00 p.m.
10/22/2017 Operation Veterans Suicide Outreach Program Eisenhower Visitors Center 1:00 p.m.
10/28/2017 Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Silver Flyer Railbus ASVRR  10:00 a.m.
10/28/2017 3rd Annual Tombstone Talks Abilene Cemetery 6:00 p.m.
   
Stay in Abilene
Abilene Lodging Establishments

Abilene  is home to more than 200 rooms. Whether you're in town to visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, enjoy a show at the Great Plains Theatre, attend the Central Kansas Free Fair, meet with greyhound industry leaders or take a ride on the  Abilene  & Smoky Valley Railroad, we invite you to extend your visit, spend the night and enjoy all  Abilene  has to offer.
Help us, help you
Share your News!

Have an upcoming event? Help us, help you. We do our best to stay up-to-date, but please make sure to include us in your event and special promotions. Please send announcements to:  [email protected] .

STAY CONNECTED