TIAK Talk is published monthly for members of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas.
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PRESIDENT'S REPORT
By Julie Roller Weeks
Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau
It's a great day in Kansas!
As I participate in virtual meetings, I look across the screen and partners who share the same tired, overwhelmed, and at-capacity looks. Sadly, tourism faces the same workforce challenges as many other industries. Tourism offices across the state are short-staffed, existing staff is doing more, and the demand for services is high. People want to travel, and, like our lodging, hospitality, retail and attraction partners, we're doing our best to give them the tools they need to have a successful visit.
At the height of the pandemic, our budgets faced severe deficits. Now, as things are picking back up, our industry faces severe staff shortages. We're thankful for the increased economic benefits but are struggling to keep up.
I wish I had a magic wand or knew where to find a pool of incredible, five-star new employees, but I don't. However, I can offer these tips:
- Create and prioritize projects – We no longer have the time to do what we always did because we've always done it that way. We cannot operate as pre-pandemic organizations with post-pandemic staffing challenges.
- Set realistic expectations – Maybe it's no longer possible to staff a visitors center seven days a week for eight hours a day, and maybe it takes a few extra days to mail out the visitor information request packets. We must evaluate our capacity to execute and have grace.
- Have fun and be kind – We are the fun industry! Nobody will care if the brochures aren't perfectly alphabetized or if you miss an Instagram post, but they will remember how you treat them. People gravitate to positivity, so remember to make work fun.
I wish you the best of luck in your employee searches and interviews. To the Stars...
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Kansas Tourism Wins Two National Awards For Marketing Excellence
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland on March 34 announced Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce, recently won Gold at the 30th Annual North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) awards competition. Kansas Tourism’s video “Mountain Bike Trails in Kansas? Yep... We've Got 'Em!” was named Destination Video of the Year. The North American Travel Journalists Awards Competition recognizes the best in the travel industry for travel journalism, photography and destination marketing.
Additionally, TravelKS.com, the Kansas Tourism website, was awarded a Bronze Adrian Award by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Adrian Awards spotlight excellence in hospitality advertising, digital marketing, and public relations.
“These two awards are shining examples of the work that Kansas Tourism is doing to showcase the amazing places to visit in Kansas.” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland. “Tourism is the welcoming committee for capital investment in the state. Kansas Tourism’s efforts highlight the lifestyle and amenities of the state, positioning Kansas as a great place to visit, live, work and do business.”
The Gold winning destination video profiles Kansas pro-mountain biker Justice Berry as he takes on the trails at Wilson State Park for the first time, alongside World Champion Mountain Biker, Cameron Chambers, who was part of the original crew that built the trail. The award-winning video can be viewed here and is part of the Kansas Tourism Story Series, which uncovers faces and places that make Kansas an incredible place to live and explore. Other stories in the series include The Cosmosphere, Distilleries and A Cowboy State.
“Kansas Tourism’s mission is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas and these two projects were cornerstones of our changing marketing strategies in introducing the Kansas we know and love to the world,” said Bridgette Jobe, Kansas Tourism Director. “Kansas has beautiful and unexpected places and these recognitions are proof that the outside world is starting to pay attention.”
A redesign of TravelKS.com was completed in 2021, using beautiful imagery, compelling stories, and creative trip planning, resulting in an enhanced user experience. See the Award-Winning Website Here. TravelKS.com was recognized by HSMAI for best practices and innovations that will empower recovery.
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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Outreach Events in April
The following is a message from Julie Lorenz, Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary:
About 40% of BIL funding will be through competitive grants. U.S. DOT has indicated grant applications which benefit multiple communities/states and those that connect and build toward long-term priorities across the state will be the most competitive. With this in mind, KDOT’s strategy for pursuing and supporting federal BIL grants for highway modernization and expansion projects is focused projects in the development/construction pipeline.
KDOT will support highway modernization and expansion projects in the IKE development/construction pipeline. To get in the pipeline, projects must earn strong regional support, demonstrate a strong need, and generate a substantial economic or safety benefit. These are essentially our collective top priorities.
- If communities wish to pursue a federal grant for these projects, KDOT will provide a letter of support for the application. Of course, communities are welcome to pursue grants for any projects they choose, but if it’s a modernization or expansion highway project not currently in the IKE pipeline we want you to be aware that KDOT will refrain from writing a letter of support. As a reminder, IKE’s rolling program approach allows for new projects to be added to the pipeline every two years and BIL’s funding spans five years so additional projects will become eligible for KDOT support.
- Upcoming Local Consult meetings about BIL: KDOT will host a series of meetings to provide an update on the new funding that will be available for transportation under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This will include an overview of additional funding available for highways, bridges and rural transit and the new electric vehicle charging infrastructure program. KDOT will preview some of the investment areas under consideration for new funding and seek input from you all about what would be most helpful to communities. The content will be the same at all meetings, please participate in the one most convenient for you:
HAYS, KS: Monday, April 11
Time: 1:00-3:00 pm
Location: Hilton Garden Inn
KANSAS CITY, KS: Wednesday, April 13
Time: 9:00-11:00 am
Location: KCK Community College
WICHITA, KS: Thursday, April 14
Time: 9:00-11:00 am
Location: Kansas Aviation Museum
VIRTUAL MEETING: Wednesday, April 27
Time (Morning exact time TBD)
While these meetings are free to attend, registration is required. Registration will open soon and an email with a registration link will be provided. Agendas will also be provided soon.
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REMINDER: Marketing Award Applications Open June 1! |
Only three months until submissions go live for the 2022 TIAK Marketing Awards. You can enter one submission per category in your budget group: Community Awareness, Event, Print, Online Media, and Visitor Guide. Submissions go live on June 1, so plan now! |
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Registration Full, Waitlist Started
Registration for Destination Capitol Hill (DCH) is closed, as they've officially reached capacity. However, a waitlist has been started for those that hope to still snag a spot.
The U.S. Travel Association will be in Washington, D.C., April 5-6, to meet face-to-face with your local lawmakers and drive home our most pressing legislative asks as we continue to fight for a full recovery of all sectors of the travel economy.
When you register for #DCH22, you’ll gain access to an exclusive reception on the evening of Tuesday, April 5 followed by breakfast, a general session and a day of Hill appointments on Wednesday, April 6. In addition, we’ll arm you with a suite of prep documents, talking points and training webinars to get you fully up-to-speed so you can hit the ground running with your advocacy when you touch down in D.C.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Natalie Bright at natalie@brightcarpenter.com or Kevin Fern at kevin.fern@visitshawneeks.com, who will be helping plan the trip for TIAK members.
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Global Meetings Industry Day: April 7, 2022
As restrictions are lifted across the world and we reach an endemic state of normal, the world is ready to get back to conducting business the way we were meant to—face-to-face.
On April 7, 2022, the industry will come together to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day.
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National Travel and Tourism Week: May 1-7, 2022
It’s a time when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to celebrate the value travel holds for our economy, businesses, communities and personal well-being.
Save the date for the upcoming 2022 celebration!
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February Lodging Report
TIAK has an agreement with Smith Travel Research (STR) to provide members with statewide reports on hotel occupancy each month. The following data is provided directly from STR:
Kansas had 62% property participation and 77% hotel room participation in February.
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Welcome Jackson County Tourism Council to TIAK!
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Job Opening
The Leavenworth Convention & Visitors Bureau is looking for a Tourism Services / Community Relations Coordinator. Learn more.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Virtual Tourism Huddle
April 13
Destination Capitol Hill
April 5-6, Washington D.C.
TIAK Board Meetings
April 14, June 9, August 11, October 17, December 8
TIAK Executive Committee Meetings
June 8, July 14, September 8, November 10
Educational Seminar
June 9, Parsons
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