2012 Travel Federation of Iowa Legislative Showcase Details
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines
2:30pm - Learning Center opens for exhibitor set-up. Booths
must be set-up before the legislative briefing.
4:15pm - Legislative Briefing Up-to-the-minute briefing conducted by TFI lobbyists and others
will help you prepare for visiting with the Legislators at the evening event. Briefing will be held at
the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center and is free of charge for exhibitors.
5pm to 8pm - Legislative Showcase Remember that legislators are invited to attend from
5pm-8pm, but often arriver earlier. Booth tear down begins at 8pm.
Are you in need of overnight accommodations? A block of specially priced rooms are available
January 30th – 31st at the Holiday Inn & Suites at Jordan Creek, which is the location of the
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 CITR/IGTA Joint meeting.
Holiday Inn & Suites at Jordan Creek
6075 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Rate: $99 plus tax for king or queen/queen room
Discounted rate available through January 18th. Rate will be honored based on availability after
this date.
Call the hotel directly at 866-397-5044 to make reservations.
Group Name: CITR/Iowa Tourism Meeting
Please note they have a restaurant and lounge on site which will be convenient for those coming
in after the showcase.
As noted on the registration form, “Tourism Works” is the theme for this year’s
showcase. In conversations with region members and at TFI board meetings, it was brought out
that part of the reason people (and legislators in particular) have a hard time putting their arms
around tourism is because we don’t make anything tangible. We are an industry that makes lots
of money, creates lasting memories, grows family/friend relationships, and builds a great quality
of life – but we do not “make” anything that you can hold in your hands to show someone and
say, “This is tourism.”
We do however "make" jobs – a high priority for Governor Branstad and our legislators. Keeping
that in mind, we encourage everyone to “Put a Face on Tourism” in their booth this year. We ask
that you include some pictures in your exhibit of the people living, working, and paying taxes to
create and sustain successful tourism-related businesses in your community and in Iowa – from
managers, to park rangers, to resort owners, to servers, to maintenance workers to whoever is
employed in the tourism industry in your area. And don’t forget yourself because unless you are
a total volunteer, tourism is where you are gainfully employed as well.
2012 TFI Legislative Showcase Committee Members:
Linda Bacon, Newton CVB
Lori Chappell, Iowa State Fair
Carrie Koelker, EITA
Ann Vogelbacher, CITR
Michele Walker, WITR
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines
2:30pm - Learning Center opens for exhibitor set-up. Booths
must be set-up before the legislative briefing.
4:15pm - Legislative Briefing Up-to-the-minute briefing conducted by TFI lobbyists and others
will help you prepare for visiting with the Legislators at the evening event. Briefing will be held at
the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center and is free of charge for exhibitors.
5pm to 8pm - Legislative Showcase Remember that legislators are invited to attend from
5pm-8pm, but often arriver earlier. Booth tear down begins at 8pm.
Are you in need of overnight accommodations? A block of specially priced rooms are available
January 30th – 31st at the Holiday Inn & Suites at Jordan Creek, which is the location of the
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 CITR/IGTA Joint meeting.
Holiday Inn & Suites at Jordan Creek
6075 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Rate: $99 plus tax for king or queen/queen room
Discounted rate available through January 18th. Rate will be honored based on availability after
this date.
Call the hotel directly at 866-397-5044 to make reservations.
Group Name: CITR/Iowa Tourism Meeting
Please note they have a restaurant and lounge on site which will be convenient for those coming
in after the showcase.
As noted on the registration form, “Tourism Works” is the theme for this year’s
showcase. In conversations with region members and at TFI board meetings, it was brought out
that part of the reason people (and legislators in particular) have a hard time putting their arms
around tourism is because we don’t make anything tangible. We are an industry that makes lots
of money, creates lasting memories, grows family/friend relationships, and builds a great quality
of life – but we do not “make” anything that you can hold in your hands to show someone and
say, “This is tourism.”
We do however "make" jobs – a high priority for Governor Branstad and our legislators. Keeping
that in mind, we encourage everyone to “Put a Face on Tourism” in their booth this year. We ask
that you include some pictures in your exhibit of the people living, working, and paying taxes to
create and sustain successful tourism-related businesses in your community and in Iowa – from
managers, to park rangers, to resort owners, to servers, to maintenance workers to whoever is
employed in the tourism industry in your area. And don’t forget yourself because unless you are
a total volunteer, tourism is where you are gainfully employed as well.
2012 TFI Legislative Showcase Committee Members:
Linda Bacon, Newton CVB
Lori Chappell, Iowa State Fair
Carrie Koelker, EITA
Ann Vogelbacher, CITR
Michele Walker, WITR
