President's Report

Decades ago, I took a college business class on Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Though I couldn’t recite all seven habits today, the final one has always stuck with me: Sharpen the Saw. 

As I remember the lesson, no matter how busy you are, you must stop occasionally to “sharpen the saw.” Then, when you return to work, you’ll have better tools for the job. For us, that means taking time for training and professional development. 

The last two months brought several opportunities to do just that. At the Destinations International Conference, we learned DMOs are shifting focus from hotel room nights to metrics like visitor satisfaction and resident sentiment. At U.S. Travel’s ESTO conference, we heard about the future of websites, and how in a few short years, we will design them not for people, but for AI agents and chatbots. 

How have you sharpened your saw this year? The upcoming Kansas Tourism Conference is an excellent opportunity, with sessions on community resilience, road trip travelers, AI and more. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to register and join us as we prepare for the future of travel in Kansas. 

Alan Carr

with Visit Kansas City Kansas

#KTC25

REGISTER TODAY!

SAVE THE DATE!!

Destination Statehouse

Mark your calendars for February 11-12, 2026 for Destination Statehouse in Topeka.

The evening event will take place on Wednesday, February 11th and the lunch on Thursday, February 12th.

Additional information will be available soon!

TIAK Tourism Strategic Planning - Regional Input Needed!

We are in the processing of developing a Tourism Strategic Plan for the next 3-5 years for the tourism industry in Kansas and WE NEED YOUR HELP! We have re-opened the survey asking for input for priorities in your region. This information is important so that all regional priorities are represented. We will be discussing and finalizing the plan during the Kansas Tourism Conference. We need your input at conference but also need your input today.

Please share this survey and discuss your regional needs within your tourism region before the Kansas Tourism Conference. We have also reopened the survey for those that have not taken it.

Nominations for the Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame

The Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame Committee is seeking nominations of living or deceased individuals for consideration for induction into the Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Any organization or individual may submit a nomination for a qualified candidate. The committee meets annually to evaluate the nominations and determine the inductees.

Nominations forms can be requested from Boot Hill Museum, Inc at Front Street, Dodge City, Kansas or can be completed online HERE. Forms must be received by August 31, 2025 for induction consideration for 2025.

For more information, go HERE

Join TIAK and Kansas Tourism for a virtual Kansas tourism industry huddle the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 1 PM CT. View past huddles here.

US hotel growth forecasts lowered for 2025-2026

CoStar and Tourism Economics have reduced US hotel growth projections for 2025 and 2026, citing decreased demand stemming from economic uncertainty, inflation and changing travel patterns. The revised forecast, presented at the Hotel Data Conference, lowers 2025 demand by 0.6 points, average daily rate by 0.5 and revenue per available room by 1.1, with similar reductions for next year. Read More

US travelers embrace AI, social media

for trip planning

US travelers have become more confident and digitally empowered, with a growing reliance on social media and AI for planning and booking trips, according to a Skift Research report. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have become significant tools for discovering and booking travel, and 60% of travelers are familiar with AI assistants such as ChatGPT. The report also found that two-thirds of travelers took at least one overnight trip this year, the highest level in six years. Read More

Labor Market Report

Please find the link below to the July Labor Market report. The August 2025 Labor Report will be released on Friday, September 19, 2025.

July 2025 Labor Market Report: Click Here!

Scroll down to Labor Report Documents for the News Release and Labor Force Data for the “Interactive Labor Force Dashboard” and “Printable County Unemployment Rate Map”.

July 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:

Monthly and YTD Comparisons

Kansas had 62% property participation and 78% hotel room participation in July.

For additional opportunities to grow your career or post job opportunities within your organization, see additional listings HERE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Tourism Huddle

Second Wednesday of each month

September 10

TIAK Executive Committee Meetings

September 11

November 13

TIAK Board Meetings

October 9

December 11

Event Dates

Kansas Tourism Conference

October 20-21 - Manhattan