The 2026 Legislative session began on January 12th. Click the link to the right for the most recent weekly Legislative updates and the bills that have been identified as issues which may be of interest to TIAK members.

If you should have any questions or concerns regarding the bills below, please do not hesitate to contact our lobbyist, Natalie Bright, at office@tiak.org.

Destination Statehouse

We spent two fantastic days mid-February in Topeka for Destination Statehouse! This year was especially memorable as we gathered in new spaces at the Kansas Museum of History and the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for thoughtful conversations and meaningful collaboration. It was energizing to see so many people connecting, learning, and championing tourism across Kansas—especially through meetings with legislators to share ideas and highlight the powerful impact tourism has on our communities.

Mark Your Calendar for

National Travel and Tourism Week

May 3-9, 2026

A full toolkit with resources to help you engage in the 2026 celebration will be shared in the months ahead. In the mean time, see additional information HERE

KTC 2026 Planning Is Underway—We Want Your Ideas



KTC 2026 planning is underway. If you have a great speaker or session idea, please send information to Marlee Carpenter at marlee@brightcarpenter.com 

Click here for more Kansas 250

Resources & Partners

The Kansas 250 Commission is excited to collaborate with the following National and Kansas State Agencies, as well as various businesses and non-profits across Kansas:



• America 250
• The White House - America 250
• Eisenhower Foundation
• Humanities Kansas
• Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks
• Kansas Museums Association
• Kansas Volunteer Commission
• United States Conference of Mayors
• Kansas Music Educators Association
• State of Kansas Library

As the nation approaches its upcoming Semiquincentennial in 2026, the Kansas 250 Commission will lead the state's efforts in commemorating this eventful moment in American history. The Kansas 250 Commission will also collaborate with local communities and partner organizations to provide a wide array of activities and events focused on America's 250th birthday. Click below for a starting point to spark your own celebration ideas!

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.

Bill strives to boost US tourism with Canada, Mexico

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at boosting tourism cooperation among the United States, Mexico, and Canada by incorporating travel and tourism into the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and creating a formal working group to address cross-border travel issues. The bill responds to declines in international visitors and seeks to strengthen economic ties, support jobs, and make North America more competitive as a travel destination. It has support from lawmakers and industry groups and has been referred to relevant congressional committees for review. Read more HERE

World Cup to boost North American travel, economy

The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup — the largest ever with 48 teams and 104 matches across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — is expected to draw about 1.3 million international visitors and generate billions for tourism and local economies, particularly in the U.S. where most matches will be held. However, travel industry stakeholders also warn that high costs, geopolitical tensions, and restrictive U.S. travel policies could dampen international demand and pose challenges for global visitors. Read more HERE

Commerce Reopens Tax Credit Opportunities for Nonprofits, Healthcare Entities

The Kansas Department of Commerce announced it has reopened applications for the Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits, making $4.14 million in state tax credits available to support donations to qualified nonprofit and healthcare projects across the state. These credits aim to help eligible organizations attract private funding for capital campaigns, major renovations, equipment purchases and other transformative community-focused initiatives, with higher credit rates for rural areas. Read more HERE

Labor Market Report

Please find the link below to the December Labor Market report. The January 2026 Kansas Labor Report does not yet have a release date.

December 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”.

January 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 November.

The City of Hays, Kansas is looking for a new Director of Convention & Visitor Bureau. Click here for details and to apply.

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

March 11

TIAK Executive Committee Meetings

March 12

May 14

August 12

September 10

November 12

TIAK Board Meetings

April 9

June 11

August 13

October 20

December 10