PRESIDENT'S REPORT

By Julie Roller Weeks

Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Kansas Tourism Conference is only weeks away, and soon we will be together again. I’m incredibly proud of the work the TIAK Conference Committee and the Bright & Carpenter team are doing to make this year’s conference a great event for communities of all sizes.

Tourism professionals are known to wear many hats, and we multitask like no other. Still, I challenge you to be present during the conference and take time to listen and learn from speakers and form meaningful relationships with peers. Our strength is our network, so please capitalize on this opportunity to connect. See you soon!

Only Weeks Left Until #KTC22

The Kansas Tourism Conference is a highlight each year with inspiring speakers and networking opportunities. Both sponsors and attendees, alike, enjoy interacting with hotels, attractions, CVBs, and dining and retail establishments from across Kansas. This year's event is quickly approaching on October 17-19 in Wichita.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Jackie Stiles

Facing Adversity

Larry Hatteberg

Build Your Community Story

Dr. Nels Lindsborg

Building Better Teams

Support a Student

For as little as $10, you can help expose a student to the hospitality/tourism program of study. The TIAK Student Scholarship Fund helps bring college kids to the Kansas Tourism Conference to learn about Kansas and network with their potential future employers! Donate quickly online.

Silent Auction

We're looking for donations to the silent auction at the Kansas Tourism Conference. Contributions should be made by October 1 to ensure you're recognized in the auction catalog. Thank you for your support! Donate here.

30 in 30 Due October 10

Share your best and brightest marketing idea for the 30 in 30 session at KTC. Submit your genius in a 30-second video clip in mp4 file format to the TIAK Office no later than Monday, October 10. Click here to look back at last year's list of 30 in 30ideas. The best idea will be awarded a prize!

Rural Prosperity Summit

Join us for a Pre-Conference Workshop on Monday, October 17 from 10am-2:30pm. The Office of Rural Prosperity will talk about USDA placemaking initiatives, revitalizing rural communities, and much more. Separate registration is required.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We still have a few spots available! The businesses shown below have generously agreed to support this year's Kansas Tourism Conference. If you're interested in joining them, we've added some new levels of giving. This is your chance to highlight and promote what you have to offer the travel and tourism community: introduce a new product, or remind everyone of a great location, piece of merchandise, or service that you are famous for.

Meet & Greet Candidates for Lt. Governor

TIAK recently hosted two virtual is Meet & Greets with the candidates for Kansas Lieutenant Governor. This was a FREE, members-only opportunity. Recordings of the events can be found below.

Lt. Governor David Toland (D), September 26 at 1:00pm

Katie Sawyer (R), September 29 at 1:00pm

2023 Legislative Agenda: We Need Feedback 

TIAK's Legislative Development process needs your input.

Please let us know what issues are important to the travel and tourism industry in Kansas as well as your local community. Your participation will tell Kansas lawmakers exactly where the travel and tourism community stands on the issues that affect the industry. Your lawmakers will listen, so exercise your right to be heard. Use the QR code above or link below to take the survey.

August 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 77% hotel room participation in August.

The U.S. Travel Association has published its latest Monthly Data Report, exclusively for U.S. Travel members. Here are some key highlights from August:

• Travel spending was roughly at 2019 levels in July, which marked the fourth consecutive month that spending, was at, or above, 2019 levels.

• According to Morning Consult’s recently released State of Travel and Hospitality, as of July, 36% of Americans plan to travel in the next three months, down from 39% in April.

• The return of business travel continues to be uneven. According to STR, company policy is limiting corporate business travel demand—not employee desire.

• Overseas visitation picked up its pace of growth at the start of the summer—recovering from -41% in June to -35% in July—but remains far behind pre-pandemic levels

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Tourism Huddle

October 12

TIAK Board Meetings

October 17, December 8

Kansas Tourism Conference

October 17-19, Wichita

TIAK Executive Committee Meetings

November 10