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.

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 

2028 KTC Request for Proposals

Proposals are due June 1st for the 2028 Kansas Tourism Conference. Proposals are anticipated to be submitted through coordinated community efforts of the local DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) such as the Chamber, CVB, City in cooperation with lodging, meeting and attractions facilities to be considered. CVB’s and DMO’s that are TIAK members will be given preference.

Past locations include:

• 2026: Wichita
• 2025: Manhattan
• 2024: Olathe
• 2023: Dodge City
• 2022: Wichita
• 2021: Liberal
• 2019: Mulvane
• 2018: Junction City
• 2017: Garden City
• 2016: Olathe
• 2015: Wichita

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.

Kansas Tourism Named Destination of the Year,

Earns National Marketing Honors



Kansas Tourism earned three honors from the North American Travel Journalists Association, including Destination of the Year, highlighting its strong marketing efforts and economic impact. The recognition also included a gold award for its Kansas To The Stars campaign and a silver award for the 2025 Official Travel Guide, reinforcing the state’s success in promoting authentic travel experiences. Read more HERE.

KAC Grant Applications Now Open to

Support Community Arts



The Kansas Arts Commission is now accepting applications for three grant programs that support arts and cultural activities across the state: the General Operating Support Grant, Arts Everywhere Grant, and Public Art & Murals Grant. These grants help strengthen community pride, cultural vibrancy, and economic growth, with applications due March 23 for funding covering July 2026 through June 2027. Read more HERE.

KAC Grant Applications Now Open to

Support Community Arts



Americans are set to see $57 billion more in tax refunds this year due to changes under the One Big Beautiful Act (OBBBA), and a significant share of that is expected to flow straight into domestic travel.

New research from U.S. Travel shows roughly 9% of every extra refund dollar - about $5.1 billion in total - will go toward leisure trips, with middle-income households driving nearly 70% of that boost.

For context, domestic leisure travel spending is forecast to hit $912 billion in 2026 across roughly 2 billion trips. The majority of the $5.1 billion in refunds is expected to land right as many travelers plan their summer getaways.

Plus major events like the 2026 World Cup and America 2050 further amplify the opportunity for travelers to put their refunds to work exploring the U.S. Read more HERE.

Commerce Reopens Tax Credit Opportunities for Nonprofits, Healthcare Entities

The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced $4.14 million in Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits to help nonprofits and public healthcare organizations attract private donations for transformational community projects. Applications are open March 1–April 30, 2026, with approved projects eligible for tax credits of up to $200,000 to support initiatives such as childcare, healthcare services, crime prevention and workforce training. Read more HERE.

Labor Market Report

Please find the link below to the December Labor Market report. The January 2026 Kansas Labor Report will be released on April 3, 2026.

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”.

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:

Monthly and YTD Comparisons

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

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

April 8

TIAK Executive Committee Meetings

May 14

August 12

September 10

November 12

TIAK Board Meetings

April 9

June 11

August 13

October 20

December 10