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Keokuk draws tourism leaders for conference
By Steve Dunn/Gate City Managing Editor
About 75 tourism officials will get a chance Wednesday to experience the “down-home” Keokuk atmosphere during the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association's annual meeting.
“It's usually held in the home of the president,” said Kirk Brandenberger, executive director of the Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Bureau and president of the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association. “I don't believe we've had a president (of the association) in the past.”
This year's annual meeting of the association will kick off with registration from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at Meyers' Courtyard. After 15 minutes of a welcome and introductions, a business meeting will be held from 10:45 a.m. to noon at Meyers' Courtyard. Lunch will be held from noon to 1 p.m., followed by a presentation by inspirational speaker Shannon Zetterlund of Keokuk, a former Mrs. Iowa, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Although Nancy Landess, director of the state tourism office, cannot attend, the list of attendees is expected to include Carrie Koelker, executive director of the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association; Kathy Bowermeister, manager of Iowa Travel Publications; Carol Tinney from The Iowan magazine; Gary Wheat, executive director of the Waterloo Convention & Tourism Bureau; and Jessica Turba of the Des Moines Register.
Max and Donna Daniels, who play President Abraham Lincoln and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln at the annual Battle of Pea Ridge Civil War Re-enactment in Keokuk each spring, also are scheduled to attend. Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel will give the welcome.
In addition, several artists involved with the new Cultural and Entertainment District will display some of their art.
About 15 of the people attending the annual meeting will come to Keokuk today and spend the night at the new Hampton Inn hotel, according to Brandenberger. Half of the group will see the sites in Nauvoo, Ill.; the other half will go golfing.
“People from Nauvoo will come over Wednesday morning and start the show off with some songs,” Brandenberger said.
“It's a good opportunity to showcase this part of the state to people in the tourism business who haven't been here before,” he added. “We want to raise visibility and show some of the events that go on down here. We want to show they are a good value and people can have a good time.”
The Eastern Iowa Tourism Association is the largest of three such organizations in Iowa. Based in Dyersville, the association has about 275 members in 28 counties that represent all facets of the tourism industry, including campgrounds, county conservation boards, county tourism groups, festivals, historical societies and districts, individual shops, lodging, non-profit attractions, chambers, convention and visitor bureaus, casinos, cities, cultural alliances, dining establishments, for-profit attractions, management companies, media services, merchants associations, resorts, retail companies or chains and shopping centers.
The Central Iowa Tourism Region is based in Webster City, and the Western Iowa Tourism Region has headquarters in Red Oak.
For more about the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association, see the Web site www.easterniowatourism.org.
“It's usually held in the home of the president,” said Kirk Brandenberger, executive director of the Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Bureau and president of the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association. “I don't believe we've had a president (of the association) in the past.”
This year's annual meeting of the association will kick off with registration from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at Meyers' Courtyard. After 15 minutes of a welcome and introductions, a business meeting will be held from 10:45 a.m. to noon at Meyers' Courtyard. Lunch will be held from noon to 1 p.m., followed by a presentation by inspirational speaker Shannon Zetterlund of Keokuk, a former Mrs. Iowa, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Although Nancy Landess, director of the state tourism office, cannot attend, the list of attendees is expected to include Carrie Koelker, executive director of the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association; Kathy Bowermeister, manager of Iowa Travel Publications; Carol Tinney from The Iowan magazine; Gary Wheat, executive director of the Waterloo Convention & Tourism Bureau; and Jessica Turba of the Des Moines Register.
Max and Donna Daniels, who play President Abraham Lincoln and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln at the annual Battle of Pea Ridge Civil War Re-enactment in Keokuk each spring, also are scheduled to attend. Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel will give the welcome.
In addition, several artists involved with the new Cultural and Entertainment District will display some of their art.
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“People from Nauvoo will come over Wednesday morning and start the show off with some songs,” Brandenberger said.
“It's a good opportunity to showcase this part of the state to people in the tourism business who haven't been here before,” he added. “We want to raise visibility and show some of the events that go on down here. We want to show they are a good value and people can have a good time.”
The Eastern Iowa Tourism Association is the largest of three such organizations in Iowa. Based in Dyersville, the association has about 275 members in 28 counties that represent all facets of the tourism industry, including campgrounds, county conservation boards, county tourism groups, festivals, historical societies and districts, individual shops, lodging, non-profit attractions, chambers, convention and visitor bureaus, casinos, cities, cultural alliances, dining establishments, for-profit attractions, management companies, media services, merchants associations, resorts, retail companies or chains and shopping centers.
The Central Iowa Tourism Region is based in Webster City, and the Western Iowa Tourism Region has headquarters in Red Oak.
For more about the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association, see the Web site www.easterniowatourism.org.
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