(Des Moines) The Iowa Tourism Office presented 11 awards recognizing excellence in the tourism industry during the 2025 Iowa Tourism Conference at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.
In addition, conference attendees voted for the People’s Choice Award. Nominees were selected by Iowa Tourism Office staff to recognize partners going above and beyond with projects that can serve as inspiration to others that didn’t fit neatly into any of the award categories.
The complete list of 2025 Iowa Tourism Award recipients:
Outstanding Marketing Collaboration: Jefferson Matters and the Greene County Historical Society, Jefferson
Recognizes exceptional collaborations between destination marketing organizations, local businesses and/or other industry partners that result in a strategic and impactful marketing campaign or project.
Innovation in Marketing: My County Parks
Recognizes a destination marketing organization or tourism business that has demonstrated innovation and creativity in marketing.
Outstanding Niche Marketing Campaign: American State Bank Sports Complex, Sioux Center
Recognizes outstanding tourism campaigns by a destination marketing organization or tourism business that effectively targets a specific, well-defined audience.
Outstanding Marketing Campaign (marketing budget less than $50,000)
City of Manning
Outstanding Marketing Campaign (marketing budget greater than $50,000)
Iowa State Fair
Champion of Iowa Tourism (two winners): ChildServe, Johnston, and Siouxland Sports Academy, Sioux City
Recognizes an individual or organization not traditionally part of the tourism industry that nevertheless made an extraordinary contribution to the Iowa tourism industry in the last year.
Iowa Tourism Legacy Award (three winners): Rod Marlatt, Fayette County Conservation Board; Greg Edwards, Catch Des Moines; and Wes Ehrecke, Iowa Gaming Association
Presented to an individual or individuals who have worked in the tourism industry for a minimum of 10 years and whose contributions significantly and measurably impacted tourism in Iowa.
People’s Choice Award: Visit Quad Cities – Tourism Accessibility Efforts
The Iowa Tourism Office, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $7.3 billion in expenditures in 2023, with more than $1.1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 70,954 people statewide.
