(Pottawattamie Co.) As part of National Travel and Tourism Week, Unleash Council Bluffs and Visit Omaha announced the 2026 OMA Tourism Award winners.
Mark Eckman, Executive Director of the Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau, appearing at the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, said the OMA Tourism Awards are a joint effort to recognize the “best of” in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and Douglas County, Nebraska, in the categories of Attraction, Hotel, Restaurant, and Retail Business.
Best Lodging went to Judge Richard Distillery Airbnb in Carson.
For the second time, Back Forty Bar & Grill in Macedonia won Best Restaurant.
Best Attraction went to Arrowhead Park outside of Neola.
Central Perch in Council Bluffs won Best Retail Business.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors proclaimed May 3–9, 2026, as National Travel and Tourism Week.
In Pottawattamie County, traveler spending reached $334.17 million in 2024, ranking sixth in Iowa, according to Tourism Economics.
The proclamation states that the industry supports local businesses, drives economic growth, and generates tax revenue.
