The manager of the Iowa Tourism Office says money spent on tourism increases in 2005. Nancy Landess released the latest findings on tourism at the annul tourism conference in Ames.
Landess says they contract with the Travel Industry Association of America to get the travel figures, and those figures showed money spent on travel was five-point-four-billion dollars in 2004 — up seven percent. Landess says the study includes people traveling into the state and those who travel within its borders.
Landess says the definition of a traveler is someone who goes 50 miles or more from their home for leisure or for business. Landess says Iowans are taking more short trips. Landess says they’ve seen a 10-percent increase in weekend travel. Landess says the Travel Industry Association projects the tourism spending will continue on the increase.
Landess says the group predicts a national increase in tourism of one-point-six percent. She says there are several new attractions in Iowa that could lead to more tourism in the state. Landess says tourism in Iowa employs 62-thousand-400 people with a 991-million dollar payroll.