Meeting planners may not expect to strike gold in the heart of the Midwest, but they’ll find it in Iowa.
Two major rivers border the state, and it’s not all flat. Sure there are sprawling plains, but lakes and bluffs are also part of the landscape. Farms are expected, but meeting planners also find cities and towns loaded with arts, history and culture. A mix of capable venues and charming off-sites can handle meetings of all sizes, from large-scale expos and national conventions to intimate board meetings. Being in the country’s middle makes Iowa easy to reach and more affordable than many destinations. Tourism organizations that are eager collaborators can mean even greater savings.
But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what three planners who recently had meetings in Iowa have to say.
Carolyn Slightom
National Association of Farm Service Agency County Office Employees Convention
300 attendees
Davenport
Peter Harris
National Police Collectors Show
250 attendees
Davenport
Darrin Schaefer
Pony of the Americas Club National Banquet
115 attendees
Dubuque
Accessibility
Thanks to its central location and easy access to interstates and international airports, Iowa is easy to reach. We asked planners, “How did accessibility affect your decision to meet in Iowa?”
Carolyn Slightom: We always try and find somewhere that’s easy to get to and that has a nice walkable downtown for people to get around in and that we can really show off. We felt that Davenport and the Quad Cities as a whole were places that we could show off. We recognized that the location made more sense for travel and accessibility than even Chicago.
Peter Harris: Most attendees who flew arrived via the airport in Moline, a quick 15-minute drive across the bridge to the venue. As far as the city goes, it’s right on Interstate 80, so you can get to it quite easily by car as well. It’s very convenient. If you have a national organization like we do, it’s right in the center of the country, so you don’t have people going from one coast to the other.
Darrin Schaefer: We were looking for someplace new to go. We’d never had a national convention or banquet in the state of Iowa. The second thing we always look for is proximity to air transportation. We had the Dubuque Regional Airport or the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids nearby, so getting our people in from throughout the country was very easy.
Affordability
From affordable hotel rates to financial incentives like grant programs, Iowa can offer plenty of bargains. We asked planners, “How did Iowa’s price point affect your events?”
Carolyn Slightom: When we’re comparing Chicago to the Quad Cities, there’s no question there, it seemed more affordable. We were also able to receive a lot of grants by hosting in Iowa. Visit Quad Cities assisted us with some grants, and we applied for a Meet in Iowa grant. And then even the city of Davenport had a grant. So definitely, cost wise, there was no question that it was going to be more impactful to host our event in Iowa.
Peter Harris: The city put up quite a bit toward the hall and defrayed much of the cost that it would have been for us. We also got a grant through the state for holding our event there. It turned out really well for us financially to hold our event in Iowa.
Darrin Schaefer: The biggest consideration we use when selecting a place is price point. We’re not a very large organization, so we can’t assume a convention or a banquet that’s going to cost us a fortune. I asked attendees about the value, and everyone thought it was very good value for the money.
Hands-On Planning Assistance
CVBs and tourism organizations that provide hands-on planning assistance can help planners develop a program that packs a punch. We asked planners, “How did Iowa tourism organizations assist with the planning process?”
Carolyn Slightom: Visit Quad Cities is a progressive CVB. They were willing to think outside the box and work with any idea or thought that I had to enhance our event. They were willing to work with me hand-in-hand and got it done.
Peter Harris: When we started looking into it, we found that it was very feasible for us to hold the show in Iowa. When we got in contact with the CVB, it became even more feasible because they were such a huge help. Our event was a huge success based mainly on the fact that the CVB was so involved in our planning. We started selling our tables at the show the year before in San Bernardino, California. But it wasn’t just us. Visit Quad Cities came out with us so that they could help promote not just the show, but the area. When people had questions about what there is to do around there, we had somebody who was able to give them literature and answer their questions. I had no idea anybody would even do that.
Darrin Schaefer: I used Travel Dubuque, and they took all my information and went out and got me six bids from places in the Dubuque metropolitan area that wanted our business. I was then able to choose what I thought was the best fit for us. I was amazed that they would do that all for us while they were trying to get us there. When we got closer to the event, they called and asked again if there was anything they could do for us. They even got the mayor to come speak to us, which was kind of cool.
Happy Attendees
When it comes to measuring an event’s ROI, attendee feedback is a great indicator of success. We asked planners, “What did your attendees have to say about meeting in Iowa?”
Carolyn Slightom: We’ve held this event across the country for the last 65 years, and attendees were saying it was the best convention they had been to in a very long time. We really feel like we blew it out of the park. Obviously, the fact that John Deere is there was great, and we went to a ball game at Modern Woodman Park in Davenport. It was just the variety that you could get staying in Davenport. There’s plenty to do no matter what your interests are. We were able to include history, sports, fine arts and agriculture — you know, there was really something for everybody.
Peter Harris: We got a lot of comments about the city. The accessibility to restaurants was big for most of our attendees. Many of our members are older and getting around is kind of a big deal for them. Many were very happy that there were restaurants within a block that they could get to without having to drive. I heard no complaints about the area.
Darrin Schaefer: The other thing that brought us to Iowa was Dubuque. Iowa has a lot to offer besides the meeting. People could snow ski, they could see the river museum. Many didn’t realize that the Mississippi River was right there. I heard nothing negative, just that it was a nice place, and they loved the downtown because it was historic. It was like nothing they’d ever experienced. That’s one of the reasons we’re coming back next year. People are saying, “I’m going to come and spend an extra day because there are things I want to do.”
