The Kalona Historical Society was awarded a $750 grant from the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association’s Tourism Promotion Program fund. It is one of 26 projects (from a total of 60 requests) that received funding allocations.

The funds will aid with printing of the Society’s full color, tri-fold brochure that describes the Kalona Historical Village, as well as information about the Society itself and Kalona.

There was a total of $37,500 available for awards, noted Jana L. DeBrower, executive director of EITA. Requests totaled $59,709.94.

Among other area awards were grants to the Amana Colonies for display ads, a media kit and a walking tour promotion; Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau for educational conferences, web site work and an ad and media campaign, and Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau for an area official visitors guide, events calendar and image library.

The Kalona grant is part of the round two of applications for the fiscal 1998 year.

For fiscal 1999, the Iowa Division of tourism designated $37,500 for grants to be given by the EITA. Official guidelines and application forms for the four grant programs (Tourism Advertising Program, Tourism Educational Program, Tourism Promotional Program and Heritage Tourism Program) were made available in July to EITA members. Requests also could be made by other non-profit tourism organizations and attractions with the 28 county regions served by EITA.

The tourism grant programs are administered through EITA on a reimbursement system and pay up to 50 percent of total cost of the project, awarded on a matching funds basis. The EITA portion does not exceed $l,000 per grant applicant.

Obviously, the promotional efforts have paid off since tourism in eastern Iowa is on the rise. Requests for information were up 21 percent in 1998 and actual visitations to the region up by 18 percent.

“Visitors to eastern Iowa spend between $50 and $100 per day during their visits,” said DeBrower. “Eastern Iowa visitors travel in parties of 2.7 people and stay in our area an average of 1.4 nights.”

DeBrower notes that 76 percent of those who requested tourism information from EITA offices in 1998 have indicated they had already visited the region, and 100 percent indicated they plan to. Dollars brought into the region by visitors not only buy them an affordable vacation, they also buy Iowans improvements to roads, schools and other government programs,” added DeBrower. “The more we promote tourism in our region, and in the state, the more the tourism industry grows and as the Iowa tourism industry continues to grow, the more the Iowa economy overall, and the Iowa quality of life, grows.”

In 1998, the EITA distributed information to more than 14,800 potential visitors.

Direct travel expenditures in eastern Iowa in 1997 totaled $l.5 billion, creating an estimated economic impact of $3.7 billion.

In eastern Iowa, the tourism industry employs approximately 22,870 people, generating more than $260,800,000 in payroll funds.

Travel expenditures in eastern Iowa added $116.7 million to state and local coffers in 1997, funds that helped pay for roads, education and other programs.