Quad Cities – The sales efforts of the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) will pump $15.5 Million of new business into the local community in 2017. This local economic impact from tourism comes directly from the conventions, group tours, and sporting events booked to stay in the Quad Cities.
“These efforts to bring visitors to the Quad Cities continue to deliver benefits to local municipalities and residents,” says Joe Taylor, QCCVB president/CEO. “Increased visitor spending means increased revenues to the cities, which eliminates additional tax burdens on our local residents to provide essential services. Every U.S. household would pay more than $1,200 in additional taxes without the tax revenue generated by travel to achieve the same level of public services.”
“Group travel—including the sports market, meetings & conventions, and group tours—are very important to our local community,” says Taylor. “Not only do they increase hotel occupancy levels, but these visitors drive new revenue to our restaurants, bars, casinos, attractions, performance venues, and more. John Deere, riverboat cruising, casinos, and the Mississippi River are great amenities to attract many types of travelers to the Quad Cities.”
Softball and baseball continue to drive business to QC hotels in 2017
The Quad Cities will host the USSSA Girl’s Iowa-Illinois State Championships for the first time in 2017, and the USSSA Boys World Series tournament is booked here again in 2017. Over 6,000 visitors are expected at these two tournaments alone, with thousands more in the other repeat tournaments that are booking directly.
“The events booked by the QCCVB have definitely proven that 2017 is the year for sports tourism to be noticed for its value in the region, in addition to the long-standing Quad Cities sports staples including the John Deere Classic, Quad Cities River Bandits, Quad City Mallards, Quad Cities Marathon, and Quad-City Times Bix 7,” says Lynn Hunt, QCCVB vice-president of Sales. “The Quad Cities is a cool place to live and visit for those people with active lifestyles or a passion for sports.”
New events for the Quad Cities in 2017 include:
- The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Iowa State Annual tournament is hosting its 100th anniversary event in the Quad Cities. Over 10,000 bowlers will visit the Quad Cities on weekends between February and May and use over 3,500 hotel rooms.
- Nearly 250 athletes from around the Midwest are expected to compete in the inaugural Winter Iowa Senior Games on February 24-26, 2017. While the event will launch with participation, the goal is to make this a regional competition to draw seniors from around the region.
- The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) will host their Amateur and Junior World Championships in the Quad Cities in July 2017. The event will utilize 8-10 disc golf courses around the region, and over 800 participants and their families will have a stay and play vacation the week of July 15-21.
Repeat sporting events include:
- Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Championship (Hoops in the Heartland) at the iWireless Center March 9-12, 2017.
- NAIA Men’s Golf Championship May 14-19, 2017, at TPC Deere Run.
- American Cue Sports of Iowa in October 2017.
Meetings and Conventions that focus on a hobby or non-professional content, are also attracted to the Quad Cities. Many groups take advantage of the affordability, accessibility, and the professional meeting and event planning services of the QCCVB. A few examples include:
- National Congress of Old West Shootists – March 16-19, 2017
- Questers of Iowa State Convention – April 7-8, 2017
- Packard Automobile Club – May 5-7, 2017
- Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Central Region Antique Auto Show – August 16-20, 2017
- Road Scholars Upper Mississippi River Tour – September 2017
Group Tours will continue booking their spring/summer tours throughout the tradeshow season. A QCCVB Sales Manager will attend the American Bus Association Tradeshow in January 2017 and the Religious Conference Management Association Tradeshow in February 2017. The QCCVB is working on creating new experiences, including hands-on activities to promote to potential customers at these tradeshows.
“In order to stretch the QCCVB’s sales and marketing dollars, Quad Cities itineraries will be represented as part of Ag Tours Iowa at the National Tour Association Tradeshow in February 2017. This is a combined effort of the Quad Cities, Waterloo, Dubuque, and Ames to sell customizable group tours that have a focus on Agriculture,” says Hunt.
“The sales process will continue and these numbers will grow as the year progresses. The QCCVB works months and even years ahead of the actual event to ensure its success,” says Hunt.
