Meet Ottumwa announced it received an award from The Iowa Tourism Office earlier this week.
At the 2023 Iowa Tourism Conference in Altoona, Meet Ottumwa was presented the state’s Outstanding Social Media Execution award in the Metro category for its weekly 20-Second Tourism Tip video series.
Posted every Tuesday across all Meet Ottumwa’s social media platforms, the tip videos showcase Ottumwa and Wapello County’s endless number of places to go, menus to sample, attractions to explore, and local businesses in which to shop. The weekly video series began last April and has featured everything from the Air Power Museum in Blakesburg and the Iowa Heartland History Connection’s train exhibit to Wapello County’s nine disc golf courses and numerous local retailers.
“We are thrilled to receive statewide recognition for the work we do in our community. In just 20 seconds, we can shine the spotlight on a local business or organization in a fun and unique way. With all these recommendations in short snippets, we’re able to pique someone’s curiosity and give them just a taste of what we have to offer. There is so much happening here, and we want to share that with the world.” Laura Carrell Executive Director of Meet Ottumwa (second from right in the picture)
Tourism and visitor activity in Wapello County have a powerful economic impact on the area, according to Meet Ottumwa. In 2021, visitors spent close to $52 million across the county’s economy. This direct visitor spending impact generated a total economic impact of more than $81 million in the county, sustained 600 jobs, and generated more than $8.7 million in state and local tax revenue. In 2022, as even more travelers ventured out following the pandemic, these numbers continued to climb.
Visit https://www.meetottumwa.org/ to see the complete 20-Second Tourism Tip video series.
