(Atlantic, IA) – The Cass County Tourism Council’s annual meeting will be held at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Wednesday February 4th 9AM. The schedule is four meetings per year, with meetings at 9:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of the following months: February, May, August and November. Meetings will take place at the Atlantic Chamber unless otherwise noted, this will also be published on the Council’s webpage at: https://www.casscountyia.gov/county-departments/tourism/ . A new slate of officers will be elected for the 2026 year.

According to a report from Travel Iowa, the economic impact of visitors in Iowa is significant, including our own Cass County! Visitor spending in the State of Iowa for 2024 (the most current economic impact statement) was a whopping $7.5Billion, a 2.8% increase over 2023. We (Cass County) had $2.84 Million in Sales and Lodging tax collected in 2024. Sales and Lodging tax collected in 2024 in Cass County was slightly lower, as well as our total growth rate over all for 2024 was 5% lower. Our Retail and Transportation spending was higher in Cass County in 2024. Despite the losses, our share of the state in visitor spending remained the same. In Cass County, local sales taxes collected amounted to over $1,100,000! And state sales taxes collected in Cass County for the year was $1,620,000! Tourism is much more than fun and games…it means business!

“This year’s numbers reflect the continued strength of our tourism economy and the enduring appeal of our state’s destinations,” said Amy Zeigler, manager of the Iowa Tourism Office. “To keep this momentum going, we’ll continue to focus on understanding the evolving motivations of today’s travelers and helping Iowa communities connect with them in the most impactful ways.” The entire report is available at traveliowa.com.

If you’re interested in the future of Tourism in Cass County, please plan to attend the next Tourism Committee meeting Wednesday, February 4, 9:00 a.m. at the Atlantic Chamber.