by Connie Cherba
Tourism is big business in the Driftless Area – some 24,103 square miles in the Upper Midwest bypassed by the last continental glacier and bisected by the Mississippi River. The region’s natural and manmade attractions draw thousands of tourists to the area each year. Local agencies in northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois work hard to spread the word about recreational, historic, and entertainment attractions. Their successful marketing efforts help boost visitor numbers and add dollars to local economies.
New in 2022 is the availability of funds from the $100 million Destination Iowa effort, available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act and designed to attract visitors and new residents to the state. Cities, counties, nonprofits, and other organizations are encouraged to apply for grants from four separate funds including “Tourism Attraction.”
To read this and other featured articles in their entirety, pickup the July 2022 issue of Julien’s Journal magazine. Click to subscribe for convenient delivery by mail, or call (563) 557-1914. Single issues are also available in print at area newsstands and digitally via the Issuu platform.
