Out of the 99 counties in Iowa, Des Moines County is ranked 13th in terms of tourism.
Burlington tourism numbers are up from 2011, according to the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Greater Burlington generated $121.47 million in tourism expenditures, which includes lodging, food service, entertainment, and retail.
Executive Director of Greater Burlington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Beth Nickel, says there are a few factors that have caused tourism to grow in Burlington, one being the economy….
“With the economy like it is, people are taking closer to home, frequent, affordable vacations with their families. That kind of puts us in a good place because we are an affordable destination. We are easy to travel into.”
Nickel also noted that the Rec Plex brings many people to our area during the summer, sometimes making it hard to find hotel rooms.
Tourism in Burlington also created 980 jobs last year.
