Shining a spotlight on the Quad Cities area. That's what several dozen travel writers are looking to do. That is, after spending the next few days touring it.
The Quad Cities won the chance to host the Midwest Travel Writers Association conference over cities like Cincinnati and Ontario. Forty five journalists got in town Wednesday and started with a "Taste of the Quad Cities" reception. Then they'll explore museums, businesses, and landmarks as they are looking to highlight what tourists or visitors would want to see.
"It's within driving distance for a lot of places, Chicago, Des Moines, or Madison. It's really a great area. Probably a lot of people don't really know what it is," said Randy Mink with Leisure Group Travel Magazine.
"I'll review the photos we've taken and all the details and put together at least one or two detailed stories and a big layout in our newspapers," said Todd Wessell with Journal and Topics.
This is the first time the Quad Cities has hosted something like this, with dozens of key writers from some well known magazines and newspapers. Many in the area are looking forward to the attention that will come following the conference.
Steve Zuidema, owner of Front Street Brewery in Davenport, calls the scenery out his front window the best in the Quad Cities. That is, besides his view of costumers enjoying a brew. The tap room and tasting bar opened just several months ago and is about to see some very important visitors.
"They'll be coming here to enjoy the facility and tasting our beers and such," said Zuidema, "we'll be wrote about some and I'm excited to see what they think of it coming from all these different towns."
The travel journalists are from magazines like AAA Living, Midwest Living, The Iowan, and Chicago Magazine. Plus, newspapers from cities like Milwaukee, St. Louis, Minneapolis and more.
"It's a huge opportunity for us to be show-casing our area to these important travel writers," said Charlotte Morrison with the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. Morrison says the Quad Cities won the conference thanks to good reviews from journalists who have already visited the area, and because of the history of the area, the Mississippi river, and that it's a Midwestern destination.
As far as what will eventually run in the publications, it's worth a good deal in publicity. "If we were placing advertising this would be valued at a half-a-million dollar add buy. So it's huge for this area," added Morrison. Because people may read the articles and columns and may make their travel decisions. The hope is they'll not only want to visit the Quad Cities, but have specific destinations to check out.
The travel writers will be touring the area through Saturday, making stops at places like the John Deere Pavilion, Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse, the Figge Art Museum, The Mississippi River Distilling Company, and the Rock Island Arsenal.
