(Iowa) — Tourism continues to be a multi-billion-dollar <a s economy. New numbers from the Iowa Tourism Office show a record 46.3 million people visited Iowa in 2025, and with those visitors came an $11.3 billion dollar boost to the state's economy.
That economic boost included $1.2 billion in state and local tax revenue, $2.6 billion in personal income for Iowans, and roughly $20.million dollars spent by tourists each day at Iowa hotels, restaurants, and attractions. The tourism industry supported 72,196 Iowa jobs in 2025, or 5.5% of the state’s total workforce.
Amy Zeigler, State Tourism Manager at the Iowa Tourism Office, says the momentum from the record-setting tourism in 2025 is continuing into this year:“Already, our hotel revenue in the state is up 11.3% compared to the same period in 2025. Short-term rental in our Airbnb space has increased 12.5% year-over-year, so we’re seeing really great momentum through the end of 2026.”
Numbers from the Iowa Tourism Office show a trend of tourism growth in Iowa going back to 2021. Visitor volume, visitor <a s growing tourism industry and it's economic impact last year is available on
