Posted by Board of Supervisors and Public Relations
Unleash Council Bluffs shared continued growth in Pottawattamie County's tourism industry during an annual update to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, October 6.
Executive Director Mark Eckman highlighted visitor spending, hotel and motel tax collections, digital marketing efforts and upcoming opportunities during the presentation.
Visitors spent more than $334 million in Pottawattamie County in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available. Council Bluffs also collected more than $3.3 million in hotel and motel tax during fiscal year 2026, an increase of 4.65% from the previous year and the fifth consecutive year collections have exceeded $3 million.
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Eckman described visitors as both new customers for local businesses and new taxpayers whose spending ultimately benefits residents. Unleash Council Bluffs is a private nonprofit organization funded primarily through hotel and motel tax, meaning visitors help fund the organization’s efforts to attract additional tourism to the area.
Unleash Council Bluffs continued expanding its year-round digital marketing during fiscal year 2026, including seasonal campaigns designed to reach potential visitors as they make travel plans online.
That included the organization's winter tourism campaign in partnership with Pottawattamie Conservation, the Pottawattamie County Tourism Committee and Western Iowa Development Association, supported by a $10,000 grant from the Iowa Tourism Office.
Eckman said the county's acquisition of Crescent Hill at Hitchcock created a distinctive winter attraction that can draw visitors during a traditionally slower season for local hotels.
“We have a singular attraction at a time of the year when we need visitors the most,” Eckman said.
Digital marketing has also contributed to record traffic at UnleashCB.com. The organization set monthly records for unique website visitors from February through June, exceeding 50,000 unique visitors in both May and June. By comparison, the website recorded approximately 19,000 unique users in July 2019.
Unleash Council Bluffs listed 2,618 events on its website during the fiscal year, a nearly 43% increase from the previous year and the highest total recorded by the organization. That averages approximately 50 events each week, or seven each day.
“If someone says to you there's nothing to do around here, they're absolutely wrong,” Eckman said.
The presentation also highlighted how community members can play a role in bringing conferences and events to the area.
Earlier this year, a local attendee at the Iowa Rural Summit encouraged Unleash Council Bluffs to pursue the opportunity to host the statewide event. The organization submitted a bid and was recently selected to host the 2029 Iowa Rural Summit in Council Bluffs.
During discussion with the Board, Eckman encouraged residents and local leaders who participate in professional associations, organizations and events elsewhere to share potential opportunities with Unleash Council Bluffs. Those local connections can give the organization a starting point for pursuing events that may otherwise not be on its radar.
Unleash Council Bluffs has also seen increased traffic at its visitor center following the installation of Iowa Welcome Center signs along Interstates 29 and 80 in April.
The Unleash Council Bluffs office has served as an official Iowa Welcome Center since January 2022, but installation of the interstate signage was delayed by a statewide backlog. Eckman reported triple-digit percentage increases in office visitation during May, June, July, August and September following installation of the signs.
The organization's office at 509 23rd Avenue also received a colorful new mural this year featuring native plants and pollinators inspired by landscaping surrounding the building. Eckman said the project has received positive feedback while helping make the visitor center more distinctive and welcoming.
Additional accomplishments highlighted during the update included Unleash Council Bluffs' support of an Iowa PBS documentary about General Grenville Dodge and the transcontinental railroad, as well as multiple tourism awards received during the year.
