Research on Iowa Tourism Office and its industry partners nets Greenlee School's Angela Mak top prize at international conference.

Radio and print ads. Large slick publications.

These are just a couple of the ways that the Iowa Tourism Office works to get people to visit the state's attractions.

It's doubtful that even tourists looking to spend several days in our state perused those materials as carefully as Angela Mak, assistant professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication has.

Mak's research into the Iowa Tourism Office focused on the reputation management and organization-public relationship management between that office and its industry partners or stakeholders.

"The Iowa Tourism Office can't just communicate with visitors to the state," said Mak. "They have to be able to tell their story to their industry partners as well."

In addition to analyzing the tourism promotional materials, Mak also interviewed staff members of the Iowa Tourism Office. That research identified four key identity attributes - agriculture/dairy industry, small town environment, strong family values and pride in education - of the State of Iowa.

All of these, Mak says, shape the direction of how that office promotes Iowa within the state and beyond its borders.

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