Attracting Visitors
Thousands of visitors travel to the University of Iowa campus every year, frequently bringing out-of-state dollars into the Iowa economy.
Visitors include prospective students, family and friends of students or employees, UI Health Care patients and their loved ones, business or research partners, and fans of UI sports and cultural events. Together, they spent more than $208.1 million in Iowa during fiscal year 2009.
The impact of Hawkeye sports is especially significant. For example, an Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau survey independent of the Tripp Umbach study estimates that home football games generate more than $100 million each year.
Students who come to the University from out of state contribute an estimated $380 million to Iowa’s economy, including $143.7 million in tuition during fiscal 2009. Some of these students stay to become Iowa residents, starting careers and raising families in the state.