OTTUMWA, Iowa (KYOU) - More visitors are expected to visit Ottumwa for the holiday next week.

Meet Ottumwa Director Laura Carrell said Ottumwa saw 11,000 visitors from outside Wapello County last year.

“We were so amazed the past two years our visitors’ numbers and visitor spending has grown exponentially,” Carrell said.

Carrell said within the last two years, Ottumwa has seen a 10% increase in visitor spending. In addition to travelers staying overnight.

“60% where staying overnight and that’s huge for us because the Convention and Visitors Bureau are mostly funded by the hotel motel tax. So, the more people we have stay overnight the more of that tax we get and that money goes back into marketing and promotions,” Carrell said.

That hotel-motel tax revenue helps Ottumwa invest in str

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