Visit Quad Cities
Visit Quad Cities is a non-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) serving the bi-state Quad Cities region of Iowa and Illinois. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Moline, Illinois, it promotes tourism through digital content, meeting and group planning services, and visitor resources funded by municipal and corporate investor partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersMoline, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Visit Quad Cities does
Visit Quad Cities is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the bi-state Quad Cities region spanning Iowa and Illinois. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Moline, Illinois at 1601 River Drive, Suite 110, the non-profit organization promotes regional tourism to attract leisure travelers, meeting and event planners, group tour operators, sports event organizers, and wedding couples. It is funded through a coalition of six municipal investors (Davenport, Moline, Bettendorf, Rock Island, East Moline, LeClaire), two county investors (Scott County, Rock Island County), and corporate partners including John Deere, Hy-Vee, Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf, Rhythm City Casino Resort, and Walmart. The organization is accredited through Destinations International's DMAP program and is a member of the US Travel Association, Enjoy Illinois, and Travel Iowa partner networks.
The organization operates a content-and-booking digital platform rather than a proprietary technology product. Core products include a public Event Calendar, a Trip Planner itinerary builder, a Places to Stay accommodation directory, a Meetings QC planner suite with proposal request workflow, Group Travel services with sample itineraries, and Sports QC — a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit division established in 2024 to lead sports tourism initiatives. Content and media products include the Destination Guide (online and flip-through magazine), Meeting Planner Guide, Group Tour Planner magazine, the "QC, That's Where" podcast (rebranded from QC Current in 2024), the Insider's Blog, and a suite of self-guided experience trails (QC Ale Trail, QC Coffee Trail, QC Public Art Trail, John Deere Trail, Rock Island Arsenal Trail, QC Family Pass). The organization maintains two physical visitor centers in Moline, IL and Davenport, IA, both participating in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program.
Visit Quad Cities' revenue model is non-profit partnership funding rather than transactional pricing. The organization does not charge visitors for use of its website or trip planning tools, and provides complimentary planning assistance to meeting planners, group tour operators, and wedding couples. Revenue flows from investor contributions and tourism-related partnerships, with the indirect monetization mechanism being visitor spending across the regional economy — the data cites $1.38B+ in total annual visitor spending, 6.1 million annual visits, 13.9 million visitor days, and 9,220 tourism jobs supported. Distribution channels include the self-serve website, direct sales by a small Business Growth & Service team covering meetings and group tours, physical visitor centers, and co-marketing relationships with Quad Cities International Airport (11 nonstop destinations across Allegiant, American, Delta, and United) and major venues including Vibrant Arena at The MARK, Modern Woodmen Park, RiverCenter, and TBK Bank Sports Complex.
Visit Quad Cities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Visit Quad Cities
- Legal name
- Visit Quad Cities
- Website
- https://visitquadcities.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Visit Quad Cities is a non-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) serving the bi-state Quad Cities region of Iowa and Illinois. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Moline, Illinois, it promotes tourism through digital content, meeting and group planning services, and visitor resources funded by municipal and corporate investor partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Visit Quad Cities industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Destination Marketing Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)
Keywords
Where Visit Quad Cities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moline
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Visit Quad Cities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Tourism Marketing Services: Visit Quad Cities generates economic growth through tourism by serving as the region's official destination marketing organization. Their revenue comes from investments and partnerships with local government entities (cities of Davenport, Moline, Bettendorf, Rock Island, East Moline, LeClaire), counties (Scott County, Rock Island County), and private sector partners including John Deere, Hy-Vee, Isle Casino, Rhythm City Casino Resort, and other regional businesses. These investors provide funding in exchange for destination promotion and economic development benefits.
- Meeting and Group Planning Services: Provides complimentary planning assistance for meetings, conventions, conferences, weddings, reunions, and group travel. Services include venue recommendations, transportation facilitation, event promotion, and itinerary development. Revenue is generated through partnerships with venues, hotels, and suppliers rather than direct fees.
- Tourism Infrastructure Promotion: Promotes regional tourism infrastructure including 6,500+ hotel rooms, venues like Vibrant Arena at The MARK (12,000 seats), Convention and Conference Centers, and various attractions. Revenue model relies on driving visitor spending that benefits investor partners.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Visit Quad Cities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Visit Quad Cities is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the Quad Cities bi-state region spanning Iowa and Illinois. The organization markets and packages the region as a travel destination, provides complimentary consumer-facing trip planning tools and content (event calendar, trip planner, destination guide, self-guided trails, podcast), and delivers dedicated meeting, group tour, wedding, reunion, and sports event planning services to event organizers through a team of business growth specialists.
Product overview
Visit Quad Cities operates the official regional destination marketing website for the Quad Cities (Iowa/Illinois), structured as a content and booking platform with multiple integrated visitor services. The core product portfolio includes a public-facing event calendar and trip planner for leisure visitors, alongside dedicated planner-facing products for meetings and group travel. Sports QC functions as a specialized division focused on sports tourism. Supporting content products include the Destination Guide, the QC That's Where Podcast, the Insider's Blog, and a suite of self-guided experience trails (QC Ale Trail, QC Coffee Trail, QC Public Art Trail, John Deere Trail, Rock Island Arsenal Trail, QC Family Pass). Email newsletter and SMS text alert services round out the marketing engagement layer. No public API or AI capabilities are documented.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Meetings QC Complimentary meeting planning services for event organizers including venue sourcing, proposal requests, hotel room blocks, transportation coordination, and bid preparation for conventions, conferences, and corporate events in the Quad Cities region.
- Group Travel Planning Custom itinerary and planning services for tour operators and group coordinators, including step-on guides, dining reservations, attraction bookings, and lodging coordination across themes such as Agriculture, Mississippi River, History and Heritage, Arts & Culture, and Gaming.
- Sports QC A 501(c)(3) non-profit division of Visit Quad Cities focused on sports tourism, connecting tournament organizers, league administrators, and event managers with regional venues and resources for tournaments, championships, and large-scale sporting events.
- Wedding Planning Services Complimentary wedding planning assistance including venue suggestions, vendor referrals, hotel room blocks (20+ rooms), welcome bags, and visitor information for out-of-town guests planning weddings in the Quad Cities.
- Reunion Planning Services Planning assistance for family, military, school, and college reunions including venue communication, pricing summaries, catering coordination, and activity planning in the Quad Cities.
- Trip Planner An online itinerary builder that allows visitors to browse attractions, events, and accommodations across the Quad Cities and save selections to a personal trip plan.
- Event Calendar A searchable directory of festivals, concerts, sporting events, and community gatherings across the Quad Cities region, with filters for date and category.
- Places to Stay A directory of hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, RV parks, and vacation rentals in the Quad Cities, with booking integration for accommodations.
- QC, That's Where Podcast A podcast (formerly QC Current) featuring interviews with Quad Citizens about local history, entrepreneurs, and regional culture, distributed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Google Podcasts.
- Destination Guide A comprehensive online and print guide covering attractions, dining, and lodging in the Quad Cities, available as a downloadable publication or as a physical copy.
- QC Ale Trail A curated self-guided trail experience promoting craft breweries across the Quad Cities, featuring passport-style visitation and brewery profiles.
- QC Public Art Trail A self-guided tour featuring over 127 sculptures, murals, and galleries distributed across the Quad Cities.
- QC Family Pass A bundled pass offering discounted access to multiple family-oriented attractions in the Quad Cities.
- Meeting Planner Online Magazine An online flip-through publication showcasing meeting venues, hotels, and event spaces available in the Quad Cities for planner reference.
- Group Tour Planner Online Magazine An online guidebook with sample itineraries and tour options for group travel planners, covering themes such as agriculture, history, and the Mississippi River.
- Newsletter and Text Alerts Opt-in email newsletter and SMS text alert services delivering updates on events, special offers, and Quad Cities news to subscribers.
- Visitor Center Services Physical visitor centers located in Moline, IL and Davenport, IA providing in-person travel assistance, materials, and accessibility support (Hidden Disabilities Sunflower member).
Quantifiable outcome
- 6.1 million annual visits to the region
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Visit Quad Cities
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Visit Quad Cities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Visit Quad Cities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Enjoy IllinoiscoreState tourism marketing partner for Illinois, displaying the Enjoy Illinois logo on Visit Quad Cities website footer. Promotes the bi-state destination across Illinois tourism channels.
- Travel IowacoreState tourism marketing partner for Iowa, displaying the Travel Iowa logo on Visit Quad Cities website footer. Promotes the bi-state destination across Iowa tourism channels.
- Destinations InternationalcoreGlobal association for destination organizations. Visit Quad Cities holds DMAP accreditation through this organization.
- US Travel AssociationcoreNational travel association whose logo is displayed on Visit Quad Cities website footer, indicating membership and association affiliation.
- Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP)coreAccreditation program for destination marketing organizations. Visit Quad Cities is an accredited DMO through this program.
- Wheel the WorldcoreAccessibility verification partnership ensuring visitors can access accurate, reliable accessibility information about local hotels, restaurants, and activities. Quad Cities is a Wheel the World Verified Destination.
- Hidden Disabilities SunflowercoreInternational recognition program for non-visible disabilities. Visit Quad Cities is a member, with staff trained to recognize the Sunflower symbol. Visitor centers in Moline, IL and Davenport, IA display the Sunflower logo.
- Illinois Destinations AssociationminorState tourism association for Illinois destinations.
- Iowa Travel Industry PartnersminorState tourism association for Iowa's travel industry.
- Quad Cities International Airport (MLI)corePrimary airport serving the Quad Cities region. Presenting sponsor of the Destination QC annual event. Offers 11 nonstop destinations through Allegiant, American, Delta, and United airlines.
- Rhythm City Casino ResortcoreVenue partner and sponsor for Destination QC annual event. Gaming, dining, and entertainment property in Davenport, Iowa.
- Quad Cities ChambercoreRegional chamber of commerce serving as a partner in economic development and business community initiatives.
- Bi-State Regional CommissioncoreRegional planning commission for the bi-state Quad Cities area. Partner for relocation resources and regional data.
- Quad City Area Film OfficeminorRegional film office located in Rock Island, IL. Helps connect filmmakers with locations, incentives, and talent. Part of the Northwest Illinois Film Office network.
- Illinois Film Tax Credit ProgramminorIllinois state film incentive program offering 30% film tax credit. Promoted by Visit Quad Cities for film tourism.
- Iowa Film OfficeminorIowa state film office (Produce Iowa). Promoted by Visit Quad Cities for film tourism on the Iowa side.
- Sports Events & Tourism AssociationcoreNational sports tourism association. John David, president and CEO, was featured speaker at AccelerateVQC: The Power of Sports Tourism meeting hosted by Visit Quad Cities on February 11.
- QC Friends of Off-Road CyclingminorPartner organization that has built eight trail systems with over 40 miles of single-track mountain bike trails in partnership with local parks.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Visit Quad Cities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Visit Indy: Indianapolis DMO with comparable meetings, sports tourism, and group-tour verticals including major-event bidding infrastructure analogous to Sports QC.
- Meet Minneapolis: Minneapolis CVB/DMO with strong meetings and conventions focus and a similar B2B service team serving planners and corporate clients.
- Choose Chicago: Larger Midwest DMO with overlapping meetings, leisure, and group-tour mandates but operating at significantly greater scale and brand reach.
- Visit Omaha: Mid-size Midwest DMO with comparable structure across meetings, sports, and group-tour segments and a similar municipal-investor funding model.
- Travel Portland: Destination marketing organization with a similar content-and-digital-first approach and comparable meetings/conventions/groups service portfolio.
- Visit Milwaukee: Regional DMO with comparable event-tourism and meetings focus, operating in a similar Midwestern Tier-2 metro.
- Visit Grand Rapids: Mid-size Midwest DMO/CVB with a similar meetings, sports, and group-tour orientation; comparable investor mix of municipal and private-sector partners and a comparable scale of regional visitor economic impact.
- Experience Columbus: Mid-size Midwest DMO running parallel leisure, meetings, and sports-tourism programs with direct enterprise-sales motion for conventions and corporate events.
Broad incumbents
- Destination DC: Larger, established destination organization serving a major U.S. metro; offers overlapping meetings, leisure, and group-travel capabilities as part of a much broader portfolio.
- Brand USA: National destination promotion organization that interfaces with DMOs including Visit Quad Cities to drive international inbound tourism — adjacent/thematic peer rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Visit Quad Cities social profiles
Digital presenceVisit Quad Cities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Visit Quad Cities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Visit Quad Cities subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Visit Quad Cities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Visit Quad Cities M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Visit Quad Cities
What does Visit Quad Cities do?
Visit Quad Cities is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the Quad Cities bi-state region spanning Iowa and Illinois. The organization markets and packages the region as a travel destination, provides complimentary consumer-facing trip planning tools and content (event calendar, trip planner, destination guide, self-guided trails, podcast), and delivers dedicated meeting, group tour, wedding, reunion, and sports event planning services to event organizers through a team of business growth specialists.
Is Visit Quad Cities a public or private company?
Visit Quad Cities is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Visit Quad Cities founded?
Visit Quad Cities was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Visit Quad Cities based?
Visit Quad Cities is headquartered in Moline, United States, in the North America region.
How does Visit Quad Cities make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tourism Marketing Services are the primary driver. The others are meeting and Group Planning Services and tourism Infrastructure Promotion.
Who are Visit Quad Cities's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Visit Indy, Meet Minneapolis, Choose Chicago, Visit Omaha, Travel Portland, Visit Milwaukee, Visit Grand Rapids and Experience Columbus. Broad incumbents are Destination DC and Brand USA.
Does Visit Quad Cities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Visit Quad Cities.
What industry is Visit Quad Cities in?
Visit Quad Cities's product category is Destination Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHADAA, Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations). Its NAICS code is 561591 and its SIC code is 7900.