Iowa Scores Another Steps to Success Win with American Ring Travel
Richard Groesz, Director of Contracting for American Ring Travel, participated as an inbound operator expert in the Inbound Insider Steps to Success™ Program contracted by the Iowa Tourism Office for its industry partners in 2025. As an IITA board member, he was happy to serve in this expert-advisor role and support the Steps to Success’ key trainer, Jennifer Ackerson (Principal, Alon Tourism Solutions), in her work to engage and educate the Iowa travel and tourism industry on the importance of working with inbound operators.
An added benefit of Mr. Groesz’s participation was the opportunity to connect with travel suppliers across the state—helping him enhance and expand American Ring’s group tour offerings.
“The Steps to Success program not only allows us to share insights with destinations, but it also opens the door to discovering new partners and building products we can confidently bring to the international market,” said Groesz. “The connections we made in Iowa directly translated into real business opportunities.”
In 2025, American Ring contracted with a hotel in Sioux City they had not previously utilized, creating new revenue for the property and the local businesses valued at approximately $125,000. Fast forward to 2026, Mr. Groesz booked new business with Windstar, an Iowa-registered charter bus company, that resulted in 10 tour group bookings valued at approximately 200 charter days of revenue for Windstar.
“Participating in the Steps to Success training gave us direct access to inbound operators and a better understanding of how to position our services for international groups,” said a representative from Windstar. “That connection led to new business opportunities we wouldn’t have had otherwise—it’s been a game changer for our company.”
Steps to Success continues to deliver measurable results, creating meaningful business opportunities for suppliers in destinations where the program is implemented. These Iowa-based successes highlight the program’s real-world impact and value.
To learn how IITA and Alon Tourism Solutions can bring a customized Steps to Success program to your destination, contact Julie Heizer (julie.heizer@inboundtravel.org) or Connor DeVos (cdevos@alontourism.com).
More about the program
IITA's Inbound Insider Steps to Success™ inbound travel training program has been implemented in many destinations across the U.S. The program, delivered in partnership with Alon Tourism Solutions (Alon), is designed specifically for DMOs and tourism stakeholders to increase international tourism ROI by providing tools, resources, and the know-how to work effectively with the travel trade.