The Iowa State Tourism Conference took place this past week in Tama. Each year the Iowa Tourism Office and Travel Federation of Iowa presents awards in various categories during the conference. At this year's conference, the City of Cedar Falls was named 2009 Community of the Year! "Cedar Falls' citizens and city leaders understand how important tourism can be to a community," said Iowa Tourism Office Manager Nancy Landess. "The city has dedicated hotel/motel tax to the visitor center, grants to tourism organizations and development of new tourism amenities. More than 100 volunteers keep the visitor center running, supplying valuable information to people as they travel. We are also proud of Cedar Falls' designation as the state's first Bicycle Friendly Community." Cedar Falls was chosen from entries in the category for communities with a population of more than 10,000. The winning community was based on several criteria including outstanding performance in 2008-2009, outstanding economic impact, effective marketing and a well-rounded mix of local events and attractions.