SD News Watch- Southeast SD tourism surges ahead of Black Hills

In a flipping of the traditional tourism script in the state, the Southeast region anchored by Sioux Falls has overtaken the Black Hills and Badlands region for overall visitor revenues in both of the past two years.

The state saw $4.7 billion in tourism spending in 2022 with a jump to almost $5 billion in 2023. 

That year, 14.7 million visitors came to the state, producing a total economic impact of $8 billion, fueling almost 58,000 jobs and generating $384 million in state and local taxes.

And, there’s a new regional leader. State data show that in 2022, the Black Hills and Badlands region took in $1.81 billion in tourism revenue, slightly less than the $1.86 billion generated in the Southeast region that year. In 2023, the southeast region again topped its West River counterpart to the tune of $1.96 billion compared to $1.92 billion. The Glacial Lakes and Prairies saw $699 million in 2023 revenues, while the Missouri River region had $386 million.

Tourism officials have embraced cooperation over competition as they try to bring in new visitors. Tourism marketers in South Dakota used to have a sometimes prickly and highly competitive relationship. But now, agencies are cross-promoting other areas in an “all boats rise together” approach to luring visitors to the state. They’re also using more technology to pinpoint potential tourists and branching into new potential markets, including the usual neighboring states but also the cities of Chicago, Kansas City and Dallas and coastal states including California, Florida and the Carolinas.

Tourism experts say 2024 is off to a good, not great start: State and regional tourism officials say they are seeing a few less visitors this year, but that those guests are spending more. After a mostly flat summer, they’re hoping for a strong fall season.