by Kris Frerk, President of Southeast South Dakota Tourism
In this May 2018 Gazette photo, the cliffs of Devil's Gulch can be seen with the creek flowing past.
Our daily life schedules came to an abrupt change about two months ago. We have all been quarantined to different degrees depending on our age and essential/nonessential jobs. We are all very cautious and maybe somewhat a little fearful of where we pick up from here.
As the State of South Dakota and our major cities start with soft openings this week, we can start to think about summer vacation plans. It is maybe a little early yet to know what June & July are going to be like but we can start making some tentative plans.
This week is National Travel & Tourism Week-South Dakota Tourism's motto for this event is "Spirit of Travel." As President of Southeast South Dakota Tourism Association (SSDTA) I’m asking you to consider supporting our state destinations for one of your vacations this summer or fall. Tourism is the second largest industry in South Dakota led by Agriculture. Last year South Dakota had 14.5 million visitors that spent $4.1 billion in our state. This revenue gave each South Dakota citizen a tax savings of $890. Our state economy has taken a serious hit due to the lack of travel that has not taken place and also due to the closure/ limited hours of many business in South Dakota. We need to jump start our economy. As destinations and businesses open soon, I encourage you in the next couple months to plan a state vacation or some staycations in our region.
You might ask what is a "staycation"? In the tourism industry that refers to a period in which an individual or family stays home and participates in leisure activities within driving distance of your home and does not require an overnight stay. A staycation is a good option in this early period that will get us out of the house to enjoy some outdoor destinations.
We have some beautiful parks in this region that can be excellent options for water activities, hiking, biking, picnics, camping, etc. Sometimes we tend to overlook the ones that are closest to us. Great park options are Good Earth State Park, Palisades State Park, Adams Homestead & State Nature Preserve, Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, Porter Sculpture Park, and Lake Herman State Park. These are just a few examples of some wonderful parks.
There are endless possibilities in Sioux Falls that you can do outside. Sioux Falls Parks, bike trail, Sculpture Walk, Arc of Dreams, Great Plains Zoo, golf courses and Outdoor Campus. Thunder Road is currently open for mini golf and the rest of the outdoor park they anticipate opening soon. Thunder Road has a $6 million indoor addition that should be opening sometime in July. The addition includes laser tag, state of the art bowling games, bumper cars, restaurant and many options for group gatherings.
Mitchell has some great options for day events. Corn Palace, Prehistoric Indian Village, parks and the soon to open Starlite Outdoor Drive-In Theater. Check Prehistoric Indian Village for updates on opening.
I highly encourage you to start planning your vacations or staycations now. The Southeast South Dakota Tourism office is eager to send you a Travel Guide. Our Wine, Brew & Spirits Trail map is a great option for summer drives. Together we can make a positive impact on our hotels, destinations, restaurants, bars, boutiques, local businesses and their employees. In conjunction with National Tourism Week, Southeast South Dakota Tourism has a Kayak Contest Giveaway. You can enter on the website until 6/22/20 at www.southeastsouthdakota.com, or call 888-353-7382 for details. To get a state travel guide go to SDvisit.com. I'm also available to answer any questions you may have regarding tourism in our region. Get out and experience Great Faces & Great Places!
Finally, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, there’s something new from our 200 members every day!
Website: www.southeastsouthdakota.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoutheastSouthDakota
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