Plans to boost summer tourism in South Dakota

In preparation for the summer season, the state tourism department is discussing new initiatives to attract more visitors. Staff members are touring the state to talk with several travel organizations one-on-one. 2018 was a record-breaking year for South Dakota's tourism industry.14 million people visited the state spending $4 billion; its a major boost to the economy.Several organizations are trying to attract more visitors from Chicago, Kansas City, Detroit and Denver with more commercials.Plus, teams are producing ads to show in Canada, Australia, Germany and the UK. The Visit Spearfish Executive Director Mistie Caldwell says this initiative can help South Dakotans become more culturally aware.