2009 See South Dakota Week
This year's National Tourism Week takes place May 9-17. The Office of Tourism will work with CVBs statewide to spread the message of tourism’s benefits to South Dakota. Marketing campaigns, media blitzes and interviews, as well as hospitality training sessions are the backbone of this year's campaign. Many of these efforts incorporate the National Tourism Week theme, “Discover Great American Traditions.”

Visitor and Industry Relations
For more information, contact
Nicole Gall
at
Nicole.Gall@state.sd.us
or
605-773-3301

Spring Hospitality Training
Several cities across South Dakota are hosting spring hospitality training sessions. Most of the sessions take place in May, but more information including an alphabetical listing by city is available on www.SDVisit.com. If you know of other training taking place, please email details to Eileen Bertsch.

Visitor and Industry Relations
For more information, contact
Eileen Bertsch
at
Eileen.Bertsch@state.sd.us
or
605-773-3301

Free Social Media Seminar
Tourism's marketing agency-of-record, Lawrence & Schiller, is providing a ten-week webinar series on social media, free of charge, for the visitor industry. Each weekly one-hour session will provide insight into the world of social networking and best practices for using it within your own business. A PDF of the full schedule is available at www.l-s.com/bootcamp/schedule.pdf. Interested persons may register for this Social Media Bootcamp at www.l-s.com/bootcamp.

Coming Up...

April 21, 10 a.m. CST
Twitter Demystified

April 28, 10 a.m. CST
Measure the Digital Dialogue

Tour Operator Lead Lists
We are now emailing tour operator leads instead of mailing them in an effort to go green. We sent leads from the NAJ Summit in Los Angeles and World Travel Market. If you did not receive these leads, please email Maureen Droz with your email address and company information so you can be added to the database to receive the leads.

Trade Sales and Marketing
For more information, contact
Maureen Droz
at
Maureen.Droz@state.sd.us
or
605-773-3301

2009 Greenhorn's Guide
The Greenhorn’s Guide to Archeology and Paleontology is now available in a downloadable and printable PDF on www.TravelSD.com. Contact Thad Friedeman or Eileen Bertsch for more information at thad.friedeman@state.sd.us or eileen.bertsch@state.sd.us.

Free Online Customer Service Training
The free online training continues to be available through the Office of Tourism. To obtain the necessary ID code, email Eileen Bertsch.

Visitor and Industry Relations
For more information, contact
Eileen Bertsch
at
Eileen.Bertsch@state.sd.us
or
605-773-3301

Group Tour Fam
The Trade Sales team will be hosting a Japanese Group Tour operators familiarization tour, June 21-25, in the Black Hills. There will be 10 tour operators and an escort on the tour.

Trade Sales and Marketing
For more information, contact
Alicia Gildemaster
at
Alicia.Gildemaster@state.sd.us
or
605-773-3301

Press Release Sign-up
If you’d like to receive press releases via email from the Office of Tourism, go to www.MediaSD.com to sign up today!

Media and Public Relations
For more information, contact
Wanda Goodman
at
Wanda.Goodman@state.sd.us
or
605-773-3301

Important Reminders
Lit Swap Reminder
Approval of your brochure is needed by the end of May or before attending a lit swap. For more information, contact Tasha Bothun at natasha.bothun@state.sd.us.

Interstate Information Centers
The Interstate Information Centers open on May 16 this year. For more information, contact Tasha Bothun at natasha.bothun@state.sd.us.

Ask SD Tourism
A reminder about the dates, times and locations of this year's "Ask South Dakota Tourism."

April 22 - Pierre - King's Inn Hotel - 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
                 (During the Great Lakes of South Dakota annual meeting)

May 6 - Rapid City - Rushmore Plaza Civic Center - 3:30-5:30 p.m.
              (During the West River Lit Swap)

May 7 - Mitchell - World's Only Corn Palace - 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
              (During the East River Lit Swap)

July 17 - Milbank - location to be determined - 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
                (During the Glacial Lakes & Prairies board meeting)