Talkin' Tourism: Your Conference Connection
This year, anyone unable to attend the South Dakota Governor's Conference on Tourism will be able to stay up-to-date with the conference blog. The blog, launched Jan. 13, 2009, will be updated daily until the conference and several times a day during the conference. It will feature session highlights, photos, videos and other updates. Visit www.SDVisit.com for links to Talkin' Tourism.

Multi-Media Press Release Co-op Opportunity
The Media and Public Relations team will announce a new public relations cooperative opportunity at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The co-op will include a multi-media press release distributed to a customized media list, as well as some follow-up analytics to gauge the success of the release. Watch your mailboxes following the conference, as there will be a mailer sent out to explain the program in more detail. Information and a downloadable registration form will also be made available on www.SDVisit.com.

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

Great Service Star
Great Service Star plaques will be mailed in late January to those businesses that received the designation for 2009. Businesses that received their plaques in 2008 will receive the 2009 tab to add to the plaque. Several businesses that received the designation in 2008 did not re-apply for 2009. This program formerly gave a two-year designation, but in 2007 it changed to an annual renewal. Applications for the 2009 designation will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2009.

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

Free Opportunity for Meeting/Convention Facilities
Now is a great time to make sure that your facilities are listed on www.Eventective.com. Eventective has more than one million visitors a month to their site. We link to Eventective from the South Dakota Travel Professionals Web site and a basic listing is free. Take advantage of this great opportunity to make your facility known to meeting and convention planners.

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

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

Trade Sales and Marketing
For more information, contact
Vicky Engelhaupt
at
Vicky.Engelhaupt@state.sd.us
or
(605) 773-3301

Important Reminders
Online Hospitality Training
The winter months may be a great time for managers and employees to take the Office of Tourism's online customer service training course, Serving Great Faces in Great Places. For information and to access the training, go to www.SDVisit.com and click on Online Customer Service Training. Call Eileen at 773-3301 for the user code or email eileen.bertsch@state.sd.us.

Tell us about your meetings
The Office of Tourism is happy to attend your upcoming association meetings or special events. Please let Nicole Gall know of any meetings, special events or gatherings you would like Tourism staff to attend. We will try to attend if possible.

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

Research and E-Commerce
For more information, contact
Kirk Hulstein
at
Kirk.Hulstein@state.sd.us
or
(605) 773-3301