eFYI for January 2008 South Dakota Office of Tourism

eFYI - Featuring Your Industry - January 2008

Please take a moment to send this message on to your co-workers, employees, or any other members of the Travel and Tourism Industry. Use the Send to a Friend Link below, or to subscribe to this list use the links below, or email Kirk.Hulstein@state.sd.us

Tourism Conference
The 2008 Governor’s Conference on Tourism is quickly approaching! The dates are January 16-17 and you may still register by visiting www.SDVisit.com and clicking on the tourism conference icon. Online payment is available. Along with top-notch speakers and networking opportunities, there will be several Made In South Dakota vendors exhibiting both days. Be sure to stop by their booths and see what they have to offer. They’re here to meet you!

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

Familiarization Tour
Italian tour operator Alidays is bringing top promoters to learn about a new tour promoting winter attractions and snowmobiling in the Black Hills and Yellowstone National Park. The familiarization tour will begin January 27 and include three full days of touring in each state. Maureen Droz with the Office of Tourism and Black Hills suppliers will host the group in South Dakota.

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

Twelve Consecutive Months of Growth
The 2007 Calendar year ended with a 26 percent increase in inquiries during December in comparison to December of last year. Overall, the 2007 CY marketing resulted in a 17 percent increase. All 12 months showed growth over last year.

Research
For more information contact
Tim Binder
at
Tim.Binder@state.sd.us
or
(605) 773-3301

Mission Overseas
Vicky Engelhaupt, along with representatives from Rocky Mountain International, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and North Dakota will attend a Scandinavian Mission, January 7-16. The group will conduct sales trainings and seminars, attend the Reiseliv Show in Norway, host a journalist reception, and attend the Visit USA Show in Sweden.

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

Journalists in the State – January
Larry Myhre – Sioux City Journal’s Outdoor Editor
Gary Howey – Outdoorsmen Adventures TV

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

Adventure Travel Expo
The Office of Tourism and the Black Hills Travel Council are working together to attend the Adventures in Travel Expo in Chicago, Ill. On January 26 and 27, adventure enthusiasts from all over the Chicago metro area will flock to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in the hopes of planning their next adventure. South Dakota will be there to inform them of all the adventure opportunities that await them in our state. This will be the second year South Dakota will be represented at this show.

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

Information Center Brochures
South Dakota visitor industry members may display their brochures at any of the 13 Interstate Information Centers free of charge. Don’t forget to have your brochures approved by the Office of Tourism before May 1, 2008 for the 2008 Summer Season. Be sure to review this year's Brochure guidelines.

Visitor and Industry Relations
For more information contact
Natasha Bothum
at
Natasha.Bothun@state.sd.us
or
(605) 773-3301

South Dakota Office of Tourism

www.TravelSD.com	Consumer Site
www.SDVisit.com	Travel and Tourism Industry Site
www.MediaSD.com	Press and Media Site
www.FilmSD.com	South Dakota Film Office Site
www.TourSDakota.com	Travel Professionals Site