Not a place whose tourism industry often makes the headlines, but South Dakota’s tourism is really on a roll this year. Literally a roll in one instance: It’s the 75th anniversary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and it’s expected to be the biggest ever.
State tourism officials point to good weather, low gas prices and special events as reasons for the upswing. Besides the big motorcyle rally, this year marks the 50th annual Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park. By July, visitors at Custer were up 6% and revenue 13%. State tourism tax revenues overall are up 17% for the year, and the September buffalo roundup is expected to bring larger-than-usual crowds.
And, of course, in addition to the annual events there are year-round attractions that just don’t go away when the season ends—think of Mt. Rushmore!
The western part of the state is really beautiful, and the plains have their own magic.
I’m not surprised by this news. There’s a lot to see and do in “flyover country”.