Jan. 22, 2021

South Dakota’s tourism industry held its own during the COVID-19 pandemic — especially compared to other states.

The state welcomed 12.6 million visitors in 2020, according to a study by Tourism Economics that was released by the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

That’s a 13 percent drop from the year before, which made the state one of the top performing for tourism nationwide. Through the summer months, South Dakota ranked No. 3 in the country in domestic bookings.

Visitors to South Dakota spent $3.4 billion, a decline of 18 percent compared with the national average of a 45 percent drop in visitor spending.

Spending generated by visitors flowed through the economy and contributed $2.6 billion in gross domestic product, accounting for 4.7 percent of the state’s economy.

“South Dakota’s tourism industry faced many challenges in 2020. They adapted and turned it into an incredible year,” Gov. Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Because of their efforts, we were able to put more than $3 billion into South Dakota’s economy and set the state up for a very bright future.”

Hotel occupancy averaged 46.3 percent for the year, compared with the national average of 44.7 percent. There were 408,000 airport arrivals in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, a 48 percent year-over-year decrease.

South Dakota has 49,500 jobs that are supported by the tourism industry, representing one out of 12 jobs in the state.

“Though the tourism industry has always been resilient, 2020 proved it more than ever,” Tourism Secretary Jim Hagen said. “Tourism in South Dakota is a job-creating, revenue-generating industry that plays a vital role in supporting the state’s economy year after year. And it didn’t just make a difference for the state’s bottom line. This money greatly impacts communities and families across South Dakota.”