MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Johanna Allen, the Marketing Lead for the Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau, reported on tourism in front of the Mitchell City Council. Ms. Allen related that hotel occupancy is up 2.8% from 2023. That may not seem like much but 2023 was a record year so improvement on those excellent numbers is a welcome surprise.
Ms. Allen also reported that local tourism spending is up 7.3% and that the third penny sales tax shows strong growth throughout the year as well. Tourism spending in Davison County specifically was $115 million which generated $8.3 million in state and local sales taxes as well as sparked spending in private businesses such as restaurants, gas stations, hotels and the like.