The Visitor Beat
Welcome to The Visitor Beat, the monthly newsletter of Experience Sioux Falls. Stay up-to-date on what's going on locally in the travel industry, as well as what's trending nationally.
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2025 Sales Recap
In 2025 the Experience Sioux Falls sales team hit the road to sell Sioux Falls to professional planners for meetings, conventions, sports tournaments, group travel, and two consumer shows.
- 11 trade and travel shows attended
- Represented Sioux Falls in cities like Philadelphia, Kansas City, Chicago, Miami, Fort Worth, and more
- Met with nearly 450 people at travel show appointments
- Booked 136 events
- Hosted planners on 25 site visits throughout the year
Recent Bookings to Bring Hundreds to Sioux Falls
Premier National League (PNL) is bringing its 2026 Winter Nationals to the Sioux Falls Convention Center January 31 – February 1. Around 400 boy and girl wrestlers from around the country are expected to participate, along with an additional 400-600 spectators.
This is a first-time event for Sioux Falls that stemmed from Experience Sioux Falls (ESF) reaching out to PNL in 2024 to pitch the city as a host site for a future event. Sioux Falls was considered when PNL needed to pivot to a new location for the 2026 Winter Nationals, and after hosting them on a site visit last month, PNL chose to bring its event to Sioux Falls.
ESF is also excited to announce that it booked the 2027 Dairy Calf and Heifer Annual Conference which will bring over 230 people to the Sioux Falls Convention Center and Sheraton Hotel in April 2027, with nearly 500 overnight stays. Like PNL, this regional conference is also a new event for Sioux Falls. The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association focuses on producers and managers raising dairy calves and replacement heifers.
American Bus Association Marketplace
ESF Sales Manager, Jackie Wentworth, will be in Reno, NV this month to attend the American Bus Association 2026 Marketplace alongside several more South Dakota representatives. Jackie will be meeting with nearly 50 tour operators in one-on-one appointments to discuss potential opportunities for them to experience in Sioux Falls.
The tour operators that Jackie will meet with include a mix of companies that have never included South Dakota in their itineraries, those who have been to the state but did not stop in Sioux Falls, and those who have been to Sioux Falls in the past and are interested in bringing additional tours.
The American Bus Association’s annual Marketplace brings together the motorcoach industry along with group tour and travel companies that include destination marketing organizations like ESF, lodging, attractions, and more.
South Dakota Governor's Conference on Tourism
The registration deadline to attend the South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism is just days away, with registration closing on Tuesday, January 13. The conference will take place January 20-22 in Pierre, hosted by the Travel South Dakota team. This conference is a great way to connect with visitor industry partners from across the state to learn from each other and hear about the latest trends shaping the 2026 travel season. With two days of general session speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, attendees will receive actionable insights and takeaways that can be applied in their business.
The conference will conclude with the Awards Night Gala for a celebration where members of the visitor industry will be honored for their achievements and contributions that have helped make our state a great travel destination.
