Last year, tourists spent over $5 billion in South Dakota — a record for the state. However, this year concerns are growing that tourism will drop off due to economic uncertainty, inflation and falling international tourist numbers.
The industry employs over 60,000 South Dakotans and helps fund state services.
For more on concerns and hopes as the state’s main tourism season kicks off, host Asma Khalid speaks to John Carley, a state senator and manager of Elk Creek Resort in Piedmont, South Dakota.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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