TRAVEL SOUTH DAKOTA FINDS SUCCESS WITH FALL MARKETING STRATEGY

11/21/2024

PIERRE, S.D. - Utilizing updated imagery and innovative marketing tactics, Travel South Dakota's "So Much South Dakota, So Little Time" fall campaign saw strong results for the late tourism season.

From August through September, the campaign delivered more than 12.2 million impressions in its key markets and nearly 37,000 clicks to TravelSouthDakota.com. The campaign generated 841,000 hotel and flight searches, and 55,800 hotel and flight bookings, accounting for $127 million in hotel and flight booking revenue.

Going into the fall months, consumer confidence was reported to be low while travel booking windows were short. Even though flight and hotel searches remained strong, there was hesitancy with travelers to confirm bookings.

Consumers were looking for deals and quick turnarounds for a fall vacation. According to Intrepid Travel's 2024 Outlook Survey, 70% of responders were seeking ways to save without compromising their trips and planning to do so by traveling in the off-season. To accommodate, Travel South Dakota worked with entities like Expedia, Tripadvisor, and Hopper to leverage tactics that proved successful in past campaigns and keyed in on deal-based messaging and partnerships.

Tripadvisor reported that 96% of travelers intend to travel this fall, and 72% of those travelers plan on revisiting a destination they have been before. This mindset provided an opportunity for Travel South Dakota to focus on a regional approach targeting drive markets, encouraging repeat visitation. Kansas City, MO, was added as a primary market for fall 2024, along with a partnership with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The department's winter campaign will soon launch, and paid advertisements will pick back up at the national and regional levels, including streaming TV, broadcast, and digital channels.

For more inspiration and travel planning resources, visit TravelSouthDakota.com.

The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Travel South Dakota and the South Dakota Arts Council. The department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.

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CONTACT

Katlyn Svendsen, Global Public Relations & Content Services Senior Director
Travel South Dakota
Email: [email protected]

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