An analysis from Tourism Economics shows Hughes County led South Dakota’s Missouri River region for visitor spending in 2025. Visit Pierre Tourism Director Miranda Panzer says Hughes County, which includes the State Capitol town of Pierre, saw an increase of 2.2% from 2024 to 2025. https://media- cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2026/05/050826-panzer1.mp3 Panzer says tourism promotion is a group effort. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2026/05/050826-panzer2.mp3 If looking at percent of growth from 2024 to 2025, the central South Dakota counties of Stanley, Sully, Potter and Faulk were among the top 10 counties. The state Department of Tourism says total visitor spending in South Dakota in 2025 reached a record high of $5.16 billion, a 1.1% increase compared to 2024. Three of the state’s four tourism regions saw increases in visitor spending. The Glacial Lakes Prairies region saw the largest amount of growth at 3.1%. The Black Hills Badlands area showed a 1% increase and the Southeast region had a .8% increase. The fourth area, the Missouri River region, showed a 0% increase. To see the entire Tourism Economics County and Region Level Impact Report for South Dakota, go to the Tourism Department’s website, https://sdvisit.com/research-reports/economic-impact. L to R: Ely De Alba (Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce), Lyssa Bruzelius (Missouri River Tourism), Marcy Anderson (Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce), Pierre Mayor Steve Harding, Miranda Panzer (Visit Pierre) and Carmen Schramm (Tourism Coalition of South Dakota). The City of Pierre and Mayor Steve Harding issued an Executive Proclamation for National Travel Tourism Week, May 3-9, 2026. National Travel Tourism Week celebrates the power of travel to strengthen communities and drive local economies—and Hughes County is a great example of that impact. In 2025, visitor activity generated $99.22 million in spending, supported $8.6 million in state and local tax revenue, and helped sustain 1,353 jobs across the region. More than $50 million in labor income was earned by residents, while households benefited from an average of $1,121 in tax savings thanks to tourism activity (data provided by Travel South Dakota). ...read more read less