
This week was one of my favorite weeks of the year. The annual South Dakota Governors Conference on Tourism took place in Pierre. I always learn so much and take away a real sense of purpose in this crazy profession of tourism.
At Blue Tin Ranch we are all about welcoming guests from near and far to our farm. But what does that look like from the standpoint of ownership? How does my attitude towards the guests make a difference? What am I doing to enhance their stay? What am I overlooking that could make life easier and more joyful?
These questions and more are addressed by keynote speakers and breakout sessions during the day at the conference. There are a lot of numbers from folks who love to crunch numbers but somehow they find a way to make those numbers make sense, and even uplift our outlook on the business.
We are also treated by speakers who send us out the doors with laughter and smiles and encourage us to spread that laughter and joy to our guests.
But my absolute favorite part of the conference is reconnecting with folks I have met over the years who are also involved in this wacky tourism life we have chosen. Blue Tin Ranch donated canvas bags and blankets to be added to donation baskets for the Agri-Tourism group and also for the SE SD Tourism Association. I like to imagine that the winners of those baskets will learn just who Blue Tin Ranch is and maybe they will even book a stay or event with us. The best outcome would be that they spread the word about us to their friends and family.
Some interesting things I learned:
International visitors are coming from Germany, Italy, India, Japan and South Korea. They are not coming from New Zealand or the Netherlands. Things that bring them to the US are our culture, our history and our national parks. Things that keep them from traveling here are the cost of airline tickets, difficulty getting visas and gun violence.
As I attended session after session dealing with rural tourism in South Dakota I was frustrated because none of the speakers were talking to me. Me, the owner of a farm, the owner of a business located more than 7 miles from town, the owner with no employees. What I discovered is that my operation is considered 'frontier' And there isn't a lot of support or information that is helpful for the 1-2 man operations. Now, I did take solace in the fact that many hunting lodges across South Dakota would also fall in this category so perhaps there will be some things in common that we can find together. I did take away some positive ideas that smaller towns are using to attract visitors and we can perhaps hook some of those visitors to our farm.
The best thing about tourism operators and tourism executives....they are all so bubbly and fun and leave everyone with a sense of pride for those involved in the business. I am energized and ready to take on the world after the conference! Well, maybe not the whole world but definitely my little piece of it!
Noreen
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