Tourism Does Well Despite Flooding

     PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Gov. Dennis Daugaard says the tourism
industry's impact on the South Dakota economy rose by 1.5 percent
last year, despite a cold, wet spring and summer flooding along the
Missouri River.
     The governor says fewer people visited South Dakota last year,
but spending rose to $1.8 billion in 2011.
     Daugaard says the travel industry supported about 27,000 jobs
last year. He says tourism generated $271 million in state and
local tax revenues last year, or nearly 19 percent of all state and
local tax collections.
     State Tourism Secretary Jim Hagen says many people were hesitant
to visit South Dakota when they heard of flooding along the
Missouri River. But he says state officials and private businesses
let people know that most parts of the state were not affected by
flooding.