(Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Trends are moving more toward travelers taking time to vacation in autumn.  Some reasons for the move are: 1) More favorable weather by escaping the hottest temperatures.  2) Fewer folks travel in the fall compared to the summer months.  3) Favorable prices for fuel and hotel accommodations.

South Dakota’s Department of Tourism has been marketing travelers in the age group of 55 and above in places like Des Moines, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Omaha.  Using a variety of messages in different media, the hope is to entice that segment of population for either a weekend or slightly longer.

Another group of folks who travel to the state in the fall include hunters.  Pheasant Forever members have been getting a steady dose of information touting South Dakota in the latter stages of October.

According to a statement, Secretary of Tourism Jim Hagen is pushing towards a constant drumbeat of information.  “The Department of Tourism has gotten closer to an “always-on” approach to marketing, meaning our marketing never stops.  Our visitors might be planning a year out, a few months out, or a few weeks out. We want to be in front of them with our messaging no matter what time of year, and no matter what phase of the decision-making process they’re in.”

The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council and the South Dakota State Historical Society.

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