RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) -Tourism Season in the Black Hills is in full effect, with visitors from all over visiting the iconic Mount Rushmore and other hot spots. Secretary of Tourism Jim Hagen also paid a visit to the Black Hills this week. He says despite covid and a potential impending recession…tourism is still the bread and butter of South Dakota.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Homeland Security, international travelers are still required by law to provide proof of vaccination prior to entering U.S soil. Hagan says that foreign visitor numbers are not at the same levels as pre-pandemic travel, but he remains optimistic that things will change in the next 2 to 3 years.

Hagen says that international visitor numbers are not the same as in previous years, but remains optimistic about the next few years

He states “So, we are not quite there with international visitors yet and there is a couple of challenges that we are seeing. I think there is still going to be about 2 to 3 years before we see international travel completely bounce back to numbers that we saw in 20-19 and again…it is just a process that will occur as the pandemic winds its way and hopefully we get through it. Those international visitors will come back, but there are still some roadblocks in the United States…we are still requiring covid testing of international visitors when they come into the United States. Many countries have dropped that requirement and that is working against us, but we are starting to see a little bit of uptick.”

Hagen says that most international travelers he encounters say that they have traveled to large cities, but South Dakota allows them to experience the great outdoors.

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