2024 Annual Report

VISIT RAPID CITY ANNUAL REPORT

2024 Edition

02 | 2024 ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 LETTER FROM VISIT RAPID CITY 06 2024 WINNING MOMENTS 08 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW 09 VISIT RAPID CITY BOARD & STAFF 10 MISSION, VISION & VALUES 12 TOURISM’S ECONOMIC IMPACT 14 LODGING PERFORMANCE 15 VISITATION 16 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS 18 RAPID CITY SPORTS COMMISSION 20 EVENTS AND DOWNTOWN 22 PUBLIC RELATIONS 24 MARKETING 28 CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR PROGRAM 30 LOOKING AHEAD

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GREETINGS FROM VISIT RAPID CITY! Every day, we work to champion Rapid City as a remarkable destination—one that fuels our local economy, brings national attention to our doorstep, and enhances the quality of life for our residents. Tourism is more than just visits and vacations; it’s a powerful engine that supports local jobs, fills hotel rooms, drives spending at our restaurants and attractions, and lowers the tax burden for our community.

When visitors come to Rapid City, they generate tax revenue that strengthens our community. Overnight stays fuel lodging tax revenue that helps us promote the region and reinvest in experiences for both residents and guests. But even if visitors don’t stay the night, their meals at restaurants, shopping, and time spent at attractions generate sales tax revenue that supports local services and quality of life.

From public art and attractions to events and infrastructure, tourism touches nearly every part of Rapid City—and when it thrives, we all do.

Visit Rapid City is proud to collaborate with city leadership, business owners, attractions, cultural organizations, sports and meeting planners, and passionate locals who share our commitment to showcasing all the things that make Rapid City one-of-a-kind. Together, we’re not just inviting people to visit—we’re helping them fall in love with this place.

Thank you for being part of the story. If you have questions, ideas, or want to get involved in our efforts, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s keep building a vibrant, welcoming Rapid City—one visitor at a time.

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VISIT RAPID CITY’S

Winning Moments We believe that every achievement, big or small, is a step forward in our mission and vision. Throughout the year, we collected successes and displayed them in our office on the “Wall of Wins”. Some of these key wins are listed on page 7, celebrating the collective efforts to create a more vibrant Rapid City. There are a few really stellar moments, you’ll find those have been highlighted.

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◊

Launched the City of Presidents AI audio tour on Presidents Day, bringing new technology to a beloved attraction.

◊

Integrated Downtown Rapid City and Main Street Square under the leadership of Visit Rapid City following a board vote

◊

Unveiled a new brand identity for Downtown Rapid City and Main Street Square.

◊

Debuted the new DowntownRapidCity.com website.

◊

Opened the Rapid City Visitor Center in downtown for the first time, welcoming 23,313 visitors in its inaugural year.

◊

Reimagined the visitor guide into a compact, travelsized version.

◊

Hosted the inaugural Rapid City Global Meetings Industry Day Community Outreach event.

◊

VisitRapidCity.com won Platinum at the 2024 Hermes Creative Awards.

◊

New visual identity and website received Honorable Mention at the dotCOMM Awards.

◊

Marketing team took home six awards at the Black Hills Addy’s.

◊

Won Silver for our new visual identity at the Davey Awards.

◊

Dani Benne graduated from Elevate’s Leadership Program.

◊

Callie Meyer was selected to serve on the Mayor’s Sustainability Committee and accepted into the Elevate Leadership Institute.

◊

Partnered with AT Creative to launch the first GPStriggered audio tour in North America for our City View Trolleys, making Rapid City their inaugural U.S. project.

◊

Hosted the 1st Annual Summer Sunset Festival at Main Street Square.

◊

Sold $3,000 in tickets at the 1st Annual Block Party at Main Street Square.

◊

Ally Formanek was voted President of the Black Hills SHRM Board of Directors.

◊

Kicked off the Rapid City Sports Commission’s digital advertising efforts, including awareness, social, and geofencing campaigns.

◊

Tyson Steiger celebrated 10 years at Visit Rapid City.

◊

Main Street Square received a $100,000 operations grant from the John T. Vucurevich Foundation.

◊ Secured Rapid City as the 2025 host city for the USTA Tumbling & Trampoline and USA BMX National Championships.

Awarded $250,000 from Travel South Dakota for the DMO Marketing Assistance Program.

◊

Generated impactful media coverage, resulting in 570.6M media impressions.

Secured Rapid City as the 2025 host destination for International Round Up.

◊

Engaged FiredUp! Culture to help strengthen internal culture and employee engagement.

◊

Dani Benne was featured as a webinar panelist with our digital agency, Simpleview, sharing insight on destination branding.

◊

Tyson Steiger presented on Rapid City’s brand transformation to Destination International’s CDME program students.

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Created a Facebook page for the Rapid City Sports Commission.

Partnered with Sutton Hospitality during Rodeo Rapid City to provide a Hospitality Room for rodeo athletes and their families.

◊

Celebrated 32 participating restaurants during Rapid City Restaurant Week.

◊

Certified our 200th Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA), Jerica Lemme, in May.

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FINANCIAL OVERVIEW 2024 BUDGET Advocacy Certified Tourism Ambassador Program™

5.4%

8.4% Sales/Services

19.5%

Visitor Center

6.1% Trolley

Rapid City Sports Commission

6.8%

13.4% Administrative

15.1% Marketing

25.3%

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BOARD & STAFF VRC BOARD MEMBERS Scott Landguth* SD Ellsworth Development Authority Tim Johnson* Elevation Inn & Suites Mike Derby Lloyd Companies

*EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

BID BOARD MEMBERS

Jesse Scheitler Lost Cabin Beer Co.

Wade Lampert* Best Western Ramkota

Stacie Hull* The Rushmore

Jami Battochio Chris Bro Hospitality

Logan Steffens* Holiday Inn Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

Jennifer Seifert-Brenna Lloyd Companies

Kelly Buntrock* First Interstate Bank

Lynzie Montague Liv Hospitality

Chris Johnson Tinder Box

Logan Steffens* Holiday Inn Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

Katelyn Cook Gunderson Palmer

Stacie Hull* The Rushmore Gavin Fawbush Birch Lake Hospitality

VISIT RAPID CITY STAFF Brook Kaufman President & CEO

Dani Benne Director of Marketing

Pomai Lindenthal Events Coordinator

Ally Formanek Director of Operations

Kelsy Peterson Digital Marketing Manager

Joe Garza Operations Manager

Shelby Solano Destination Experience Manager Domico Rodriguez Executive Director of Rapid City Sports Commission Dave Dolan Sports Development Specialist Tyson Steiger Director of Sales

Cody Wiseman Creative Marketing Manager Laurie Sutterer Destination Specialist Callie Meyer Director of Community Engagement

Chris Medina Operations Team Lead Gary Armour Operations Associate Patrick Oliver Operations Associate

Destiny Cash Events Manager 2024 ANNUAL REPORT | 09

OUR MISSION Be the driving force behind growing visitation to enhance our local economy and quality of life.

OUR VISION A more vibrant Rapid City celebrated by residents and visitors.

OUR VALUES

1 2 3 4 5 6

Earn Trust Do what you say you’ll do. Be respectful.

Create a safe, inclusive workspace for all.

Adapt Embrace change. Be willing to pivot. Stay fluid. Stretch. Adjust for success.

Be Best-In-Class Execute thoughtfully. Hustle. Prioritize to maximize. Grow. Deliver knock-yoursocks-off service.

Commit To Transparency Lead with honesty. Answer questions directly. Share information quickly. Display radical integrity.

Embody Passion and Positivity Share your passion. Have a ridiculously sunny attitude. Take pride in your work.

Communicate The Sh*t Out of Everything Don’t let things fester. Be quick to clarify.

Embrace friction. Stay open. Give others the benefit of the doubt.

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IMPACT OF TOURISM 2024 Source: The Rapid City Visitor Economy & Datafy

3.9M

VISITORS TO RAPID CITY

$504M

DIRECT SPENDING

3.8 Days

AVG. LENGTH OF STAY

7,613

JOBS CREATED BY VISITOR SPENDING

$1,681

TAX SAVINGS PER HOUSEHOLD

$53.7M

STATE & LOCAL TAX REVENUE

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LODGING PERFORMANCE OCCUPANCY

LODGING REVENUE

58.7%

$128,112,053

0.1% YOY

5.3% YOY

ADR

$120.01 5.5% YOY

BID COLLECTIONS

BBB COLLECTIONS

$1,595,331

$1,529,890

1.4% YOY

4.7% YOY

LODGING REVENUE & CONTRIBUTION JANUARY 2024 - DECEMBER 2024

$25M

$20M

$15M

$10M

$5M

$0M

15% 9%

10%

11%

12%

12%

Aggregate Revenue

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17%

15% 13%

13%

Short Term Rental Share

12%

12%

13%

VISITATION 1,864

VISITOR CALLS

TOP MARKETS • Sioux Falls, SD

• Pierre, SD

• Gillette, WY

• Omaha, NE

• Bismark, ND

23,313 WALK-INS

10,694

VISITOR GUIDE DOWNLOADS

13,568

MAILED VISITOR GUIDES

TOP POI’S POI Downtown Rapid City Bear Country USA

1,862

TROLLEY TICKETS SOLD

The Monument Reptile Gardens Memorial Park/Berlin Wall Exhibit

29,636

PARTNER REFERRALS

Cosmos Mystery Area Central States Fairgrounds Dinosaur Park Storybook Island Main Street Square

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MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS Visit Rapid City received a $250,000 grant from Travel South Dakota to help facilitate growth in the meetings and conventions segment. The funds are being allocated for advertising and content development to position Rapid City as a premier meeting destination.

$7,151,109.08 ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MEETINGS BOOKED

10,071

ROOM NIGHTS GENERATED

95

LEADS

49

MEETING ASSISTS

35

LEADS TURNED DEFINITE

15

SITE VISITS HOSTED

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LARGE GROUPS RAPID CITY WILL HOST IN 2025 ◊ American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) ◊ United Church of God ◊ National Association of Counties (NACo) ◊ National High School Athletic Coaches Association ◊ International College Learning Center Association (ICLCA) ◊ State Bar of South Dakota ◊ 3rd Reconnaissance Association ◊ International Roundup (IRU)

AMAZING RUSH SEASON 8 Each year Visit Rapid City hosts the gold standard of site visits, The Amazing Rush. The goal of this FAM tour is to generate meetings industry awareness, new sales contacts, leads, and wins.

The seventh season resulted in:

34 APPLICANTS 07 NEW SALES CONTACTS 07 RFPs SENT OUT FOR BID 01 WIN

PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES

CONTESTANTS

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Team Southern Charm

Rapid City Regional Airport DoubleTree Mount Rushmore National Memorial The Hive Custer State Park (Jeep Safari Ride) Blue Bell Lodge Purple Pie Place of Custer Crazy Horse Memorial Ft. Hays Chuckwagon Dinner Show Chapel in the Hills Golf Club at Red Rocks Dinosaur Park Main Street Square Que Pasa The Monument The Rushmore Hotel Hotel Alex Johnson Best Western Ramkota Murphys

Melissa Soto- Lennox (HVAC) Michelle Presswood- CDC

Team Bookers Amy Blesi- Land Improvement Contractors of America Tiffani Roberson- R-CALF

Team Sisters Keepers Loretta Grissom- Council of State Territorial Epidemiologists Sande Lofberg- Aglow

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SPORTS COMMISSION The Rapid City Sports Commission was established to enhance sports tourism in the region while developing a comprehensive community plan to maximize Rapid City’s growth potential.

We engaged the entire sports community to gather input and create a forward-looking strategy.

With the planning phase complete, we are now focused on executing this plan. Below are the achievements from the first year of operation.

1

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A SALES/SERVICING RESOURCE CALLED PLAYEASY.

2

SDSU VS NORTHERN COLORADO BASKETBALL GAME, BUILDING A RESUME OF HOSTING NCAA BASKETBALL.

3

AUGUSTANA VS METRO STATE BASEBALL NCAA BASEBALL EVENT.

4

NEW EVENTS - RUSHMORE SHOOTOUT YOUTH BASEBALL TOURNAMENT PURCHASED PORTABLE FENCING AND PORTABLE MOUNDS TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT AND ADDITIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL TOURNAMENTS MOVING FORWARD.

5

WORLD RECORD TRACK CAMP - AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO LEARN FROM WORLD RECORD HOLDERS AND FORMER OLYMPIANS

6

CREATION OF THE SIZZLE REEL AS A SALES PIECE.

7

USTA TUMBLING & TRAMPOLINE AND USA BMX NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

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EVENTS GENERAL EVENTS

ICE RINK

19,017 Trips

10,131

HIGHEST ATTENDED EVENT PUMPKIN FESTIVAL

2,203

CUPS OF BEER SOLD

100 Days

OUT OF THE YEAR SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING AT THE SQUARE

SKATERS

8,204

PAIRS OF SKATES RENTED OUT

69

SKATE DAYS THIS YEAR

247

BAGS OF ICE USED (4,940LBS)

650

KIDS HELPS WITH DAKOTA CHARITABLE

38

PARTIES HOSTED

299

CUPS OF HOT COCO

100

SMORES MADE

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DOWNTOWN 200

TRASH CANS EMPTIED DAILY

120

FLOWER POTS WATERED DAILY IN SUMMER

1,001

DOWNTOWN AMBASSADOR HOURS WALKED THE STREETS

10

NEW STOREFRONTS

BID COLLECTIONS 2024

BID COLLECTIONS 2023

$292,774

$266,667

GIFT CARDS 2024

GIFT CARDS 2023

855

839

$38,489

$40,432

CARDS SOLD

CARDS SOLD

GIFT CARD SALES

GIFT CARD SALES

800K

VISITOR DAYS

600K

400K 200K

0

JAN

FEB MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

2023

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

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PUBLIC RELATIONS VRC works with Lightning Bug Public Relations to garner editorial coverage for the destination. This is done through influencer marketing, MAT releases, traditional press releases and media pitches. In 2023, Lightning Bug helped secure over $5M in positive PR coverage for the destination.

TOTAL PR REACH & VALUE

570,610,767 EDITORIAL REACH

$5,518,965 AD VALUE

$7,238,254 EARNED VALUE

ACCOLADES Rapid City, South Dakota, Named a Winner in Good Housekeeping’s 2024 Family Travel Awards Quote from Good Housekeeping: “Our testers noted that the vibe was geared toward families with young kids. They especially liked how it catered to a wide range of interests, from history and museums to animals to water parks and more. Prioritize visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial®, especially in the morning when it’s less crowded.

“The memorial itself is much larger than you’d expect,” said our tester. “The story behind it, as well as the Indian Museum of North America® located on the nearby grounds, is truly remarkable.”

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TOP PLACEMENTS

“Best Romantic Getaways in South Dakota”

“Top Places to Go in USA in 2025”

“The Most Epic U.S. Hot Air Balloon Festivals Worth Traveling for This Fall”

“Hidden Travel Gems for a Luxury Vacation in the Midwest”

“Black Hills Nationals Wrestling Tournament Moving to Rapid City”

“Discovering South Dakota’s Natural, Cultural, and Quirky Wonders”

“Powwow Pointers: 15 Tips for Visiting the Famous Native American Celebrations”

“Black Hills Powwow in Photos”

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MARKETING CAMPAIGNS LEISURE BRAND CAMPAIGN This was our first full year bringing Rapid City’s new brand to life. With a year-long leisure campaign that evolved each season, we introduced fresh creative and bold messaging that captured the spirit of the city and inspired travelers all year long.

9,423,157

22,571

TOTAL IMPRESSIONS

TOTAL CLICKS

$105,924,224

125,738

EST. CAMPAIGN IMPACT

313,738

TOTAL TRIPS

EST. ROOM NIGHTS

MEDIA MIX: PAID SEARCH, PROGRAMMATIC DISPLAY, PAID SOCIAL, PRINT ADVERTISING

RESTAURANT WEEK Held in January—a traditionally slower time for restaurants—this year’s Restaurant Week expanded beyond downtown for the first time, uniting eateries across Rapid City to dish out exclusive deals and delicious reasons to dine out.

32

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

2,135

RESTAURANT WEEK PASS SIGN-UPS

MEDIA MIX: DISPLAY, PAID SOCIAL, PRINT, OOH

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984

CHECK-INS

MEETINGS We launched bold campaigns showcasing Rapid City as the ultimate meeting destination— from broad awareness efforts to geo-targeted outreach at key conventions. Highlights included a regional and local push, our unforgettable Amazing Rush site visit experience, and direct calls-to-action encouraging planners to connect with our team in real time.

7.9M

TOTAL IMPRESSIONS

144,598

TOTAL CLICKS

MEDIA MIX: PROGRAMMATIC DISPLAY, PAID SOCIAL, EMAIL MARKETING

SPORTS This year marked our debut in the digital advertising space for sports, with targeted campaigns elevating Rapid City as a premier sports destination. Our efforts included an awareness campaign, a dynamic social campaign, and strategic geofencing to engage planners and drive event interest.

2M

TOTAL IMPRESSIONS

47,042

TOTAL CLICKS

MEDIA MIX: PROGRAMMATIC DISPLAY, PAID SOCIAL, EMAIL MARKETING

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MARKETING CONTENT & STORYTELLING We don’t just tell Rapid City’s story—we make people feel it. Through scroll-stopping social posts, wanderlust-worthy emails, and a websites that turn curiosity into conversions, our content invites the world to discover what makes this place so unforgettable.

WEBSITES VISITRAPIDCITY.COM | DOWNTOWNRAPIDCITY.COM | RCSPORTSCOMMISSION.COM

1,066,930 TOTAL SESSIONS

74.8%

ENGAGEMENT RATE

126K

PARTNER REFERRALS

TOP PAGES ◊ Homepage ◊ Events ◊ Things To Do ◊ Top 10 Lists ◊ Places to Stay

TOP BLOGS ◊ VISITOR: WHEN WILL THE CRAZY HORSE CARVING BE FINISHED? ◊ DOWNTOWN: BITE INTO THE BEST TASTING WEEK IN DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY ◊ MEETINGS: THE PERKS OF KEEPING YOUR DESTINATION CONVENTION LOCAL ◊ SPORTS: TOP SPORTS FACILITIES IN RAPID CITY

EMAIL MARKETING TRAVEL TIPS | EVENT UPDATES | MEETINGS TIPS | RAPID CITY BLOG | BIG BUZZ

51.72%

OPEN RATE

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10.34%

CLICK RATE

SOCIAL MEDIA

458,988

TOTAL ENGAGEMENTS

150,687

FOLLOWERS

VISIT RAPID CITY - FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN Top Social Post

DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY - FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN

RAPID CITY SPORTS COMMISSION FACEBOOK

Top Social Post

Top Social Post

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CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR PROGRAM™ The Rapid City Area Tourism Ambassador Program™ (CTA) was developed to foster a destination-wide network of best-in-class service professionals dedicated to elevating the visitor experience. Our goal is to not just enhance the service visitors experience today but to prepare for the future growth of Rapid City. The Rapid City Area Tourism Ambassador Program™ gives hospitality professionals and volunteers with the necessary tools and resources to provide visitors with “knock-your-socks-off” service in the Rapid City area. Learn more at CTANetwork.com.

TOTAL CLASSES

08 CERTIFIED

121

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LOOKING AHEAD Visit Rapid City has lofty goals for 2024 and beyond. In addition to growing visitation, visitor spend and the economic impact of tourism, there are several projects in the pipeline to continue to grow the visitor economy. Below is a list of current and future projects.

ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS

4M

VISITORS

$500M

VISITOR SPEND

5%

GROWTH IN ROOM NIGHTS

4.5+

SENTIMENT SCORES

CURRENT & FUTURE PROJECTS ◊ Rapid City Visitor Center at 613 Main Street ◊ Sports Commission/indoor sports complex funding ◊ Merge with Downtown Rapid City/Main Street Square ◊ Policy efforts to pursue an increase in BID funding ◊ Intentional use of AI to gain efficiencies across the organization ◊ Development and adoption of short-term rental ordinance ◊ Partnership with Leave No Trace (sustainability efforts) ◊ Grow CTA program to 500+ certified ◊ Destination Master Plan (2025/2026)

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