PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- New numbers show South Dakota’s tourism industry remained a powerful economic driver in 2025, despite inflation and economic instability felt by many people throughout the year.

South Dakota Department of Tourism Secretary Jim Hagen expects some of that uneasiness to carry over into 2026, but people still want to travel.

Hagen says the Travel South Dakota website has a new, artificial intelligence tool to help plan a trip throughout the state.

Hagen says all South Dakotans– not just those directly working in hospitality or tourism jobs– have an impact on travelers’ experiences in the state.

Hagen released the annual report from Tourism Economics during the state tourism conference. The data shows record high numbers, with 14.97 million visitors having traveled to and within South Dakota in 2025, an increase of 0.38 percent from 2024. Those visitors spent $5.16 billion, representing a 1.1% increase over 2024.

In 2025, tourism accounted for 4.7% of the state’s total economy. Visitor activity generated $2.3 billion in household income for South Dakotans, supporting 59,145 jobs statewide. Tourism activity also generated $406.1 million in state and local tax revenue, representing 16.5% of all state sales tax collections. Without the tourism industry, each South Dakota household would have paid an additional $1,121 in taxes