PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- A mid summer check of visitation to South Dakota finds some impressive numbers.

Tourism Department Secretary Jim Hagen says the pace is ahead of that two years ago.

Hagen says tourism businesses are struggling to keep up due to the lack of workers and that will be a long term issue.

Hagen says many agencies in state government are working on expanding the tourism workforce.

The state saw more than fourteen million visitors in 2019 and collected more than three hundred million dollars in visitation related tax revenue.