Gov. Jay Nixon last week cited the explosive growth in visitors at the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City as an example of the attractions that have fueled the $16.5 billion economic impact tourism has had on Missouri's economy in Fiscal Year 2016.
"Missouri hit all-time highs this year in the number of visitors and the dollars they spent," the governor said. "And the national exposure given to the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) tours has certainly boosted those numbers. Our Office of Administration (OA) has a great working relationship with the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), resulting in several successful events and an increase in the number of visitors to our state's Capital City."
Diane Gillespie, executive director of the Jefferson City CVB, reported to the Jefferson City Council this week the MSP tours reached 32,000 visitors this year. Mayor Carrie Tergin was quick to add that number compared to just 3,000 visitors as recently as 2009.
The mayor complimented Gillespie and her staff for their work and credited Gillespie with identifying Jefferson City's unique combination of the state Capitol, river and decommissioned historic prison as magnets for out-of-state tourists, as well as Missourians keen for a stay-cation.
"We are thrilled to see the increasing numbers in visitors to Missouri, particularly to Jefferson City and the Missouri State Penitentiary tours," Gillespie said.
"We are grateful to the state of Missouri and city of Jefferson for allowing us the opportunity to continue to showcase our beautiful city and all we have to offer our visitors," she said. "The decommissioned prison has proven to be a valuable attraction, and we were pleased to see a 25 percent increase in the amount of tour attendees this year and hope to continue this trend in the future."
The CVB and OA have established a positive working relationship, Gillespie said, in which the state leases MSP to the CVB. Gillespie believes this cooperative spirit will only improve as development of the MSP tours gains momentum in future years.
Nixon, in a visit to Branson last week, reported Missouri set new tourism records in the current fiscal year. Figures produced by Tourism Economics indicated Missouri welcomed 41.7 million visitors, a 3.2 percent increase from the previous record of 40.4 million in the previous fiscal year.
Overall, the state's tourism industry hit $16.5 billion this year after a $15.9 billion tally in Fiscal Year 2015. During Nixon's administration, tourism has increased by a total of 34 percent, according to his office.
"Visitors to our state strengthen local communities and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, resulting in a multi-billion industry here in Missouri," Nixon said. "From the great outdoors, to bustling metropolises, to unique gateways in between, there's something for everyone in Missouri."
Tourism-related spending in Missouri expanded to $13.1 billion in Fiscal Year 2016, up from $12.4 the previous year, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue. Direct tourism-related employment also increased to 307,937 jobs, up from 297,129 in Fiscal Year 2015, according to the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Under the Nixon administration, the Missouri Division of Tourism has awarded $25.6 million in matching grants to local destination marketing organizations like the CVB. Gillespie's report included details about her organization's increased marketing efforts this year and those planned for 2017.
The council unanimously approved the budget Gillespie presented, a $1,153,479 plan reflecting a 21.46 percent increase in revenues. Prison tour ticket sales are expected to hit a half-million dollars in 2017, up from the $311,398 budgeted this year - a 37.7 percent increase. She anticipates the marketing budget to build to $636,812 in 2017, up by 22.64 percent over the $492,627 spent in 2016.