The Missouri Division of Tourism announced its new "That's My M-O" passport program, which encourages travelers to visit various locations around the state, in a news release this week.
Avid travelers could be eligible for prizes if they check in at 25, 50 or 100 locations, the news release said.
"This is a great way to kick off National Travel and Tourism Week and to celebrate the upcoming travel season," said Stephen Foutes, director of the Division of Tourism. "This is going to be a big summer for travel, and this program gives visitors another reason to explore Missouri."
Hundreds of locations across Missouri are featured, and participants can visit attractions and destinations sorted into five different themes: outdoors, food, culture, family fun and sports, the news release said.
In the Mid-Missouri area, there are more than 10 state parks and historic sites to visit including Finger Lakes State Park, Harry S Truman State Park and Jefferson Landing State Historic Site.
Other locations travelers can visit in the area are Central Dairy Ice Cream Parlor in Jefferson City, the Missouri state Capitol and the Missouri State Penitentiary.
The passport program is hosted on a mobile-only platform, so there's no app to download, the news release said. A user's personal passport is delivered to their mobile device once they've enrolled.
"This passport program helps showcase the variety Missouri offers as a travel destination," Foutes said in the news release. "From state parks to theme parks, conservation areas to museums, barbecue joints to wineries, and golf courses to biking trails, you'll find a Missouri vacation that fits your travel M-O."
The announcement of the passport program came during this year's National Travel and Tourism Week, which ends Saturday.
The week celebrates the tourism industry and highlights the importance of travel to local, state and national economies, the news release said. In fiscal year 2021, the travel industry in Missouri supported more than 250,000 jobs and generated more than $12 billion in taxable sales.
"Travel is a vital part of Missouri's economic engine," Foutes said. "Our industry supports local businesses, provides jobs and generates taxes that provide services in Missouri communities."
For more details or to register for the program, visit VisitMo.com/passport.