After a year of being cooped up at home, we're all itching to get out.
With more Missourians being vaccinated every day, COVID-19 numbers have been dropping significantly. People again are making summer vacation plans.
That's good news for the state's tourism industry, which - like tourism everywhere - has been decimated by the pandemic.
So the Missouri Division of Tourism is offering something to help with your vacation planning: a tour guide named Mo. She's a real-life spunky young woman who is taking on the face of Missouri tourism.
You'll see her in tourism marketing, providing information about outdoor adventure, family fun, food and drink, history, art, music and more.
She'll also appear on VisitMO.com and social media. Mo is there to help you find your travel M-O.
"Mo embodies Missouri and everything we have to offer visitors in our state," Division of Tourism Director Stephen Foutes said in a news release. "When you're looking for destinations that fit your travel M-O, Mo will be there to help."
The help comes in the form of a short question-and-answer session at VisitMO.com. We gave it a try and found it entertaining and informative. It asked us questions such as whether we'd prefer to be outside or inside, thrill or chill, plan ahead or go spur of the moment.
After just a couple of minutes, it gave us a recommendation based on our interests: Barbecue joints. It led us to some of the top barbecue restaurants in St. Louis, Kansas City, even Jefferson City's own Sweet Smoke BBQ.
The interactive Q&A is a fun way to explore Missouri's offerings. We encourage you to give it a try. It might just inspire you to take a day trip right here in MO.
News Tribune