2021 marks strong year for Falls Park visitation
Feb. 24, 2022
This paid piece is sponsored by Experience Sioux Falls, formerly the Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Falls Park had a strong year in 2021 with over 186,600 visitors entering the Visitor Information Center, including people from all 50 states.
“While this is a good number, it only reflects those that actually walk through the doors of the visitor center. We know that the true number of visitors to the park itself is much, much higher. Typically, about one-third of all visitors to the park actually go inside the visitor center,” said Teri Schmidt, executive director of Experience Sioux Falls.
The top 10 states signing in at the Visitor Information Center in 2021 were:
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
- Texas
- Iowa
- California
- Illinois
- Florida
- Michigan
- Ohio
And the top 10 countries in 2021 were:
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Mexico
- Australia
- Germany
- Puerto Rico
- Japan
- South Korea
- Colombia
- Venezuela
“Historically, our research shows that a majority of domestic travelers driving to Sioux Falls are coming from the states east and south of South Dakota, and these stats reaffirm our marketing presence in those primary markets,” said Krista Orsack, director of marketing for Experience Sioux Falls.
The falls of the Big Sioux River was the main draw for early settlers in the area when determining where to live, and Falls Park continues to be the main attraction for visitors to the city.
“We consistently hear from first-time visitors to Sioux Falls that they are surprised to see how close to downtown Falls Park is and also how clean the park is, so a big credit goes to our Parks & Recreation Department for the great job that they do in maintaining the park,” Schmidt said.
Not only can you view the park from the top of the five-story observation tower, but the Falls Park Visitor Information Center is the No. 1 source to purchase Sioux Falls apparel and memorabilia.
Some of the recent merchandise additions include T-shirts and sweatshirts with new designs and playing cards with Sioux Falls facts. Pick something out for yourself to enjoy, or get a gift for a loved one.
Experience Sioux Falls is hiring for spring and summer employees at the Falls Park Visitor Information Center. If you enjoy talking with visitors and have a passion for Sioux Falls, this is a great opportunity for you. Learn more about these positions.
