Lichtenegger: Knowing Your Missouri State Departments: Economic Development, Division of Tourism

Here at the Capitol it is known as DED: the Department of Economic Development. It has fourteen divisions, among which is the Division of Tourism. You can link from the picture below to view the DED webpage that lists all 14 Divisions. Each division heading is a hyperlink where you’ll find information, resources and other useful information. Today’s Capitol Report will focus on the Division of Tourism.


Division of Tourism: The Missouri Division of Tourism is the administrative arm of the Missouri Tourism Commission, and it advocates for the sound development of the travel and tourism industry in Missouri. Created by the 74th General Assembly in 1967, the Division of Tourism’s mission is to promote Missouri as a top-of-mind travel destination and to boost state revenue through increased visitor spending.

In my July 21 Capitol Report I showed you how to use the Department of Natural Resources to access and plan an outdoor event at any State Park or Historical Site, but of course, these are not the only sites to visit in this beautiful state. Use either picture-link below to view the Missouri tourism home page where you can order a travel guide; get trip ideas; print off coupons; or find a special fun event for kids!
      

When you linked to the home page above did you notice the black state silhouette at the top? If you want to find events in any region of the state just click on the regional section and it will take you to listings and other information relative to that region. Let’s explore the Southeast region. After all, we might be surprised what’s in our own “backyard”! When we click on the SE area of the black silhoette, below is what we get (yes, the pictures are hyperlinks!):
   

You’ll notice this upper section (left-most picture) of the webpage rotates pictures of a few of the places to visit. If you click on the picture it will take you to a description of –in this case- a listing of the Art Galleries in SEMO. The webpage picture on the right is of the mid-section which has a short description of the region. Don’t forget if your computer’s pointing device turns into a pointing finger when placed over a webpage object that means it’s a webpage hyperlink. For example, the photo of the carousel horse will take you to a listing of regional museums. The webpage also has other features you’re going to want to explore –such as the lower section where detailed information can be accessed by using the tabs. Under the Listings tab, for example, you’ll be able to sort the information by city or type. The left side bar contains hyperlinks to more information.


So what are you waiting for? Take a look at what’s available and get planning!