CVB Travel: Travel, tourism industry predicts good 2002

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Local tourism and travel industry leaders foresee a good tourist season in 2002. Tracy Kimberlin, executive director of the Convention & Visitors Bureau, said early signs, such as robust spring break travel and a recovering economy, indicate a good season for the region.|ret||ret||tab|

"We're projecting a 3.4 percent in-crease in room tax revenue," Kimberlin said. "And I'm thinking that's fairly conservative." |ret||ret||tab|

The region's accessibility by car, pristine environment and family values make it appealing for many tourists since the Sept. 11 attacks, he said.|ret||ret||tab|

People still want to travel, but they don't want to stray too far from home, said Larry Whiteley, corporation public relations manager at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.|ret||ret||tab|

"People are still going to come," Whiteley said. "They're going to travel shorter distances."|ret||ret||tab|

Even so, air travel also is expected to return to normal levels this summer, said Sherry Wallace, marketing director at the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. |ret||ret||tab|

Local air travel is still down 12 percent compared to the same time last year, but had good numbers during winter holiday and spring break travel, airport officials said.|ret||ret||tab|

"We think this season is going to be great," Wallace said. "We'll be completing our extensive airfield improvements and we expect a rebound in business and leisure travel by June."|ret||ret||tab|

Business travel should increase as the economy strengthens, and local leisure travel is feeling a boost with the opening last fall of The American National Fish and Wildlife Museum.|ret||ret||tab|

Gen. Fred Marty, executive director of the museum, expects 900,000 people to go through the museum in its first year.|ret||ret||tab|

"For the first quarter, we're going to be very close to our projection," Marty said.|ret||ret||tab|

What remains to be seen is if the tourist season May through September will meet expectations. Those peak months are when 70 percent of the museum's annual visitors are expected to tour the facility, Marty said.|ret||ret||tab|

One coming attraction is the Shells, Scales, Fangs and Tails exhibit which opens in May with alligators, large turtles, snakes, other crawly critters and educational reptile displays.|ret||ret||tab|

Later in the year a Migratory Bird Day event is planned.|ret||ret||tab|

Strong, well-planned events also are bringing people to Silver Dollar City, and early indicators at the theme park make it appear the Springfield-Branson region will see a good season in 2002, said Mike Woody, sales director at the theme park.|ret||ret||tab|

The indicators Woody is watching include strong season pass sales, even though the tourist season hasn't officially begun. Once the season gets into full swing, Woody expects the numbers to climb.|ret||ret||tab|

Other factors also should help the re-gion's tourist season. Among them: two local golf courses Branson Creek Golf Club and Rivercut Golf Course were ranked by "Golfweek Magazine" among the top three best public courses in Missouri.|ret||ret||tab|

Big events such as the Mid-America Street Rod Nationals, the Ozark Empire Fair, the Ozark Motorcycle Jubilee, Fall Hunting Classic, Camping and Boating Classic, Rock & Ribs BBQ, etc. are ex-pected to bring people to the area.|ret||ret||tab|

A new event, Camp Jeep an owner-loyalty event sponsored by the Jeep Division of DaimlerChrysler is expected to bring up to 12,000 people to the area in July. |ret||ret||tab|

(Susan Wade is public relations manager for the Springfield Conven-tion & Visitors Bureau.)[[In-content Ad]]