EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS

EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS, FORMERLY THE SIOUX FALLS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, IS FUNDED BY TWO SOURCES. WHEN THE ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED IN THE EARLY 70'S, THE CITY AGREED TO FUND THE GROUP THROUGH A 1% ROOM TAX PLUS 500,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND. THIS ROOM RAX WAS COLLECTED FROM ALL SIOUX FALLS HOTELS AND DIRECTED TO THE ORGANIZATION. IN 2011, A BID (BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT) WAS FORMED BY SIOUX FALLS HOTELS, IN COOPERATION WITH THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, TO FURTHER FUND EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REMAINING COMPETITIVE IN SALES AND MARKETING. THE BID BECAME EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1, 2011, VIA CITY ORDINANCE AND IS COLLECTED FROM ALL HOTELS WITH 40+ ROOMS IN THE CITY LIMITS OF SIOUX FALLS. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE 500,000 WAS NO LONGER PROVIDED TO EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS. EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS (ESF) - FORMERLY KNOWN AS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU (CVB), EXISTS TO BRING VISITORS TO SIOUX FALLS TO CREATE ECONOMIC IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, I.E.: HOTEL ROOM TAX, SALES TAX, AND JOBS. IN 2023, ESF BOOKED 101 CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS, AND EVENTS INVOLVING 63,635 PEOPLE. ESF DISTRIBUTED 93,100 VISITOR GUIDES VIA MAIL, DIRECT MAIL, READER RESPONSE, DOWNLOADS, AND VIEW, AND TO CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS, AND EVENT ATTENDEES IN SIOUX FALLS. IN 2023, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS TO SIOUX FALLS ESTIMATED BY ESF IS 825,453. ESF SERVICED 98 CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS INVOLVING 90,251 PEOPLE. ESF PRINTS PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS SIOUX FALLS VISITOR GUIDE (150,000). ESF TRAVELS NATIONWIDE MAKING SALES CALLS AND BID PRESENTATIONS TO BRING NEW BUSINESS TO THE CITY. DIGITAL AND PRINT SALES AND MARKETING PROGRAMS ARE COMPLETED TO ADVERTISE THE CITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER AT FALLS PARK IS ALSO MANAGED BY ESF.