South Dakota Destination Development Program

The South Dakota Destination Development Program is administered by Travel South Dakota, a state-level tourism entity focused on strengthening the economic impact of tourism across rural communities. The program is designed to empower communities and local stakeholders to collaboratively grow, manage, and promote tourism in ways that reflect local identity, culture, and natural assets. Tourism plays a significant role in South Dakota’s economy, supporting jobs, generating tax revenue, and creating income for residents. This program builds on that foundation by targeting rural areas with untapped tourism potential or those seeking revitalization through strategic tourism development. The primary purpose of the program is to support tourism product development, defined as the creation or enhancement of experiences that visitors can engage with, such as tours, trails, events, signage, or storytelling initiatives. The program emphasizes community-driven planning and collaboration, encouraging local stakeholders to identify and develop tourism opportunities that are authentic and sustainable. Selected communities receive structured planning support, including destination assessments, stakeholder engagement processes, and facilitated workshops to define tourism priorities and strategies. Funding is provided in the form of seed grants of up to 15000 dollars to support the implementation of one or two priority tourism projects identified during the planning phase. In addition to financial support, the program provides technical assistance through subject-matter experts and planning facilitators. Allowable uses of funding include a wide range of tourism-related initiatives such as trail development studies, accessibility improvements, visitor information systems, and community beautification efforts. While there is no application fee, participating communities are expected to contribute cash or in-kind support, such as staff time, meeting space, or materials, demonstrating local commitment and readiness. Eligibility is limited to rural communities in South Dakota with populations under 30000. Applications may be submitted by individual communities or collaborative regional partnerships. Eligible lead applicants include local or regional governments, destination marketing organizations, chambers of commerce, tourism-related businesses, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations. A key requirement is the formation of a Destination Core Team composed of 5 to 9 local stakeholders who will guide the project and contribute resources throughout the program lifecycle. The application process involves several structured steps. Applicants must confirm eligibility, form a coalition of stakeholders, designate a coordinator, and gather supporting materials such as letters of support and documentation of match contributions. While a finalized project idea is not required at the time of application, applicants are encouraged to brainstorm initial concepts. Applications are submitted through an online form, with supporting materials uploaded prior to the deadline. The application window opens on May 20 and closes on June 30, with selected participants notified in mid-July. Evaluation is based on demonstrated community readiness, collaboration, and alignment with program goals. The program timeline spans from August 2026 through December 2027, with planning activities occurring in the first phase and project implementation following. Final reporting and project closeout extend into early 2028. Communities are expected to actively participate in all phases, including meetings, workshops, and reporting activities. For additional information, applicants can contact the Destination Development Manager at Travel South Dakota via phone or email.

Build a strong coalition early; secure diverse letters of support; demonstrate community buy-in through in-kind contributions; align project ideas with local assets and tourism potential