The Challenge
With a metropolitan population of about 80,000, Rapid City is the second largest city in South Dakota. Centrally located in the Black Hills, just off Interstate 90 and only half an hour from Mount Rushmore National Memorial, one of the most quintessential American landmarks, Rapid City is a natural visitor destination. But in the first years of the 21st century, all was not well. The national and regional tourism market had grown more competitive, and Rapid City wasn't keeping up – even with its immediate neighbors. Despite its central locations, visitors were spending less time in Rapid City and more time in smaller towns like Deadwood and Spearfish.

The Plan
In 2006, forward-thinking property owners began collecting a voluntary tax to fund a new marketing initiative – and they turned to TDG's experts for help. In just a few weeks, TDG's creative and strategic teams launched a new brand and a national media campaign designed to make Rapid City synonymous with family vacations, Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills. In addition to traditional marketing efforts, which included media buys in National Geographic Traveler and ESPN, TDG used media relations professionals to coordinate new editorial opportunities, resulting in unprecedented media coverage for Rapid City.

The Results
Visitation to Rapid City rose significantly. Tax revenue from tourism based businesses in Rapid City's county rose 15% - above the average growth rate for the Black Hills region. General inquiries to Rapid City CVB were up 45% in 2007, while international inquiries rose 189% during the same period. Passenger traffic at Rapid City Regional Airport (another TDG client) was up 14.6% over the previous year. Advance bookings were up by as much as 100%, and in 2009 the airport expanded service for two of its airlines.