Black Hills Vacations board members convened in Deadwood recently for the company’s 24th annual meeting, where record sales and revenue were reported. Pioneer photo by Jaci Conrad Pearson
As reported at its 24th annual meeting on Feb. 11, Black Hills Vacations (BHV), South Dakota’s one-stop-shop for planning and booking vacations to the Black Hills & Badlands, achieved record-breaking success in nearly every area in 2021, reported the Black Hills Pioneer.
BHV, a 501(c)6 is managed by a board of directors comprised of business leaders throughout the Black Hills & Badlands Region.
With total revenues of $5,047,523, a 70% increase compared to 2020, demand for RV and camping resorts, outdoor entertainment, the return of group travel, and overall pent-up demand for travel combined, contributing to a surge in travel to the Black Hills and Badlands region and a surge in sales for BHV.
This translated into a 69% increase in lodging reservation sales, a 61% increase in event ticket sales, and more than a 100% increase in activity reservation sales for BHV in 2021.
“Peak season started in April and never ended,” said Presston Gable, BHV Board Chairman. “And, while COVID-19 brought most of the country to a near-standstill, South Dakota did not shut down and in fact, welcomed visitors to our wide-open spaces.”
In addition to sales statistics, BHV officials also reported on the results of their customer satisfaction survey of guests who traveled to the region between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“Timing is everything”, said Jacob Ness, BHV director of IT. “We know that over 50% of RV travelers book 60 days out while a person pre-booking an activity tends to make last-minute decisions. We also know the high propensity for return visits.”
“BHV is fueled by an intertwined partnership with the Black Hills Visitor Industry and works with over 200 travel suppliers comprised of lodging, RV Parks, tour companies, event organizers, attractions, car rentals and national and state parks,” Johnson said.
