By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Officials with the Convention and Visitors Bureau say tourism in St. Joseph continued to grow last year, giving the local economy a big boost.
Executive Director Marci Bennett says the bureau saw a big leap in the economic impact from tourism in Buchanan County between 2022 and 2023.
"This past year, we went from $216 million in Buchanan County of economic impact to $229 million, that's incredible," Bennett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "During 2020 we were way down of course on everything, but it has rebounded and exceeded anything before 2020."
Bennett points to events such as the recent Bill Snyder Classic between Missouri and Kansas State women’s basketball as well as the Division II Women's Elite Eight as some of the highlights from 2023 that helped boost the economy.
After a successful 2023, officials now turn their attention to having an even more successful 2024.
Director of Marketing and Communications Christian Mengel says he's excited about the return of the Missouri Film tax credit.
Mengel says the tax credit gives filmmakers an incentive to film in rural communities, providing an economic boost to those communities.
"They can hire local someone credited, who is you'd say qualified someone like a Jason Hudson who locally directs plenty of films and everyone knows is the filmmaker, but he can be credited on a big picture that comes in from Hollywood because he's qualified to be like an assistant director or an assistant producer or something and kind of shadow under someone that you'd say was big name Hollywood," Mengel explains.
Mengel says the credit also applies to the hiring of local editors and crew, and even Uber drivers, which in turn puts money back into Buchanan County.
Bennett says events that drew in large crowds last year, will be back this year, including the Division II Women's Elite Eight
"Women's basketball March 25th and 29th, our second marathon, now it can be an annual not an inaugural marathon, will be September 28th so mark your calendars to be either a runner or a volunteer," Bennett says.
Bennett says the Bill Snyder Classic will also return this December, though teams have not been decided. She also says there is currently a bid in place to try to bring the state 8-man football championship game to St. Joseph.