Here in Missouri, there’s a MO adventure for every “M-O,” outdoorsmen, art enthusiasts, history buffs, foodies, sports fanatics, and everyone in between. The Division of Tourism’s “Find Your M-O” campaign is part of the state’s marketing effort to attract visitors to Missouri. And those efforts are pretty important, considering they produce a 13.5 billion-dollar impact. As the Director of Tourism and a lifelong Missourian, Stephen Foutes quite literally lives, works, and plays in the Show-Me State. In this episode, I chat with Stephen about how his experience and state pride combine in his role, promoting Missouri as a premier tourist destination. 

What you’ll learn: 

• The purpose of the Missouri Division of Tourism and how important tourism is to the state’s economy
• The role the division of tourism plays in the Missouri State Fair
• Stephen’s typical day as the Director of Tourism and how the variety of marketing roles prepared him for his current role
• Stephen’s favorite things to do around the state of Missouri
• Details behind the “Find your M-O” campaign, how it came to fruition, and the ultimate execution
• Insight on the behavior and interests of out-of-state visitors to Missouri, as well as trends Stephen is seeing within tourism, regionally and nationally
• How to find out more about Missouri tourism at VisitMO.com or at Welcome Centers across the state