TOURISM BIG BUSINESS IN MISSOURI AND AREA

When it come to travel and tourism, Missouri is a "Show `Em" state.

Consider that:

-- $8.6 billion is spent on travel and tourism in the state each year.

-- The industry generates over 200,000 jobs, with a payroll exceeding $2.4 billion, and more than $1.3 billion in federal taxes.

-- Over $687 million is realized in state and local tax revenues.

"Tourism can mean money and jobs," said Rick Sparks, business and industry specialist at the University Extension Center in Jackson. "Tourism, a major revenue-producer in Missouri, is second only to the general category of manufacturing."

Sparks and the university extension will host a tourism workshop later this month. The day-long session will be held March 31 at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Sparks said the tourism industry in Missouri took a big hit in 1993.

"Flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers caused hardships on many communities that rely on tourism for income," said Sparks. "This workshop, which is open to everyone, is an opportunity for those with a stake in tourism to meet with others and share ideas that may help rebuild a local tourism industry."

Speakers for the program include Glen Weaver of the University of Missouri Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Barbara Shelly, a marketing consultant from Paducah, Ky., and Jean Adams-Fiquet with the Missouri Arts Council.

Majorie Beenders, director of the Missouri Division of Tourism, will present the noon keynote address.

Tourism is big in the River Heritage Region of Missouri, which includes Cape Girardeau, Perry and Scott counties.

"In Cape County, visitors added more than $36 million to the economy," said Mary Miller, director of the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau. "In the 12-county area of our region, that total is more than $128 million."

This according to an economic impact study conducted for the Missouri Division of Tourism.

Following are totals compiled for the 1992 calendar year:

Cape Girardeau County: Travelers spent more than $36.5 million, directly generating 877 jobs with a payroll of $10.5 million.

Bollinger County: $477,000 spent, 23 jobs with a payroll of $132,687.

Butler County: $40.4 million spent, 947 jobs with an $11.5 million payroll.

Dunklin County: $1.2 million spent, 28 jobs with a $318,618 payroll.

Madison County: $1.9 million spent, 43 jobs, $515,400 payroll.

Mississippi County: $5.3 million spent, 128 jobs, $1.5 million payroll.

New Madrid County: $10.2 million spent, 246 jobs, $2.9 million payroll.

Pemiscot County: $6.7 million spent, 161 jobs, $1.9 million payroll.

Perry County: $4.1 million spent, 99 jobs, $1.2 million payroll.

Scott County: $21.9 million spent, 527 jobs, $6.3 million payroll.

Ste. Genevieve County: $11.6 million spent, 281 jobs, $3.3 million payroll.

Stoddard County: $5.3 million spent, 126 jobs, $1.5 million payroll.

Southeast Missouri: $128.3 million spent, 3,081 jobs, $36.7 million payroll.

Missouri: $8.6 billion spent, 201,551 jobs, $2.4 billion payroll.

One of the most important benefits of travel and tourism is the employment the activity supports in each community. Many of the jobs are in food services, including restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments. In Missouri this amounts to more than 200,000 jobs, or about 10 percent of the state's employment, said Miller.

Travel generates demand for many different goods and services and produces receipts for a number of different industries. Spending on public transportation appears to be the largest expenditure category, totaling more than $3 billion a year statewide, or about 34 percent of the total. Add another 6.8 percent for auto transportation and that places the overall transportation percentage at nearly 41.

Food service ranks second, with 20 percent of the total, or about $1.7 billion.

Lodging accounts for 18 percent of the total, and incidentals gifts, souvenirs account for 7 percents. Entertainment and recreation accounts for about 7 percent of the totals.

Group tours have become a big plus for the travel and tourism industry.

Nationally, more than 70 million people spent over $14.8 billion for transportation, food, lodging and admissions.

Group tours also have provided a boost to the Cape Girardeau area, said Miller. "We had more than 60 bus tours last year with an average of about 40 passengers for each tour," she said.

The CVB works with tour groups, promoting tours of museums, historic homes and other attractions of interest in Cape Girardeau. More than 2,400 persons were included on the 60 tours serviced.

Cape Girardeau County is now a part of a "labor market area" (LMA).

"Starting in January, we're part of a five-county LMA," said Jack Cecil of the Missouri Job Service office in Cape Girardeau. "We're grouped with Bollinger, Mississippi, New Madrid and Scott counties."

The local LMA area logged a 6.6 percent employment rate for January.

"Cape County recorded a 4.7 percent rate," said Cecil. "That's up about eight-tenths of a point from the December reading of 3.7." Mississippi County was the only double-digit unemployment county in the area LMA at 11.1, down from the 11.4 percent of December 1993.

The January unemployment report, issued by the Missouri Division of Employment Security, listed a total of 10 LMAs, which accounted for 27 counties. In the past, only three LMAs were on the report, accounting for six counties.

Also included in the new LMA list is the Butler-Carter-Ripley LMA and St. Francois-Washington LMA.

Meanwhile, Perry County, which recorded a 6.2 percent jobless rate in January, still is among the 66 unaffiliated counties in the state. The remaining 22 counties are included in a half-dozen Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), which includes the Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Joplin, Columbia and St. Joseph areas.

Somethin' Special, a new arts and crafts store, has opened in downtown Cape Girardeau at 105 Independence.

The owners, Al and Celeste Hanke recently moved to Cape Girardeau from Barnhart.

"I've worked around arts and crafts a long time," said Celeste Hanke. "I've always been interested in them.

"We decided to open an arts and crafts store. We have all types of crafts here. Right now, we have more than 50 crafters displaying their articles here."

The store is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Dona Flor, a new green house, will open March 21 near Cape Girardeau.

"We're located on County Road 621 about a half-mile past Teen Challenge," said Donna Essner, owner of the new business.

"We offer spring bedding and vegetable plants, hanging baskets, perennials and some specialty items."

Essner, a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in horticulture, is planning a display garden by spring.

Hours for the new business will be 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Additional information is available by calling 334-4671.

Somebody asked:

A total of 21 industries are located in Nash Road Industrial Park, and employ about 1,100 people, according to the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

Industries located west of Interstate 55 in the park are Addison Corp. (Associated Bldg. Centers); Admiral Plastics; BioKyowa; Borden; Clarklift of Cape; Foamex; General Sign Co.; Georgia-Pacific Corp.; Golden Cat Corp.; Hardware Wholesalers; Jerry Lipps Trucking; Major Brands; QC Corp.; Resin Exchange; SEMO Box Co.; and Truck Transport.

Industries east of Interstate 55 are: ABF Freight Systems; Gelco Truck Leasing; Havco Wood Products; Rhodes Oil Co.; Sander Enterprises (SEI).