GROUP TOURS OF REGION ON THE RISE

The group tour business is thriving in Cape Girardeau these days.

"Group tours this year have doubled 1990 totals," said Cathy Crites of the Convention & Visitors Bureau during a meeting of the CVB Advisory Board, held at City Hall Wednesday. "We've had more than 30 groups this year, and have 19 tours on scheduled for the next month."

Bus tours, the appearance of the 120th Anniversary Edition of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Show Me Center next month, and preparations for port calls by the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen paddlewheelers were among items discussed during the Wednesday session.

According to the CVB staff memorandum submitted to the advisory board Wednesday, groups touring the city listed a half-dozen sites of interest the Glenn House; Common Pleas Court House; Old St. Vincent's Church; University Museum; Southeast Missourian tile murals, "The Art of Printing" and "Making of a Newspaper"; and the Mississippi River.

"These are from tours we know about," said Crites. "There are other tour buses which pass through Cape Girardeau that never contact the CVB."

Crites, a special events coordinator for the CVB, also reported on preparations for the paddlewheeler visits to the city.

"The Delta Queen will stop here four times, with the first stop July 5 at 9 a.m.," she said. "Although these are ports of call to allow the boats to take on water and supplies, the passengers will be here about four hours.

"We'll have an information table and tour guides to greet the passengers," she said. "We'll have air-conditioned, 15-passenger vans on hand for shuttle service to the midtown and downtown area of the city."

David Ross, a member of the advisory, also announced activities for circus days.

"We're very fortunate to have the `Greatest Show on Earth' in our city," said Ross. "We've been trying to get the Ringling Brothers to come to the Show Me Center since January of 1987, and it's a coup for them to come a city the size of Cape Girardeau."

Ross aid the show was in big demand, and that larger cities had been seeking the circus on the June 11-12 dates it would be here.

"We'll have a big parade when the circus train arrives June 11," said Ross. "The train has 48 cars, which provides transportation for performers and animals. We'll be unloading at Leming Lumber Co. From there, a parade will march to South Sprigg St., and head north for the almost two-mile trek to the Show Me Center."

The circus will present four performances during the two days.