Convention and Visitors Bureau entertains visitors from all 50 states

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The Lazy L Safari Park, about a mile from the Exit 102 interchange, is set for a 2010 opening. Visitors will be able feed pygmy goats, watch baby animals, and peer into reptile aquariums. The park will also provide an up-close look at kangaroos, zebra, porcupines, ibex, antelope, emus, and more.

Beautiful parks and trails. Outstanding theatrical productions. Panoramic murals that stretch the length of the historic downtown. Great area wineries. A wide variety of shopping opportunities. Over 100 restaurants sure to satisfy every appetite.

Sound like a great vacation destination? It is! We're talking about Cape Girardeau.

"Too often we take all that we have here for granted," said Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Chuck Martin. "The mission of our organization is to promote the city of Cape Girardeau for the purpose of economic development through increased business and recreational tourism."

Cape Convention and Visitors Bureau

In fiscal year 2009 (July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009), Cape Girardeau entertained visitors from all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska, as well as guests from a number of foreign countries.

Visitors come for a variety of reasons: group tours, conferences, amateur sporting events, educational seminars, family vacations, business travel and more.

In promoting Cape Girardeau, the Convention and Visitors Bureau utilizes a number of marketing tools including advertising, two websites, a visitor's guide, a promotional DVD highlighting all that the community has to offer, appearances at tradeshows, and a social networking presence on both Facebook and Twitter.

Each day, the invitiation is extended to potential visitors: Come. Find yourself in Cape Girardeau: Where the River Turns a Thousand Tales. Have we got a story for you!

With several new attractions opening soon, combined with all that the city currently offers, 2010 promises to be an exciting year. Opening soon will be the Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center, adjacent to the Osage Community Center. The park will feature a lazy river, a leisure pool, a tube slide, a toddler area, concessions and more.

Cape Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Discovery Playhouse has been transforming the building at 502 Broadway into a children's museum. When open, the museum will offer fun and exciting opportunities to learn through hands-on exhibits, play stations, interactive models, and more.

The Lazy L Safari Park, about a mile from the Exit 102 interchange, is also set for a 2010 opening. Visitors will be able feed pygmy goats, watch baby animals and peer into reptile aquariums. The park will also provide an up-close look at kangaroos, zebra, porcupines, ibex, antelope, emus and more.

While the mission of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau rightly implies that its services are primarily designed to reach and draw in those from outside the area, Martin notes that "the visitors center has information that local citizens will find beneficial as well, such as our comprehensive restaurant guide, a detailed city map, the official state maps of Missouri and surrounding states, and a wide variety of visitors guides and brochures for both local and regional attractions."

The resources of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitor's Bureau can be easily accessed at 400 Broadway, Suite 100. For more information, call 573-335-1631 or 1-800-777-0068. Or visit the bureau's websites at visitcape.com or capestorytelling.com. Or e-mail info@visitcape.com.