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Tourism

Can South Dakota attract summer tourists with presidential mascots?

Samantha Shankman

Photo Credit: Tourists take pictures of the Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota.  Flickr / Eric Fredericks

Skift Take

South Dakota’s largest tourism push is in nearby driving markets, but doesn’t expect unusually high gas prices to impact what it sees as the start of a strong summer seasons.

South Dakota tourism officials expect a good summer season despite high gas prices that are putting a slight damper on travel over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, generally considered the kickoff to summer. Travel nationwide is expected to drop about 1 percent from the 2012 holiday, according to Triple AAA. "Gas prices will have an impact. They have already cut into people's budgets," AAA South Dakota spokeswoman Marilyn Buskohl said. Gas prices across South Dakota have jumped by about 50 cents ove

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