MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

After a year of record-breaking visitor spending in the Black Hills and Badlands region, no one was certain what to expect in 2022. We hoped for the best and were prepared to meet the moment of whatever came our way. BH&B monitored the numbers and was in close contact with stakeholders so that we knew how our members and the communities we serve were doing. We saw time and again that BH&B and the regional tourism industry remained united in a shared goal to increase visitor numbers, trip duration and visitor sales. Because of this, the regional tourism industry returned to pre-pandemic numbers. And with it, many great things came out of 2022. We are excited to share them with you in this annual report. BH&B proudly represents 480 businesses and organizations. They are the heart of what we do. BH&B’s staff and the Board of Directors continued to find innovative programs that positively impact every member. Throughout this annual report, you’ll see examples of the many ways we promoted the Black Hills and Badlands region on your behalf. Our strategic planning efforts gave us a clear direction to make decisions that increased the impact of our marketing. We made substantial headway on our strategic goals in 2022, but there is still a lot to accomplish. We’re excited to roll out new initiatives in 2023 that build business for all tourism industry sectors. I greatly appreciate what we achieved together in 2022 and am optimistic for the year ahead. I would especially like to thank our outstanding Board of Directors, Executive Committee, members and staff for their support. Their direct involvement and commitment to pursuing BH&B’s mission is the foundation of our success. Thank you.

MICHELLE THOMSON President & CEO