In the Black Hills, tourism is a tentpole of the local economy. While bringing in millions of dollars yearly, ensuring these businesses have the staff to properly function is its own challenge.
For every tourist’s car that passes through any of the Black Hills many destinations, there are bellhops, waiters and retail employees who work to keep that vacation on track.
Mistie Caldwell is the executive director at Visit Spearfish. She said the tourism industry has long been a tenant of the college town’s economy.
“In general, tourism has always been a big deal in Spearfish," Caldwell said. "Even when you think about it, students and their families are tourists – we like to think of it as their introduction to being a resident potentially. We love to keep our university grads here, but with that you’re selling the community to the families when they’re coming here.”
Much of the local business community is still settling into the post-COVID routine.
“Wage structures have changed," Caldwell said. "People’s willingness to do different things or rediscovering themselves has changed that service industry as well. So, there are a ton of jobs in the summer that are here for tourism.”
That employee gap needs to be filled to make sure hotel rooms are ready and restaurants are staffed. Often, that job falls to temporary, non-citizen workers.
“Because we are a year-round destination it is different for us," Caldwell said. "Where we see it used most in the Spearfish area is in our lodging – in our hotels - so they really do depend on that temporary resident staying on premises. That’s put a lot of strain on them, but the local community has tried to pick that up, but there are only so many people.”
Many of those workers are involved with the H-2B visa program, which allows foreign citizens to work temporarily in America.