Labor day weekend marks the end of a busy summer travel season (AUDIO)

PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) — September and Labor Day mark a transition from the busy summer travel season to an usually slower fall season.

South Dakota Tourism Department Secretary Jim Hagen says so far, its hard to compare this year with last year….

Hagen says they are looking back to 2019, the last year before the pandemic….

Hagen says they are tracking an increase in visitor spending….

Hagen said they were concerned in June when gas prices peaked just under five dollars a gallon. Those prices have now eased into the mid three-dollar range.