About Visit Rapid City

Visit Rapid City is a non-profit destination marketing organization promoting leisure travel, special/sporting events and group travel/tours to Rapid City and the Black Hills Area.

Mission Statement

“Inspiring you to experience Big Things in Rapid City."

Visit Rapid City History

Visit Rapid City was organized in July 1971. John Kolb was the first Executive Director Visit Rapid City and John Derby was the first elected chairman of Visit Rapid City. After the flood of 1972, Visit Rapid City was a great supporter of the new civic center and the first convention signed for Rapid City Civic Center was the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

Visit Rapid City is an award-winning, internationally recognized destination marketing organization and has been an integral part of Black Hills tourism, promoting events such as the first Farmer’s Market in 1982, “Good Morning America” broadcasting live from Mt. Rushmore in 1986, the new “Great Faces, Great Places” Tourism Theme revealed in Pierre in 1990, the premiere of Dances with Wolves in Rapid City in 1990, President Bush dedicating Mt. Rushmore’s 50th Anniversary in 1991 and hosting the first annual Travel Writers Convention in 1993. Visit Rapid City celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2011 which coincided with the new Main Street Square opening in downtown Rapid City.