# Which US state makes the least money from tourism? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118 "2004-07-14T18:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/21 "2004-07-15T02:13:03Z")
Please allow me to be the first poster to offer: Arkansas. No offense intended to AR dopers - what is there that would get me to drive or fly from Atlanta to come see anything? Or a doper from CA or NY? I understand Vegas and Hawaii. The Hot Springs really don’t interest me, do they bring in a lot of outsiders? Next candidate: West Virginia. Been there. LIVED there. Not much to do. I’m not trying to piss anyone off, I’m just offering up my candidates for the thread. Please don’t take my suggestions as insults. By the way, you good folks in Louisiana have been getting my tourist dollars since 1983, with no letup in sight. We LOVE a long weekend in NOLA. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/22 "2004-07-15T02:29:23Z")
I’ve been to North Dakota. I don’t suppose that the motto “Cheap gas on the way home from Alberta” would go well on the license plates though… ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/23 "2004-07-15T02:35:25Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > Here is why no one goes to North Dakota. From the official state tourism website: > > [Scenic Wonders.](http://www.ndtourism.com/secondary/index.asp?choice=Scenic%20Wonders) 3 listed that no one has ever heard of. > > [This is what the website says about “Entertainment” in ND:](http://www.ndtourism.com/secondary/index.asp?choice=Culture_Heritage) Total listed entertainment venues: 5 casinos and 7 indoor arenas – no major league anything. > > Really, search around and try to find anything that anyone has heard of, other than city names. Hey! We’ve got the [FargoDome!!!](http://www.fargodome.com/) and…um…Custer was here for a bit before Little Big Horn. 😉 /Loves ND…grew up there and there isn’t a better place to live. -K ---
**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/24 "2004-07-15T02:39:07Z")
What’s there to do in North Dakota? Why, hunt for [buried treasure](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/fargo.htm), of course! Failing that, you can go there to commit suicide. Sorry for the morbid humor, but this just came to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/25 "2004-07-15T03:51:14Z")
Actually, Theodore Roosevelt Natl. Park looks kinda cool. I’m all for badlands. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/26 "2004-07-15T04:30:10Z")
From the site linked by **Boyo Jim** : > [@](#): > > One of the worlds’ largest nesting colonies of white pelicans at Chase Lake provides more opportunity for bird-watchers. [Poor state just can’t catch a break…](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/07/13/MNGFV7KGLR1.DTL) From the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis site: > [@](#): > > The majority of visitors to North Dakota come to see friends and relatives. Only about 28 percent of visitors to the state are tourists who stay in motels and eat out; the national average for that group is 39 percent. This is borne out by my experience. My only two trips to the Peace Garden State were made by my parents, siblings, and me to visit my mother’s parents, who lived in the city of Mayville from the mid-1970’s to early '80’s. My brothers and sister often slept during long drives, but I always stayed awake so I could see as much of the country as possible. However, the monotonous scenery of a stretch of highway in western North Dakota (we continued on to Yellowstone National Park after visiting Grandma and Grandpa) actually lulled me to slumber. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/27 "2004-07-15T11:29:32Z")
> [@stockton](#): > > Please allow me to be the first poster to offer: Arkansas. > No offense intended to AR dopers - what is there that would get me to drive or fly from Atlanta to come see anything? Or a doper from CA or NY? I understand Vegas and Hawaii. The Hot Springs really don’t interest me, do they bring in a lot of outsiders? > > Next candidate: West Virginia. Been there. LIVED there. Not much to do. > > I’m not trying to piss anyone off, I’m just offering up my candidates for the thread. Please don’t take my suggestions as insults. By the way, you good folks in Louisiana have been getting my tourist dollars since 1983, with no letup in sight. We LOVE a long weekend in NOLA. I spent a few days in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It was a very nice trip. They have some absolutely beautiful lakes and a botanical garden that is worth seeing. They have the trolley cars and nice little antique shops and book stores, etc. We toured the Crescent Hotel, which is over a hundred years old. My mom saw the Passion Play. The Ozarks are scenic. I plan to visit the Clinton library in Little Rock next summer. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/28 "2004-07-15T12:17:01Z")
Here’s some factual data: [The Bureau of Economic Accounts](http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/gsp/) keeps track of state-by-state revenues broken down by industry. What’s even cooler is that you can download the data as a .csv file and do your own spreadsheet analysis. They don’t have a “tourism” industry, unfortunately, but there is a “hotels and lodging” category and an “amusements and recreation” category. I looked at the 2001 data. If we assume that the two categories I mentioned represent “tourism”, then the state the gets to most _dollar_ revenue from tourism is California (nearly double runner-up Florida) and the state that gets the least is… North Dakota (handily beating Delaware). If we look at the _percentage_ that tourism makes of the total gross state product, then the state that does best is Nevada (no surprise, over 17% – runner up is Hawaii at only 6.4%!) The state that does the worst is… (drumroll…) Alabama, at 0.67%, followed by Oklahoma at 0.76%. Other states under 1% are Arkansas, Delaware, Kentuck, Kansas, and Nebraska. North Dakota actually comes in at 19th from the bottom in this metric. As an alternate, looking at _just lodging_ as a percentage of state product still leaves Nevada and Hawaii at the top, with Delaware, Ohio, Oklahoma, Connecticut, and Alabama at the bottom. North Dakota actually does pretty well here, coming in the top half. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/29 "2004-07-15T12:20:15Z")
I vacationed in N. Dakota a couple of years ago, specifically because no one goes there. I wanted to camp and hike where there aren’t any tourists, no trails, few roads and great scenery; just me a compass and a topo map. 1 million acres of grassland (with badlands) was fabulous. I went back twice. Oh and the women are almost universally very attractive. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/30 "2004-07-15T13:04:17Z")
I seem to remember an episode of _The West Wing_ where one of the subplots involved some people from North Dakota who were trying to get the state’s name changed to “Dakota”. They complained that South Dakota got so much more money from tourism than they did, and they thought it might be partially due to the word “North”. ND is only just barely cooler than SD, they said, but in people’s minds, “North” makes it sound colder than it is. By comparison, it makes SD sound like some tropical paradise. At the time, I wondered if the writers just made it up, or if it was based on a real movement. Does anyone know if there really are groups of North Dakotans trying to change the name of their state? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/31 "2004-07-15T13:10:10Z")
Yup , that’s true. Here’s a snippet of [Dave Barry’s take on it:](http://www.qis.net/~jimjr/trav141.htm) > [@](#): > > North Dakota is talking about changing its name. I frankly didn’t know you could do that. I thought states’ names were decreed by the Bible or something. In fact, as a child I believed that when Columbus arrived in North America, the states’ names were actually, physically, written on the continent, in gigantic letters, the way they are on maps. I still think this would be a good idea, because if an airplane’s navigational system failed, the pilot could just look out the window and see exactly where the plane was. (“OK, there’s a huge ‘W’ down there, so we’re over Wyoming. Or, Wisconsin.”) > > But apparently states can change their names, and some North Dakotans want to change “North Dakota”. Specifically,they don’t like the word “North”, which connotes a certain northness. > > In the words of North Dakota’s former governor, Ed Schafer: “People have such an instant thing about how North Dakota is cold and snowy and flat.” ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/32 "2004-07-15T13:14:27Z")
And here’s from a news source…[USA TODAY](http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/june01/2001-06-26-dakota.htm) > [@](#): > > BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakotans can’t move their state to warmer climes, but some hope a proposed name change will at least help the state seem a little less northern. > > The Greater North Dakota Association, the state’s chamber of commerce, is backing a proposal to cut the state’s name to “Dakota.” Supporters insist the plan would help alter the state’s image as a frigid, treeless prairie. > > “People have such an instant thing about how North Dakota is cold and snowy and flat,” said former Gov. Ed Schafer. “We’re not going to change that overnight. But (a name change) would get a lot of attention. Personally, I think it would be fun.” ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/33 "2004-07-15T13:15:13Z")
> [@Laughing Lagomorph](#): > > New Hampshire is a very popular tourist destination for people from the Boston area, and elsewhere in New England, and rightfully so. It’s beautiful with excellent hiking (White Mountains, anyone?), some nice lakes and decent skiing in the winter. The closest “big mountain” ski areas to Boston are all in New Hampshire and easily reached by a day trip from the city. New Hampshire also still has a lot of old timey charm…red barns, white church steeples, covered bridges, that sort of thing. And don’t forget the tax-free liquor. That alone persuaded me to go there a few times. As for West Virginia, we used to go there a lot when I lived in Maryland. It has Harper’s Ferry and absolutely gorgeous scenery - as I recall, there’s a particular highway that gets bottlenecked every weekend in the fall just from people driving around to see all the leaves change colours. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/34 "2004-07-15T13:34:27Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > And here’s from a news source…[USA TODAY](http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/june01/2001-06-26-dakota.htm) Thanks, **stpauler**. I say if they’re going to change the name for tourism’s sake, why not go all out? Call it _Funtastic-Land_ or something? ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/35 "2004-07-15T13:41:17Z")
Here’s something interesting. I noted above that the top two tourism states in terms of percentage of gross state product are Nevada and Hawaii. Who do you suppose is number three? Take a guess. > [@](#): > > Number three is Mississippi, followed by, in order, Florida, Vermont, Montana, DC, Colorado, and Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/36 "2004-07-15T13:49:13Z")
Can’t for the life of me remember where I read this but about 10 years ago one of the Dakotas was talking about changing its name and a magazine ran a contest for the best new name. The finalists included Manitscolda, Zipdecoatup, Saskatchacold and Land of the Frozen Dead. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/37 "2004-07-15T14:12:21Z")
I’ve toured all 50 states, and take it from me, the one where it was hardest to find places of interest was North Dakota. The places we did visit certainly aren’t the type that would attract people not specifically seeking to do all 50 to choose it over another. Loopydude: > [@](#): > > Actually, Theodore Roosevelt Natl. Park looks kinda cool. I’m all for badlands. It’s nice, but Badlands National Park in South Dakota is just as nice if not better…with the added asset of being only two hours or so away from all the attractions in the Black Hills (Mount Rushmore, etc). The GQ, as it specifically relates to money, appears to have already been answered, but speaking from experience, North Dakota is pretty far down on the tourist-fun list. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/38 "2004-07-15T15:06:54Z")
> [@zut](#): > > Here’s something interesting. I noted above that the top two tourism states in terms of percentage of gross state product are Nevada and Hawaii. Who do you suppose is number three? Take a guess. I’m not surprised by your number three – down on the Gulf Coast, there are a ton of casinos, plus the beaches of course. Casinos=money, and beaches also bring in families. I wouldn’t go anywhere else in Mississippi, though… ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/39 "2004-07-15T15:12:17Z")
Can’t be Kansas… we’ve got the world’s largest ball of twine, the world’s largest hand dug well, the world’s largest steam shovel, world’s largest (concrete) prairie dog, Dorothy’s house in Liberal(!) KS, Lebanon KS is the geographic center of the continental US… shall I go on? 😃 I mean, jeez, who _wouldn’t_ want to come here? ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118/40 "2004-07-15T15:23:44Z")
> [@Laughing Lagomorph](#): > > New Hampshire is a very popular tourist destination for people from the Boston area, and elsewhere in New England, and rightfully so. Yeah, actually, I think that tourism is the primary industry in New Hampshire. And **Shoeless** - another one for Kansas: like NH, there’s a Nascar Speedway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-us-state-makes-the-least-money-from-tourism/255118.md?page=3)