Road trip provides opportunity to meet new director of tourism

SIKESTON - There's a lot going on in the area and we are telling people all about it.

The Sikeston-Miner Convention and Visitors Bureau has been getting the ads created and submitted for the August and September issues of Group Travel Leader, Missouri Meetings and Events, Bus Tours Magazine, Midwest Traveler, Home and Away, Southern Traveler, Missouri Life and the fall/winter inserts for the Post-Dispatch, the Springfield News Leader and the Kansas City Star. We have an advertisement in the program for the Rodeo, the Baseball Tournament, the Eagles state convention, The Daily Dunklin Democrat and The SEMO Summer Fun tabloid.

After getting all those ads placed, Brandi, our summer student intern, and I took a road trip to New Madrid. The Mississippi Queen docked and the town was giving chartered tours of the historical sites for passengers.

When we got there, we met with John Robinson, who is the incoming director of the Division of Tourism for Missouri, and his wife. They were passengers on the Mississippi Queen.

Also we met with Gary Figgins, publisher of Show Me Missouri Missouri. He had come from Kennett to take pictures and greet passengers.

The five of us took a personalized tour of New Madrid and its highlights. We visited the Hunter-Dawson Home and the Higgerson School, which are historical landmarks in the area. Also we visited many of the downtown merchants and the New Madrid Historical Museum for a brief tour. Mrs. Robinson provided Brandi and me with a tour of the Mississippi Queen.

It was great to meet the director of the division. John Robinson has numerous ideas on how to improve and promote tourism in Missouri and sharing his insight was a great experience.

Something else the CVB is working on is a "Welcome Basket." We will be presenting a basket filled with goodies from the cities of Sikeston and Miner to the Kidnapped Family on Aug. 10.

Merchants have been so generous to donate items to fill the basket. We would like to express our thanks to Lamberts Cafe, Ramada Inn, the Jaycees, Paul's Christian Bookstore, The Flower Patch, Helen's, Susie's, Personal Expressions, SACC, Sabona, Park View Florists and the Factory Outlet Stores.

Anyone wanting to add items to the basket can call 471-6362 and we will be happy to include your donation.