Consultants: Joplin drew roughly 1.1 million visitors and $290 million in direct spending in 12‑month study

Joseph St. Germain of Downs & St. Germain Research told the Joplin City Council on June 9 that the firm's April 2024–March 2025 visitor-profile study recorded more than 1.1 million visits to the Joplin area and roughly $290 million in direct visitor spending over the year.

That figure, St. Germain said, represents what visitors reported spending while in the market. He cautioned that a larger total economic-impact estimate was calculated using an IMPLAN-style model and could not be fully verified from the presentation slides; the transcript rendering of that total-impact number was unclear.

The study's methodology, St. Germain said, included more than 2,000 surveys conducted principally by intercept at the airport, downtown, events, and other attractions, with some QR-code and hotel-distributed responses. “About 75 to 80% of the surveys were done via intercept,” he said, noting the goal was to represent visitors throughout the full 12-month period.

James Bridal, the project director, walked the council through visitor composition and behavior. Bridal said nearly half of visitors were day trippers, about one‑third stayed in paid accommodations and roughly 15% were visiting friends and relatives. Bridal also said paid-stay visitors accounted for about half of total spending while day trippers represented a much smaller share. “Your visitor who's coming to stay with their friends and relatives average over 6 days,” he said, explaining why those visitors can contribute substantially to non‑lodging spending.

Bridal presented lodging metrics showing average occupancy at about 61.7%, an average daily rate near $110 and RevPAR of roughly $68.68 — each up year over year. He emphasized that Joplin's market showed both occupancy and average daily rate increases in the same year, which his team described as uncommon. “All of those metrics…were up year over year,” Bridal said.

On origins and trip purpose, the presenters said the region's top origin markets were nearby states and cities — Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas — and that key trip motives included visiting friends and relatives (about 30%), sporting events (about 23%), and Route 66-related travel. Dining out was the top activity (about 65% of visitors), followed by shopping and Route 66 experiences.

Councilmembers raised sampling questions about casino visitation after the slide showed a relatively small share visiting local casinos. Bridal and staff explained that interview teams focused interviewing in Joplin proper and were not permitted to intercept on casino premises, likely underrepresenting casino‑driven traffic. City staff also noted that three local hotels have been under renovation or ownership transition, which can skew lodging-inventory-based metrics.

The consultants left the full dataset with the city and offered to answer follow-up questions; councilmembers thanked the presenters and moved to the next agenda item.