PIERRE - Tourism on the state's reservations and how numbers are calculated during the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally are among the topics to be discussed during the 2008 Governor's Conference on tourism Jan. 16 and 17 in Pierre.

The overall theme of the tourism conference is "Destination 2010: Driving Forward."

"The industry has made great progress since 2003, and now the opportunities that lie before us will only push us closer to our 2010 goals," said Richard Benda, secretary, South Dakota Department of Tourism and State Development. "The annual Tourism Conference allows the industry to come together to share successes, challenges and new ideas."

Four issue forums will highlight the Jan. 16 session. They include "Do Reservations Have Roads: Clearing up the misconceptions about travel and tourism on the reservations," "Marketing Best Practices," "Protect Your Business: Answers to Your Tourism Liability Questions," and "Sturgis Rally Numbers: Where Do They Come From?".

During the Awards Night Gala on Jan. 17, Gov. Mike Rounds will unveil the 2007 visitor spending figures and announce the tourism industry's highest awards.

• The Ben Black Elk award recognizes an individual or group whose passion and enthusiasm have greatly influenced South Dakota's visitor industry.

• The A.H. Pankow award recognizes a member of the media whose coverage and promotion of the state's visitor industry is unparalleled.

• The George S. Mickelson Great Service Award honors a business or organization dedicated to excellence in customer service.

The visitor industry has been working since 2003 toward a 2010 goal of doubling visitor spending in South Dakota.

"Across the state, we've heard from our industry partners that numbers are up," said Billie Jo Waara, director, South Dakota Office of Tourism. "We're very encouraged as we hear this information, and are anticipating another year of progress toward our 2010 goal."

Registration is still open for the conference.

For more information, updates or to register online for the tourism conference, go to www.SDVisit.com.