South Dakota Secretary of Tourism James D. Hagen has been selected to serve on a national board that advocates for the $2.8 trillion travel industry.
The U.S. Travel Association promotes policies and initiatives that drive tourism growth and economic impact across the U.S. As a member of the organization’s executive board, Hagen will contribute to advancing the association’s mission to shape, support and advocate for the future of travel.
Hagen has served as South Dakota’s Secretary of Tourism since 2011. Under his leadership, the state’s tourism industry has set economic impact and visitation records year after year. In 2024, South Dakota welcomed 14.9 million visitors, generating $5.09 billion in visitor spending, continuing a trend of record-setting growth for the state’s tourism industry.
Hagen’s leadership in national tourism policy includes serving on the National Travel and Tourism Advisory Board from 2014-2018, chairing the U.S. Travel Association’s Membership Governance Committee, and holding a two-year term as chairman of the National Council of State Tourism Directors. He currently serves as vice chair of the Western States Tourism Policy Council. A nationally recognized leader in tourism, Hagen was named National State Tourism Director of the Year in 2014. In 2021, then-Governor Kristi Noem presented him with the Ben Black Elk Award, the highest honor in South Dakota’s tourism industry, recognizing his lifetime contributions to the state’s tourism success. After nearly 14 years of leading the department, he remains as passionate as ever about seeing the tourism industry flourish in The Mount Rushmore State.
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