'What's your M-O?' campaign boosts Ozarks tourism, generates millions in visitor spending

Ryan Collingwood, Springfield News-Leader
·2 min read
Visit Missouri's "What's your M-O?" social media tourism campaign has helped bring major revenue to the state in 2022.
Visit Missouri's "What's your M-O?" social media tourism campaign has helped bring major revenue to the state in 2022.

If you're a Missourian on a major social media platform, there's a good chance you've seen this wordplay question accompany a photo of one of the Show-Me State's most popular landmarks:

What's your M-O?

It has a three-pronged meaning for Missouri Division of Tourism's robust social media campaign.

Beyond the acronym for method of operation and the abbreviation for Missouri, a smiling and engaging tour guide named "Mo" — St. Louis model and actress Ashley Santana — is the face of what's proven to be a successful marketing strategy.

"Mo" wasn't just highlighting the best Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas, but every corner of Missouri, especially the Ozarks.

The Visit Missouri campaign seen on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages helped generate $884 million in incremental visitor spending in 2022, according to Strategic Marketing and Research Incorporated.

It had more than 2 billion impressions and 138 million social engagements and 4.8 million website visits to VisitMo.com. It's also been recognized for 30 awards, including platinum, gold, silver and bronze awards at the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) prestigious Adrian Awards, honoring best in hospitality advertising, digital, PR/communications and integrated campaigns.

Visit Missouri's social media campaign production team creating content in Eminence, Missouri.
Visit Missouri's social media campaign production team creating content in Eminence, Missouri.

“The creativity of this campaign has allowed us to showcase the variety the state of Missouri offers visitors in a unique and personal way," said Stephen Foutes, director of the Missouri Division of Tourism.

High-level photography and video storytelling helped boost efforts to show off Missouri's most scenic areas, top restaurants, historic landmarks and entertainment venues.

Popular Southwest Missouri destinations got plenty of exposure, including:

Silver Dollar City, Titanic Museum, Mizumoto Garden, Branson Aquarium, Keeter Center, Vantage, Lambert's Restaurant, Branson Landing, Elvis Show in Branson, Table Rock Lake, River of Life, Top of the Rock, Route 66 in Joplin, Gary's Gay Parita, Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium, Prairie State Park, North Fork River, River of Life Farm, Previous Moments Museum, and Stockton Lake.

The Missouri Division of Tourism said the state had 40.1 million visitors in 2022 that and saw an $18.4 billion economic impact.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 'What's your M-O?' social media campaign boosts Ozarks tourism