Criteria for Listing on VisitMO.com


[Print This Page] Criteria for Listings www.VisitMO.com and Official Missouri Travel Guide The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) reserves the right to accept or reject any and all listings and hyperlinks; to edit any listing without notifying the entrant; and to remove a listing without notice. Listings that have not been updated for more than eighteen (18) months will be automatically deleted. Entities will be listed at the sole discretion of MDT, following the guidelines and criteria shown below. MDT reserves the right to make exceptions to these criteria on a case by case basis. Listings for inclusion in the annual Official Missouri Travel Guide are drawn from the VisitMO.com database. However, listing owners must submit their listing(s) annually (generally Jan.15-June 15) for inclusion in the publication. Listing owners will be notified when the Travel Guide submission process is open. NOTE: These categories on VisitMO do not appear in the Travel Guide publication: · Events · Restaurants · Services · Transportation To be considered for inclusion on the MDT Web site (VisitMO.com), businesses, organizations and other entities must be directly engaged in the supply or operation within Missouri of tourism-related attractions, activities, services, or products in one or more of the following categories and their included listing types: · Events · Entertainment and Attractions · Hotel / Places To Stay · Dining and Drinking · Services · Transportation Specific Criteria for each Category and Type are listed below. EVENTS Events cannot be posted more than one year in advance of their end date. Events should be of general interest to the traveling public and group tours, drawing new visitors from beyond the immediate area (more than 50 miles). Events primarily aimed at the local community/area, or those intended for a limited or a member based audience, will not be posted. Events with limited appeal will not be posted. Regularly recurring events considered part of general business operations may not be listed as a separate event. All Events must be open to the public as participants or spectators. Some restrictions to access will be allowed if necessitated by the activity; restrictions must be stated in the listing’s Description. Events fall into the following types. In addition to the restrictions shown above, Events must meet the specific criteria listed below. (Events held in Missouri State Parks and State Historic Sites are maintained by Department of Natural Resources and may be submitted or altered only by DNR personnel.) A sampling of Events that will not be posted follows this list. Airshow / Fly-in: Public demonstrations of flying skills, mid-air maneuvers and static displays of various aircraft, often including military aircraft. Fly-ins cannot be restricted to club members. Beer / Wine Event: Concerts and other public activities held at a winery or micro-brewery; grape stomps; wine trails; release parties; et cetera. (Major festivals, such as Oktoberfest, belong in the Festival type.) Children's Event: An event mainly intended for those younger than 16. Civil War Event: Reenactments and ceremonies specifically commemorating battles, engagements, participants and activities of the American Civil War. Commemoration Event: Ceremonies honoring the memory of participants, battles, engagements and activities of Americans, military and civilian, in any military conflicts or wars other than the Civil War. Concert: A live performance presented mainly by professional or semi-professional singers or instrumentalists, individually or in groups, not involving theatrical staging. (Comedians, illusionists, acrobats, et cetera, should be listed in the Performing Arts type. Music at wineries and breweries belong in the Wine and Beer Event type.) Cycling Event: Involving riding or racing on a bicycle, motorcycle or similar vehicle. Must be open for participation by the general public. Dance: Staged professional or semi-professional performance in ballet, jazz, modern and other dance disciplines. Dancing Contests must be open for participation by the general public. Dart Tournament: Must draw participants from outside of Missouri and spectators from beyond the local community/area. Dinner Theater Show: Staged play, murder mystery and similar productions held before or during a meal. Must be short-term, not an ongoing activity. Dinner theaters that operate on an ongoing basis belong in the Entertainment category and should not list their individual performances as Events. Exhibit or Show: Events intended primarily for dispensing information or for viewing and observing specific objects and similar activities. Special, museum or gallery exhibits must be less than one year. Large scale automobile, boat, RV, sport, home improvement and travel shows must be held in a convention center, arena or major event venue. Fair: The Missouri State Fair and Official County Fairs which include exhibitions of goods, live entertainment, sideshows, rides, games and amusements. Farm / Agriculture Event: Corn or hay mazes; exhibits of farm equipment; harvest celebrations; other such activities of an agricultural nature. Festival: An organized series of activities and performances celebrating a region, community, activity or historic period, including Kwanzaa or Oktoberfest. An exhibition of films of a specific genre or subject. Fourth of July fireworks. Fishing Tournament: Fishing tournaments must be open to the general public, individually or in teams. Age restrictions are allowed. Food Event: Including, but not limited to, cook-offs where visitors may sample and purchase the foods; events offering samples from several restaurants or suppliers. Fun Run / Race: Organized races including, but not limited to, running, skating, homemade vehicles, cross-country rallies and other racing contests. This does not include automobile races on a closed track or drag strip. Golf Tournament: Must be a scheduled, organized event in match, medal, best-ball and scramble format. Participation must be open to the general public. Proceeds must support a recognized charity, institution or civic organization. (PGA and LPGA tournaments belong in the Sporting Events type.) Holiday Event: Activities revolving around a specific, nationally recognized holiday. Home Tour Event: Must involve three or more houses built prior to 1920, restored and maintained to their period. Houses must be open for public access during the event. Open houses involving a single dwelling may be listed if the house has historical significance other than age and it is restored and maintained to its original period. Lecture: Must involve the relating or discussion of historical, scientific, environmental or educational information. Live Theatre: A staged play or opera performed primarily by professional or semi-professional actors. Must have a run of less than four months. Nature Event: Activities focused on things found in nature, including, but not limited to, flora and fauna, plants and trees, animals, birds, caves, geology, anthropology, rivers and streams. May be held indoors. Organized Tour: Short-term tours (generally escorted) operating on a regular schedule, with an established itinerary involving more than one attraction or point of interest. For self-guided tours, a published pamphlet and map, with detailed directions and informative commentary on the points of interest, must be available at all of the included sites. Outdoor Adventure: Organized activities such as, but not limited to, hiking and backpacking, equestrian trail rides, campouts, spelunking, canoeing and floating, rock climbing, scuba, et cetera. Pageants: A beauty or similar contest where a state-wide or nation-wide title is bestowed. Also, an elaborate, dramatic presentation depicting a historical or traditional event. Parade: An organized public procession. Only parades celebrating a nationally recognized holiday will be posted. Performing Arts: A live performance, mainly by professional or semi-professional comedians, illusionists, acrobats, et cetera, individually or in groups, not involving theatrical staging. (This type is for those performers who do not fit in the Concert, Dance or Live Theatre types.) Pumpkin Patch: Short term, "u-pick" and related fall activities held at a pumpkin patch or farm. Shopping Event: Juried arts and craft shows with more than 30 booths; antique, collectible, gun or trade shows with more than 100 vendors; large scale sales involving more than two communities or stretching more than 20 miles. Local flea markets, sidewalk sales, auctions, garage sales and “sales” at retail shops and malls will not be posted. Sporting Event: Any short-term event where a sport or athletic activity is the main focus. (Fun runs and races, darts, cycling, golf tournaments and fishing tournaments have their own types.) Storytelling: Presenters spin yarns of real or fictitious adventures. Wine / Beer Event: Live music and other special activities held at a winery or micro-brewery; grape stomps; wine trails; vintage release events; et cetera. (Major festivals, such as Oktoberfest, belong in the Festival type.) Events that will not be posted include, but are not necessarily limited to: · Activities with no specific dates or hours. · Amateur or semi-professional automobile or boat races. · Amateur theater or concert performances. · Art gallery showings aimed primarily at retail sales. · Beauty contests on a local level. · Business/association expositions, conventions and trade shows intended primarily for members. · Camps. · Car cruises and car club activities. · Christmas tree sales. · Church fairs, dinners, bazaars, et cetera. · Cleanup activities. · Club activities such as poker night, etc. · Easter egg hunts or Easter bunny activities. · Events directed toward a limited or a very specific audience. · Farmers markets. (May be in the Attractions category if they have a regular schedule and run for a minimum of four months.) · Fireworks. (Independence Day fireworks displays are allowed in the Festival type.) · Flea markets, sidewalk sales, auctions and garage sales. (Large sales, like the 100 Mile Garage Sale, will be allowed in the Shopping type.) · High school festivities such as homecoming, plays, sports, etc. · Meals. (4-H dinner; parish picnics, etc.) · Opening day of an attraction. · Opening reception. · Santa arrival and other Santa events. · Seminars or workshops. · Shopping center/mall activities. · Small, local arts and craft shows. · Traveling carnivals, circuses or side shows. ENTERTAINMENT AND ATTRACTIONS This category includes places of a general interest to the traveling public and tour groups. A large variety of permanent and seasonal establishments appear in this category. Establishments must be open for business for more than four months (unless otherwise stipulated below) of the year. Listings in this Category fall into the following types. They must meet the specific criteria listed below. Amusement Park: Theme parks and arcades offering rides, games and entertainment on a large scale. Water parks must include large slides, fountains, and other recreational activities involving water. (Local/city water parks/pools will not be listed.) Art Gallery: Exhibiting works of fine art: art produced or intended primarily for beauty rather than utility, such as sculpture and paintings. Must be a stand-alone operation. Artisan Gallery: Exhibiting works of art by skilled craftspeople in their particular medium: clay, glass, jewelry, wood, fabrics, and other hand crafted mediums. The majority of the items must be made by Missouri artisans. Must be a permanent, stand-alone operation. Mobile stands/carts/vans will not be listed. Botanical Garden: A place where a wide variety of plants or trees are cultivated and displayed for ornamental purposes. Must be open to the general public on a regular schedule. Bowling Alley: The primary activity must be bowling. Must have open bowling available to the public at regular, established hours. Canoeing / Floating Facility: A business which, as their primary service, operates as an outfitter renting canoes, kayaks, tubes, rafts and related supplies for floating on a river or stream. Carriage Ride: Any wheeled passenger vehicle, drawn by hoofed animal(s). Casino: A state-licensed establishment operated for the purpose of gambling. Cave: Naturally occurring passageways and rooms under the surface of the earth. Must be open for public tours at regular hours or by reservation. Cemetery: An established place for burying the dead. To be listed, the site must have major historical significance, or hold the remains of a person(s) of prominent state, national or international importance. Children's Activity Center: Offering supervised, organized games, instruction, amusements or activities for children; primarily intended for those younger than 16. (Daycare centers will not be listed.) Conservation Area: A state or federally designated outdoor expanse of property where practices and programs are in force for the conservation of natural environments; usually devoid of development. May contain a visitor center. Dairy Farm: Must offer tours or educational activities revolving around the production of dairy products. Must be open to the public at regular hours and by reservation to groups, for a minimum of five consecutive months in a calendar year. May offer their products for purchase. Dinner Theater: Stages a theatrical production during or after a restaurant meal. Diners may, but may not be required to, participate in the production. Must have a regular schedule of performances. Equestrian: Activities and facilities primarily intended to be enjoyed on horseback. Activities offered may include short term or overnight guided trail rides; open riding trails; stabling and boarding; corrals; and on-site blacksmithing and veterinarian services. As a general rule, horses should be available for rent. Farmers Market: Must have a fixed location and operate on a regular schedule for a minimum of four consecutive months in a calendar year. Products sold must be grown, harvested or produced by the participants. Ferry: Transport people or vehicles by boat or barge across a body of water. Must operate on a regular schedule, weather and flood conditions permitting. Weight and capacity restrictions are allowed; restrictions must be stated in the listing’s Description. Fish Farm / Hatchery: A place where fish eggs are hatched and the fingerlings are raised under artificial conditions for release or sale at a later time. Must be open for public observation or tours. Genealogy Center: Contains records or accounts of the ancestry and descent of a person, family or group. Records must be available to the public. Golf Course: Standard, executive or par-three golf courses open for public play on a regular schedule. Also miniature-golf complexes and stand-alone driving ranges. Must be open for a minimum of five months in a calendar year. (Courses restricted to resort gests or members-only are not listed.) Historic Site: The location must have some historic or prehistoric significance on a state, national or international level. A property is not considered historic merely as a result of age. (Listings for State Historic Sites are maintained by Department of Natural Resources and may be submitted or altered only by DNR personnel.) Lake: A land-locked body of water accessible by the general public for recreational activities. Mural: A very large image or painting applied directly to a wall or ceiling. Cannot advertise products for sale. Cannot depict current or planned activities. Museum: A building, place or institution devoted to the acquisition, conservation, study, exhibition and educational interpretation of objects having scientific, historical or artistic value. Music Venue: Presenting staged productions of a primarily musical nature. Must have ongoing, regularly scheduled performances or offer public tours of the facilities. The venue must have a well-maintained Web site listing the current schedule and ticket prices. Nature / Wildlife Preserve: A protected area for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological interest which is reserved and managed for conservation, study or research. Must offer public access, tours or instructional activities on a regular schedule. Nightclub / Dance Hall: An establishment that is open to the public at night and provides food, drink, entertainment and music for dancing. Observatory: A place equipped for observing astronomical, meteorological or other natural phenomena. Must be available for use by the general public during regular hours or by appointment. Orchard: Land devoted to the cultivation of fruit, nut or sugar-maple trees. Must be open to the public for more than four months in a calendar year. Organized Tour: Ongoing tours (generally escorted) operating on a regular schedule, with an established itinerary involving more than one attraction or point of interest. For self-guided tours, a published pamphlet including a map with detailed directions and informative commentary must be available at all of the included locations. Paintball Field: Must be open on a regular schedule. Park: A large tract of land kept in its natural state, with few or no buildings, set aside and maintained for the enjoyment and recreation of visitors. Local and city parks and city recreational facilities are not listed unless they contain some unusual or significant attraction. (Listings for Missouri State Parks are maintained by Department of Natural Resources and may be submitted or altered only by DNR personnel.) River or Stream: A natural course of flowing water. Must be accessible for recreational use by the public. Some usage restrictions may be allowed; they must be stated in the listing’s Description. Sculpture Park / Garden: An outdoor area where the principal attraction is statuary or topiary. Shooting Range: An area or building specifically designed for the use of firearms or archery, including targets, skeet and trap facilities. Shopping: Retail malls with a minimum of 30 permanent stores. Antique stores/malls must be permanent operations, with regular business hours, offering primarily antiques and collectibles. (Antique malls must have a minimum of 50 vendors to be included in the annual Travel Guide publication.) VisitMO does not list individual retail stores or gift shops unless they are a well-known destination in and of themselves. (The original Bass Pro Outdoor World, for example.) Smokehouse: An establishment where meat is cured and sold on the premises. Tours or video presentations of the facility and of the curing process must be available to the public. Must be open on a regular schedule. Spa: Supplying a variety of professionally administered personal care treatments, such as massages, facials, body wraps, aromatherapy, skin exfoliation and therapeutic water, mineral or mud baths. Must be open to the public with no membership fee or hotel/resort stay required. Speedway: A facility offering regularly scheduled, organized automobile or motorcycle races, including drag strips. Must operate a minimum of four consecutive months in a calendar year. Must have a well-maintained, up-to-date Web site listing a race schedule and admission prices. Spiritual Center: A church or other structure intended for religious or spiritual activities. Must have a significant historical or major artistic attraction and offer guided or self-guided tours to the public. Sports Complex / Stadium: An arena or stadium which is home to a specific semi-professional or professional team with a regular schedule of games. The team or facility must have a well-maintained Web site listing the current schedule and ticket prices. Theater: A facility offering professional theatrical productions, plays, dances, concerts or individual performances. The theater must have a well maintained Web site listing the current schedule and ticket prices. Trail: A fixed, overland, marked or beaten path through open ground, woods or wilderness intended for bicycling, walking, hiking or backpacking. This includes rails-to-trails conversions. (Listings for State Parks are maintained by Department of Natural Resources and may be submitted or altered only by DNR personnel.) Train / Tram: A public conveyance on a closed-end route by locomotive pulled cars on rails; gondola type cars suspended from an overhead cable; or in a vehicle-drawn wagon. Must operate on a set schedule. Working / Educational Farm: Must expose the visitor to the actual daily workings of a farm operation, including, but not limited to, the processing of crops and any standard farm livestock. This does not include Dairy Farms, which have a separate category/type. Must be open to the public for more than four consecutive months in a calendar year. Working Artisans: A facility with one or more craftspeople working on site, demonstrating their craft(s) to the visitors. Must be open to the public on a regular schedule for more than four consecutive months in a calendar year. Working Ranch: Must expose the visitor to the actual daily workings of a ranch, specifically herds of cattle, sheep, horses or exotic animals such as llamas, emus, et cetera. Must be open to the public for more than four consecutive months in a calendar year. Zoo: A facility in which a variety of living animals, mammals and/or reptiles are housed and exhibited to the public. HOTEL OR PLACE TO STAY This Category is broken into the following types. They must meet the specific criteria listed below. Bed and Breakfast: Homes or inns offering one or more private guestrooms inside the home or in adjacent buildings. A full, hot breakfast or a continental breakfast must be included with the lodging. Breakfast must be served to the guests in a sit-down setting or a buffet. Facilities where breakfast foods are supplied for the guest to prepare themselves do not qualify; they belong in the Guesthouse type. Hotels where breakfast is included do not qualify; they belong in the Hotel/Motel type. Cabin / Cottage: One or more stand-alone, furnished or partially furnished, simple dwelling typically in a rural, or semi-rural location. Campground / RV Site: A location set aside for primitive and tent camping or sites prepared specifically to accommodate RVs and coaches. Condo: Apartment-like units in a complex where the units are owned by individuals and the common areas, such as the grounds and other structures, are owned jointly by the unit owners. An offer to sell cannot be made to the renters. Farm: Lodgings on a working farm. Hostel : Accommodation where guests rent a cot, bed or bunk-bed in a dormitory-type setting with a shared bathroom, kitchen and common area. Guesthouse: A small structure, adjacent to a main house or building, used for lodging guests. Hotel / Motel: Multi-unit establishment that provides paid lodging, usually on a short-term basis. They normally provide a number of additional complementary or fee-based services and conveniences for their guests. Private Home: Absentee owned, individual houses where the guest rents and occupies the entire dwelling, grounds and included facilities. Must be an established accommodation. Cannot make an offer to sell to the renters. Must offer a brochure or Web site that provides detailed information. Ranch: An equestrian facility in a ranch-like setting, where guests stay in a guestroom, bunkhouse, tent, wagon or special camp site. Rental Agency: Businesses that manage and rent multiple accommodations for short-term stays, but are not themselves an actual destination for the visitor. Resort: A resort contains, within the facility, necessary guest attractions and amenities needed for a one-location vacation so guests have no need to leave the facility throughout their stay. This could include, but is not limited to: lodging, restaurant and lounge, sports, entertainment, shopping and meeting/event facilities. DINING AND DRINKING Dining and Drinking establishments fall into the following types. They must meet the specific criteria listed below. Because of the overwhelming numbers, “fast food” restaurants, where customers serve themselves, are not listed. Mobile food stands/carts/vans will not be listed. Bakery: The principal business must be breads and pastries baked daily on the premises. Brewery: Under the brewery's own label, hand-crafted beers must be brewed and served on the premises. May offer a menu of food beyond snack items. Must be a stand-alone operation. Coffeehouse: The primary focus must be serving coffee, coffee drinks and teas. Must be a stand-alone, store-front operation. Ice Cream Parlor: Ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, gelato and related desserts must be the main menu items. Must be a stand-alone operation. Restaurant: Full-service establishment offering wait-staff table service; also, full-service delicatessens and buffet-style eateries. Bars and lounges must offer food service beyond snack items. Winery: Wineries must sell primarily their own label wines and juices, by the glass or bottle, and offer tasting or tours. Must be a stand-alone operation. SERVICES Service businesses fall into the following types. They must meet the specific criteria listed below. This category is for those businesses that provide a service to travelers, but are not an actual destination for the visitor. Standard travel agencies are not listed. Convention / Event Center: A cavernous public building with enough open space to accommodate several thousand attendees. Convention centers rent out their space for meetings such as corporate conferences, industry trade shows, formal dances, entertainment spectacles and concerts. The space may be dividable for smaller meetings. CVB / Chamber of Commerce: A Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) is a Destination Marketing Organization in the USA which represents its tourist related member businesses. A Chamber Of Commerce is a network formed by business owners to protect their interests and to promote the area and the member businesses. Event Planner: Those who plan, organize, schedule, secure a location for and advertise public or private events, conventions, trade shows, concerts and similar activities. Marina: A marina is a port or dock where boats are kept in the water and where services geared to the needs of recreational boating are found. May offer some or all of these services, but are not limited to them: fuel, repair facilities, small stores, boat and watercraft rentals, slip rentals and launch facilities. Official Welcome Center: Official Missouri Welcome Centers located at major highway points of entry into the state; also officially designated Affiliate Welcome Centers within the state. Outfitter / Guide Service: An outfitter provides or rents supplies, equipment and everything needed for outdoor recreation such as hunting and fishing, floating, spelunking, hiking, backpacking and like activities. A guide service supplies an experienced, knowledgeable person(s) to conduct these types of activities. Pet / Animal Boarding: Short-term kennels; stables and corrals; and shelters staffed by trained attendants. Receptive Tour Operator: Also called a step-on guide. A person with extensive knowledge of the area, who joins a tour group once it arrives at the destination and conducts or guides that group on a set itinerary. Ticket Agency: An organization that acquires and sells individual or group tickets for a variety of area activities, theaters, concerts, et cetera. Not a destination or attraction in and of itself. Visitors Center: A local operation, staffed by knowledgeable personnel, offering information, directions, brochures, maps and other services. TRANSPORTATION Transportation businesses fall into the following types. They must meet the specific criteria listed below. Airline: Scheduled commercial and private chartered air transportation. Airport / Airfield: An area of fields and runways where aircraft can take off and land, including FAA designated float plane areas. FBOs and aircraft rental operations should be listed here. Bus Line / Motor Coach: Large capacity transportation, available for charter, day use and tours. Railroad: Scheduled commercial train services. In order to be posted, the company must have a well maintained, up-to-date Web site listing schedules and fares. (Excursion trains on a closed-end route belong in Train/Tram type within the Entertainment and Attractions category.) Shuttle Service: Short distance, usually one-way transportation for persons and equipment from one point to another; generally associated with, but not limited to, floating, cycling, hiking and airport arrivals/departures. Taxi / Limousine: Taxi and limousine services must hold the required licenses and be in good standing. Vehicle Rental: Rental agencies for automobiles, motorcycles, RVs or ATVs.