ST. LOUIS, MO. (AP) -- The number of people visiting Missouri's 83 state parks has steadily declined since 1999, and Gov. Jay Nixon is reaching out to tourism and business leaders around the state as part of an effort to boost attendance.
Nixon spoke earlier this week to tourism leaders in Branson and to the Regional Business Council in St. Louis, outlining his plan to turn around sagging state park attendance.
In 1999, more than 18 million people visited Missouri state parks.
By last year, attendance had dropped to below 15 million.
The economy may be partly to blame, but Nixon says the state needs to do a better job of marketing the parks, especially on the Internet.
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