Riverboat brings tourists to Cape Girardeau

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Riverboat season is in full swing, the first docking started a little later in the year, with the last boat to dock in late September.

Visit Cape says the riverboats bring in an abundance of tourism for the city.

“We usually get over a hundred visitors right in our riverfront,” said Josh Thompson the office administrator for Visit Cape.

Those visitors get to see the sights and sounds Cape Girardeau has to offer.

“The buses, especially the ones we have today, they’ll go to five different destinations we have around town,” said Thompson.

One of those destinations is the Heritage Hall. Most recently, Mary Ann and Bert Kellerman restored the Oliver-Leming House which was the home of Marie Watkins-Oliver. She designed and created the Missouri state flag.

“Those people have no idea, that I think if we can help tell some of these stories, they’re surprised,” said Mary Ann Kellerman. “They had no idea that this happened or that happened.”

According to Visit Cape, each visit from the riverboats brings an estimate of $6,255 per visit.

Visit Cape’s Josh Thompson says that isn’t bad for a Monday in downtown Cape.