First quarter visitor numbers soar at Fantastic Caverns

Springfield, Mo., -- The numbers are in for the first quarter reporting period at Fantastic Caverns and the results are good.

Coming off of a trying 2008 season, the popular Ozarks attraction is reporting a 36 percent increase in visitor traffic compared to the same period in 2008. Cave management fully expects the increase to stabilize, but are encouraged about the prospects for the upcoming summer season. Attendance in January (2009) was up by 23 percent, February up 12 percent and March came in at a 52 percent increase from the previous year. Early season comparisons between 2008 and 2009 were influenced by two separate factors.

The first was that the cave was closed for a four-day period in March of 2008 because of flooding. Second, in March of 2009 Springfield hosted the National Homeschool Basketball Championships that brought over 7,000 visitors to the city for an entire week.

Kirk Hansen, marketing director at Fantastic Caverns notes that "It is very unlikely that this large sports tournament could be held in Springfield and it not have a positive effect on the cave's attendance." Earlier visitation numbers pointed to a strong spring season. January 2009 was the fifth best January on record; February was the eleventh best February (28-days). March came in as the third best March, adding up to a near record setting first quarter. 2002 still holds on as the best January through March on record.

Fantastic Caverns is a small, family-owned cave attraction located in the Missouri Ozarks.

The cave, touted as one of the America's most beautiful, is enhanced by its mode of tour --Fantastic Caverns is the only all-riding cave tour in North America and one of only four ride-through cave attractions in the world.

Additional information about Fantastic Caverns is available at: www.fantasticcaverns.com.