Of the 250 companies in Missouri with international investment, at least 45 are based in rural areas, employing nearly 19 percent of the 65,000 Missourians who work for these international firms. Goods are often made in Missouri at a rural plant, then transported to distribution centers in a metropolitan area or another state for export to the international marketplace. Rural Missouri communities are vital to the welfare of our state, not only because of their history and work ethic, but increasingly because their businesses affect the economic, bottom-line viability of the state. Missouri has several foreign trade zones, ports along the Mississippi River and an excellent highway system that can support increased exports. Efforts are under way to develop an export-processing center in the Kansas City area, and many of the small ports in Missouri s river towns are increasing their export activities.
Tourism also is a major industry for rural areas.
Missouri draws about 500,000 international visitors to the state each year. The figure includes about 220,000 overseas visitors and Canadians traveling by air. Missouri also attracts a large number of visitors who travel by car from Mexico and Canada, but who are very difficult to count. Many from European countries, such as Germany and France, like to visit areas of the state where immigrants from their home countries settled.