Group tour operators will arrive in Cape Girardeau this evening for a visit to the River Heritage Region.

The group is participating in the Missouri FAM Tour, hosted by the Missouri Division of Tourism. The objective of the tour is to familiarize tour group operators with Missouri attractions.

City officials will participate in welcoming the group to Cape Girardeau at receptions at the Victorian and Hampton inns.

The theme for the tour is "Get on Track... Missouri's Whistle Stop Tour." As part of the overnight visit to Southeast Missouri, the group will ride aboard the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway in Jackson on Thursday morning.

Tour operators from Texas, California, Delaware, Florida, and Michigan will visit Cape Girardeau.

Mary Miller, director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the River Heritage Region is attractive to group tours.

"We really put these tour operations through the paces," she said in a prepared statement. "In showcasing Missouri, the River Heritage Region provides variety and can accommodate just about any tour or group."