Agritourism in Minnesota
11 a.m., Tuesday, November 18
In this session, Freya and Xinyi will start with a brief introduction to agritourism, then share national trends in agritourism and the implications for Minnesota, highlights and insights from the two annual Agritourism Exchange events that UMN Extension hosts, how destinations management organizations can work with agritourism operators, and close with resources that Extension offers for agritourism.
Register in advance for this meeting:
Off-season Product Development
2 p.m., Tuesday Oct. 21
This webinar explores strategies for building tourism products that thrive outside the peak season. For many destinations, seasonality creates serious challenges—when visitor numbers rise and fall too sharply, the resulting imbalance can strain local economies and communities. During this session, tourism professionals will gain insights into how partnerships, creative product design, and community collaboration can help smooth these fluctuations. The panel of experts will share practical tools and case examples to support off-season development, diversify tourism offerings, and reach niche markets. The conversation will also highlight approaches to strengthening economic resilience and advancing sustainability in destination planning. Featured speakers include Dr. Kristin Lamoureux, Professor and Director of the Masters in Hospitality and Tourism Mgt. at Virginia Tech University, and Simon Jones, founder of TourismWORKS and NatureScapes—two organizations dedicated to fostering the long-term sustainability of natural landscapes, seascapes, and the communities and cultures that depend on them.
The State of the American Road Tripper
Future Partners will unveil the latest insights into the evolving profile of American road trippers. Explore what drives their travel decisions, the experiences they value most, and the motivations behind their journeys. Gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively engage this influential audience—and uncover strategies to capture their attention and inspire their itineraries. Join Erin Francis-Cummings from Future Partners to explore the latest data in road tripping.
Importance and Implementation of Digital Accessibility - Miles Partnership
11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 29
Join August Erickson from Miles Partnership as he explains digital accessibility and its existing legal requirements. Erickson will share actionable steps your organization can take to ensure your website is accessible to those with disabilities. From guidelines to testing, Erickson will review techniques and tools to help you navigate the world of digital accessibility.
SEO and the Evolution of Search - Madden Media
11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 22
Organic Search is constantly changing thanks to shifts in user behavior and new technologies. From Google's AI Overviews to voice search and AI Mode, SEO expert Dylan Scacchetti will dive in to SEO and GEO trends, impacts and strategies to help your destination or business navigate the changing landscape of organic search.