Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference Recaps

A special thank you to everyone that attended the 2023 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference

Conference Videos

• Keynote 1: Lauren Bennet McGinty - Tourism Matters for Minnesota
  
• Keynote 2: Greg DeShields - The Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  
• Awards: 2023 Award Winners

Keynote Speaker Presentations

• Keynote 3: Katie Goodman - 8 Tools of Improv Comedy That We Can Apply To Every Day Life

Breakout Session Recordings

• Breakout 1: Breakout 1: The Language of Diversity
  Presented by Greg DeShields, Tourism Diversity Matters
  
  
• Breakout Session 1: The Secret to Marketing through a Pandemic, Inflation (and possible recession)
  Presented by Sojern
  
  
• Breakout Session 1: Think Like a Journalist - Pitching Tips for Destinations in 2023
  Presented by Weber Shandwick
  
  
• Breakout Session 2: Behind the Curtain: How the travel industry (and others) spend their digital ad dollars—and what to do about it!
  Presented by Madden Media
  
  
• Breakout Session 2: Blurring the Lines between Tourism and Economic Development: A Community Conversation
  Presented by Explore Minnesota and Department of Employment & Economic Development
  
  
• Breakout Session 2: Measuring Your Campaign Performance with Metrics That Matter
  Presented by Adventure Creative/True Media
  
  

Conference Award Winners

		Julie Wearn		Tourism Professional of the Year
		Rachel Thompson		Emerging Leader
		Amy Jo Marks		Exceptional Customer Service
		Visit Lake City		#OnlyinMN Award
		St. Louis County Depot		Marketing Campaign of the Year (business)
		Discover St. Louis Park		Marketing Campaign of the Year (destination)
		Ride the Range		One Minnesota Award

Photos

Flickr gallery

Sponsors

Thank you to our conference sponsors: 

Keynote Sponsors

Breakout Session Sponsors

Conference Break Sponsors

Marketplace Vendors

Lanyard Sponsor

A special thank you to everyone that attended the hybrid 2022 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference

Conference Videos

• March 1 Full Day*
  *P.J. Fleck's presentation not available
• Tourism Crisis Marketing Grants - Phase I & Phase II

Keynote Speaker Presentations

• Lauren Bennet McGinty - A New Vision for Minnesota Tourism
• Peter Slatin - Making Accessibility Acccessible
• Adam Sacks - Navigating the Perilous Road to Recovery
• Amanda Brinkman - Lessons from the Small Business Revolution

Breakout Session Recordings

• Increase Organizational Value through Advocacy
• 17 Rapid-Fire Tips to Drive Tourism Traffic Now
• Navigating the Future Post-Pandemic Tourism - Five Critical Challenges & Opportunities for Minnesota
• Communicating in a New Media Landscape
• Evolving to Meet the Call
• Introduction to the DMO Accessibility Blueprint

Conference Award Winners

		Brady Laudon		Emerging Leader Award
		Joe Henry		Tourism Professional of the Year
		Odyssey Resorts		Marketing Campaign of the Year
		Visit Roseville		Marketing Campaign of the Year
		Riverbend Skate Path		#OnlyinMN Award
		Dean Beattie		Customer Service Award
		First Avenue		Tourism Recovery Award

View our award photos here.

Sponsors

Thank you to our conference sponsors: 

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A special thank you to everyone that attended the virtual 2021 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference

Thank you to our premier conference sponsors: Adventure/True Media, Mall of America, MediaOne, Miles Partnership, Orange 142 and Weber Shandwick. 

Thank you to our speed session sponsors: AAA Living, ADS Data Direct and Meredith Travel Marketing.

View the Industry Success video

Full Conference Videos

• March 2 Full Day
• March 3* Full Day
  *Vinh Giang's presentation is not available

Keynote Speaker Presentations

• John Edman Explore Minnesota Kickoff Presentation 
• Kelly McDonald Diversity in America: How to Market & Sell to People Not Like You, and access the Presentation Slide Deck
• Anirban Basu The Chamber of Data 
• Ann Handley Content & Storytelling in a Reimagined Future - How to Create Trust & Affinity in Tourism 
• John Edman Closing Speech

Speed Session Presentations

• Brian Matson Owned-Data Strategies to Futureproof Your Marketing Efforts 
• Nate Huff Destination Optimization - Creating Consumer Confidence to Drive Recovery 
• Laura Cederberg Cutting Through the Noise: Building and Activating and Engaging Social Strategy

Minnesota Trivia Contest Rules

Minnesota Trivia Contest Answers

Minnesota Trivia Contest Winners

2021 Minnesota Tourism Menu

A special thank you to Explore Alexandria for the welcome reception at Carlos Creek/22 Northmen Brewing, and for hosting the conference at Arrowwood Resort.

We’d also like to thank our gold-level sponsors: Mall of America, True Media and Adventure Creative; silver-level sponsors: Site Impact, Greenspring Media, Star Tribune and Miles Partnership; ADARA for sponsoring the cornhole classic; and all of our breakout session and travel marketplace sponsors and exhibitors.

View the 2020 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference photos here 

View Conference videos here

Explore Minnesota Tourism Award Winners

Download Conference Presentations:

Opening:

• John Edman & Miles Partnership
  
• Get to know Explore Minnesota
• All Regions meeting

Keynotes:

• Anirban Basu: The Return of the Economist
• Thom Singer: Communicating with Purpose
• Camille Hepola: Diversity & Accessibility
• Brian Matson: Trends & Fresh Digital Strategies for 2020