Industry News

Industry News provides weekly news and tips for the people who market Minnesota and its destinations.

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November 17, 2025
First Avenue, Minneapolis / Photo Credit: Paul Vincent
First Avenue, Minneapolis / Photo Credit: Paul Vincent
 
 

Explore Minnesota’s Winter Campaign – Link Correction

This Winter, Explore Minnesota’s Star of the North™ advertising continues to feature long-form videos (ranging from 4 to 8 minutes) introducing and welcoming new travelers to the state.

We are excited to launch a new story featuring a Minnesotan hosting a Californian and a New Yorker for a quintessential up north adventure, complete with big laughs, big bites, and big(ish) fish.

Learn more about our Winter Campaign – correct link.

 

Register for Agritourism in Minnesota Webinar Tomorrow

The third and final session of the fall Continuing Education Series webinar is tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. and will feature Agritourism in Minnesota. The webinar is free to attend, but advance registration is required to receive the link to join.

Speakers Dr. Xinyi Qian, director of the University of Minnesota Tourism Center, and Freya Thurmer, an extension educator in Agricultural and Natural Resources, will explore how destination management organizations can work with agritourism operators.

Register for the Agritourism webinar now.

 

Explore Minnesota is Hiring for an Executive Aide

Explore Minnesota is hiring an Executive Aide, reporting to the Executive Director. This position helps to ensure the overall success of the agency by providing direct executive administrative support, office management, and external relations duties within the agency and across all executive branch and legislative channels, serving as the Executive Director Office’s primary point of contact. This role will handle scheduling, travel arrangements, meeting preparation, event coordination, and general office management for the Executive Director, and also provide support for the agency’s leadership team.

To learn more about this exciting position, please reference the Executive Aide position – Job Posting 90207. The application close date is Dec. 2.

 

New County-Level 2024 Tourism Impact Data Now Available

Explore Minnesota partners with Tourism Economics to quantify the economic impact of Minnesota’s visitor economy through a comprehensive model that captures the far-reaching impacts of visitor spending. State-level 2024 impacts were shared several months ago and new county-level economic impacts are now ready for DMOs and other industry partners.

The free-to-download Minnesota County Table includes two key data types. First, the MN’24 Impacts tab contains direct, indirect and induced as well as total spending, employment, labor income, state taxes and local taxes data for all 87 counties. Next, there are separate annual tabs for 2019 through 2024 with county-level information focused on total visitor spend and spend for six sub-categories.

When Explore Minnesota presents to the legislature and other stakeholders about the value of tourism, visitor spending, employment and tax data are key pieces that tell that story gather data that highlights the importance of tourism to your community, visit the Tourism & The Economy page on the Industry website and download the County Table.

Minnesota state and county-level Leisure & Hospitality (L&H) 2024 data from the MN Department of Revenue will be available in early 2026. Tourism economic impact and L&H data vary due to different definitions and approaches. While L&H hospitality data collects all sales, tourism economic impact data reflects activity from visitors more than 50 miles from their home. For example, if you were to buy lunch at a café two miles from your home this sale is included in L&H data, however, it is not captured in Tourism Economics visitor spend. Explore Minnesota has shifted focus to visitor economic impact data as it better reflects the effects of tourism.

If you have any questions, please contact Gretchen Nussbaum, Explore Minnesota Research Analyst, at gretchen.nussbaum@state.mn.us or 651-757-1868.

 

Sign-up for Co-op Program Details Directly from Co-op Vendors

We are excited to announce a new opt-in feature for our Co-op Program participants. You can now subscribe to a dedicated program opt-in list to receive information directly from our co-op program providers. This is the fastest way to learn about the various digital, social, print, and video opportunities available to help you maximize your marketing budget and collaborate with Explore Minnesota.

Sign up today and never miss an opportunity to boost travel to your destination or business!

 

Explore Minnesota and Minnesota Sports and Events Team Up for the 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Get ready, hockey fans - Minnesota Sports and Events and Explore Minnesota are joining forces for an exciting new partnership! Explore Minnesota is proud to sponsor the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship, taking place in the Twin Cities from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2026.

The 10-nation tournament showcases the world’s top men’s players under 20, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the IIHF World Juniors. Games will be played at Grand Casino Arena (home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild) in Saint Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

This high-impact initiative aims to ignite passion for the game, elevate Minnesota’s identity as the “State of Hockey,” and invite fans from all over to discover the spirit, excitement, and culture that make Minnesota a must-visit hockey destination!

The sponsorship will feature “We Love Hockey” fan photo-ops, plus major exposure through PR and marketing efforts, including in-arena signage, digital campaigns, social media, website inclusion, email marketing, fan guide ads and more.

If you have questions about this partnership, please contact Glori Woolley at glori.woolley@state.mn.us or 651-757-1869.

View the FY26 Explore Minnesota Partnerships.

Want to be part of the action? Volunteer opportunities for the 2026 World Junior Championships are now open. Volunteers (ages 18+) can sign up to support the event by committing to at least three shifts during the tournament. Be part of the team behind this global celebration of hockey by signing up online.

 

Get Ready for Your Close-up as a Film Ready Community

Communities of all sizes are recognizing that being film ready creates local pride, economic opportunity and visibility. The best part is that it easy to do and it’s FREE.

Tierney Helmers, Communications Manager, from the City of Lakeville, shared:

“What mattered most was realizing that a film permit creates consistency and transparency. It sets clear expectations for both applicants and staff, which reduces uncertainty and builds trust. Knowing we had a straightforward process that protected the city while supporting creative projects made it easy to move forward with confidence.”

Become film ready certified and ensure your community has a chance to appear on the big screen.

Lead the way like these communities:

Submit your locations to our directory and take the first step toward becoming film ready.

For questions regarding this program, please contact Sarah Gebeke at sarah.gebeke@state.mn.us.

 

Submit Your Nominations for the Explore Minnesota Tourism Awards 

Celebrate the best of Minnesota tourism by submitting a nomination for the annual Explore Minnesota Tourism Awards. Help us celebrate the outstanding people, marketing and initiatives that make Minnesota a premier travel destination. Nominations are open through Dec. 12.  

Awards include: 

  • Outstanding Marketing Campaign 

  • Social Media Excellence 

  • Outstanding Video 

  • Best Destination Website 

  • One Minnesota Award 

  • Emerging Leader 

The eligibility period for each award is Jan. 1- Dec. 31, 2025. Awards will be presented at the 2026 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference. 

Learn more and submit your nominations. 

 

Canadian Travel to MN Down 18%, However, Interest in U.S. Travel Likely Improving

Minnesota Canadian arrivals are down 18% year to date through September 2025. This is according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which publicly shares monthly data. Monthly year over year 2025 relative to 2024 Canadian travel to Minnesota decreases are:

  • January down 4%

  • February down 14%

  • March down 21%

  • April down 30%

  • May down 22%

  • June down 16%

  • July down 19%

  • August down 19%

  • September down 19%

According to a Longwoods International survey conducted in October 2025, Canadian travel to the U.S. is expected to improve in the coming year. In their most recent survey, 56% of Canadian travelers reported that they do not plan to travel to the U.S. in the next year. This is a decrease of 5% from 61% of Canadian leisure travelers reporting they will not travel to the U.S. in April. This shift may signal growing Canadian indifference to U.S. policy.

Review the full report to learn more about Canadian travel sentiment towards the U.S.

 

Last Minnesota Free Park Day is November 28

The last Free Park Day of the year will happen on Friday, Nov. 28. Enjoy free entrance to all of Minnesota’s state parks and recreation areas with your loved ones – no vehicle permit needed.

Learn more.

 

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