Annual Economic Impact

Travel/tourism in Minnesota generates:

  • $9.2 billion in gross receipts/sales
  • $1 billion in state and local tax revenue

Travelers in Minnesota: 28.6 million

Tourism: a Key Part of our Economy

  • Tourism diversifies the Minnesota economy and expands economic activity by bringing new money into the state and local communities.
  • Minnesota tourism generates more than $25 million in gross receipts/sales per day
  • Tourism is a key sector of Minnesota’s economy, comparable to agriculture in its contributions to the gross state product.

Return on Tourism Investment

Tourism marketing provides a measurable return on investment. Every $1 invested in tourism marketing returns an estimated $4.60 in new state and local taxes, $20.40 in wages and $53 in gross sales. (Based on Minnesota Office of Tourism Advertising, 2000)

Travelers and Destinations

The number of travelers in Minnesota is almost five times the total population of the state.

Person-trips to and through Minnesota (2003):
(One person on one trip includes overnight trips and day trips over 50 miles.)

  • US leisure travelers ………………………………………23.8 million
  • US business travelers………………………………………3.9 million
  • International travelers……………………………………….0.7 million
  • Total US and international travelers in Minnesota…28.6 million*

*Total includes .2 million US travelers not specifically identified as leisure or business travelers.

Source: Travel Industry of America, TravelScope

Out-of-state visitors: 11.1 million visitors to Minnesota travel from other states, including 78% of business travelers in Minnesota. Out-of-state visitors outspend resident travelers in Minnesota.

Top home states of non-resident travelers (in order): Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska and California. About 84% of all overnight pleasure travelers to Minnesota come from the North Central region.

For more research on tourism in Minnesota, see Explore Minnesota Tourism’s industry Web site.

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