May is Tourism and Travel Month. Think about the following tourism facts:
- “The number of annual person-visits in Minnesota is more than seven times the total population of the state.” Source.
- “Tourism is a key sector of Minnesota’s economy, comparable to agriculture in its contribution to the gross state product.” Source.
- “The state’s documented 562 museums provided an economic impact of $674 million in 2011.” Source.
- “(Most) rural tourism businesses are locally owned and locally run, and most rural tourism jobs support families… They’re more likely to be entrepreneurial pursuits operated by people who are passionate about what they do and support their families while doing it.” Source.
This weekend is the Minnesota Fishing Opener, Mother’s Day, and even graduations and proms in some of our region’s towns. Each of these events can involve tourism and travel. Tourism is all around us, even here in rural Minnesota.
For more tourism information, contact Jenifer Fadness at 320-289-1981 ext. 5 or Kristi Fernholz at 320-289-1981 ext. 6 at the UMVRDC; visit any of the source links in the above bullet points; or visit any of the UMVRDC’s tourism program sites: