MN Tourism Sees More Minnesotans, Fewer from Other States

UNDATED -- Minnesotans stuck closer to home this summer. That's according to the results of a just-released survey from Explore Minnesota. Nearly half of the respondents in the state's tourism industry say that a larger than normal share of their guests were Minnesota residents.

State Tourism Director John Edman says while it was good to see Minnesotans vacationing here, it's nice to bring money into the state from other regions.

You bring in the non-residents because they stay longer they spend more money and put more dollars into the economy.  But Minnesota is no different than any other state people just aren't as willing to venture out very far.

Edman says, know that most people wouldn't be traveling great distances this summer, they shifted their advertising focus as well.

We've gotten those messages out much closer to home than we've ever done before we're not doing international and national marketing as we've done in the past.

According to Tourism Economics, the pandemic related travel downturn has cost Minnesota roughly $5 billion in travel spending losses from Mid-March through August.

The survey results confirmed that resorts and campgrounds performed better than hotels and motels. Compared to last summer, 61 percent of respondents said revenue was down, while 29 percent said revenue was up this summer.