Explore Minnesota

Can you guess Minnesota’s top industry by GDP (gross domestic product)? ? ??You may think it's agriculture (ag). Fun fact: We are home to over 5,100 ag companies and the world’s largest private company and ag powerhouse, Cargill. ? ????Maybe you'd guess life sciences and healthcare: Minnesota is home to the Mayo Clinic, and the pacemaker was invented here! ? The real answer is manufacturing. ?? ? It’s the backbone of our economy, contributing $61.4 billion, or 13%. You can explore more about manufacturing in Minnesota from Polar Semiconductor, a leading semiconductor manufacturer based in Bloomington. The company was featured in our recent work with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. ? Learn more at https://lnkd.in/g5uA_V4K

Good news stories are happening all over Minnesota, and monthly, we’re going to share a few of our favorites. Send us your favorite story from the past month in the comments below. ???: TIME Magazine named TWO Minnesota locations in their list of the "World’s Greatest Places for 2025" – Vinai in Minneapolis and Thomas Dambo’s troll sculptures in Detroit Lakes! https://bit.ly/4ivScC5 ??: We loved seeing some familiar locations on Netflix's Love is Blind Season 8 (shout out to MPR News): https://bit.ly/4iVAasT ??: On the latest Explore Minnesota More podcast episode, we learned about the Minnesota Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights?with our own J. Randolph Briley, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet. This initiative ensures that every child in the state has opportunities to experience and benefit from the outdoors: https://apple.co/41VqbNr ??: We loved reading about the incredible 120-year legacy of the manufacturing powerhouse, Red Wing Shoe Co. in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (MSPBJ). A visit to Visit Red Wing certainly isn’t complete without stopping by the world’s largest boot at the store’s museum: https://bit.ly/4bZtJmo #OnlyinMN ?

Join Explore Minnesota and Tourism Economics for an exciting webinar on March 27 at 11 a.m. as part of Explore Minnesota’s new Continuing Education series! Dive into the results from the Minnesota Visitor Economy Study, understand tourism impacts and discover how you can use these findings to craft your own story and campaigns. Learn more and sign up today: https://bit.ly/4iqjnOR #OnlyinMN

There are many reasons why Minnesota is one of the best states for quality of life—it’s the least stressed state with unmatched natural beauty, four unique and changing seasons, top-rated health care and plentiful jobs and industry. ? As part of our work to explore this and share why Minnesota is a top state to live and work, we partnered with The Atlantic's Re:Think content team to interview and hear what new Minnesotans think for themselves. Read the full story: https://bit.ly/41LwpPX #OnlyinMN

We baked, we bought, we ate! ?? Happy Pi Day from the Explore Minnesota team, and a special congratulations to Sandy, our returning champion (4 years in a row!), who took home the crown with her delicious Snickers Pie!

Thank you to those who joined us at the Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference. We hope your time was well spent networking with tourism peers and learning about trends and new tactics in tourism marketing. Watch Keynote and Breakout Session recordings?on the Explore Minnesota industry website: https://bit.ly/41N6ys8

At Explore Minnesota’s 2025 Tourism Conference, industry leaders, elected officials, and over 500 attendees came together to celebrate the power of tourism. The numbers speak for themselves: ?: 80.2 million visits in 2023 ?: 180,473 jobs supported ?: $2.3 billion in state and local taxes generated, which saves each MN household $1,002 But tourism isn’t just about dollars, it’s about community. As our Executive Director Lauren Bennett McGinty shared, tourism strengthens our towns, attracts new businesses, and showcases Minnesota as a place where everyone can feel welcome and belong. Read more from The Minnesota Star Tribune's Editorial Board about the conference and our thriving tourism industry: https://bit.ly/3EQ3zGi Thank you to all who make Minnesota a top destination, not just to visit, but to live, work, and thrive!

Congratulations to the 2025 Explore Minnesota Tourism Awards winners!?? We celebrated outstanding individuals, marketing campaigns and other initiatives at our annual Tourism Conference in Minneapolis on February 18-19.? Bill Deef, Senior Vice President at Meet Minneapolis was named Tourism Industry Leader, and Sabrina Koelsch of the Little Falls Chamber Little Falls Chamber and Tourism earned the Emerging Leader award. The following awards were also presented, highlighting the great work those in our industry are doing throughout the state: Outstanding Marketing Campaign < $1,000,000 -?Visit Mankato Outstanding Marketing Campaign > $1,000,000 -?Visit Cook County MN Social Media Excellence -?Mall of America Outstanding Video -?Lovin' Lake County? Best Destination Website -?Bloomington Minnesota Travel & Tourism One Minnesota Award -?Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN) Exceptional Grant Project -?Willmar Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Exceptional Co-op Campaign -?Visit Lake City These achievements showcase the dedication and innovation driving Minnesota's tourism industry. For more details about the Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference and award recipients, including remarks and session recordings, visit https://lnkd.in/g-maRBib.??

The 2025 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference is right around the corner! Join us February 18-19 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The event brings the Minnesota tourism industry together for learning and networking while introducing new ideas and strategies for marketing communities and businesses.?We can't wait to see you! Learn more: https://bit.ly/3W64R5z

Calling all Hikers! ??♀? ?? Learn more about Minnesota's Driftless Hiking Trail and how it's reshaping outdoor recreation in southeastern Minnesota! In our latest Explore Minnesota More podcast episode, we explore an ambitious project to create Minnesota's newest long-distance hiking trail. Join us as we speak with Marty Walsh ("Lead Instigator") and Alexa Shapiro (Trail Director at MDHT) about: 1. How the unique geology of the Driftless Region creates the perfect terrain for hiking 2. Building partnerships between private landowners and public land managers 3. Creating economic opportunities for small communities through outdoor recreation 4. Turning a grassroots vision into reality with recent LCCMR funding This trail will be the closest long-distance backpacking opportunity for millions of people across the Upper Midwest. Learn how the team is working to make it happen! Listen now: https://lnkd.in/gecq2A75