Travel/tourism in Minnesota generates:

  • $10.5 billion in gross sales
  • $650 million in state sales tax

CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMY

  • Travelers in Minnesota spend more than $32 million a day.
  • These dollars circulate widely into Minnesota’s local and state economies, supporting a variety of businesses and amenities that add to Minnesotans’ quality of life.
  • Tourism is comparable to agriculture in its contributions to the gross state product.

GROWTH IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

Sales at leisure and hospitality businesses grew 26% from 2000 to 2005.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Every $1 invested in state tourism marketing returns an estimated

  • $4.60 in state and local taxes
  • $20.40 in wages
  • $53 in gross sales

TRAVELER SPENDING BY EXPENDITURE:

  • Shopping 25%
  • Recreation 25%
  • Food 24%
  • Lodging 14%
  • Transportation 11%

TRAVELER EXPENDITURES BY SEASON

SUMMER 39%
SPRING 22%
WINTER 16%
FALL 23%

TRAVELERS & DESTINATIONS

TRAVELERS IN MINNESOTA

Minnesota’s 41 million annual person-visits are distributed throughout the state.

  • A Twin Cities Area 45%
  • Northeast 16%
  • North Central/West 21%
  • Southern 19%

(Note: A person-visit is one person on a day trip or one person staying overnight in one accommodation for one or more nights.)

TOURISM EMPLOYMENT

Tourism means jobs in communities across Minnesota. The leisure and hospitality industry accounts for:

  • 244,200 full-and part-time jobs
  • $3.7 billion in wages

Growth in Leisure & Hospitality Jobs

244,200 jobs for 2006

  • Over the past 30 years, the number of leisure and hospitality jobs has more than doubled.
  • Leisure & hospitality jobs increased 127% from 1975 to 2005.
  • The payroll for this sector grew even more during this same period - 157% (inflation-adjusted).

2008 Tourism & The Economy Brochure