Contact: Michele Peters
651-757-1862
Michele.peters@state.mn.us

Introducing m.exploreminnesota.com

ST. PAUL, MN (March 25, 2009) Today, Explore Minnesota Tourism launched its first mobile-ready Web site at m.exploreminnsota.com. Using this site, consumers can search Explore Minnesota Tourism’s extensive database of lodging properties, attractions, events and more from the convenience of a mobile device, and many types of cellular phones.

“We’re very excited to introduce this user-friendly tool for people who are traveling, or thinking about traveling within Minnesota,” said Explore Minnesota Tourism Director John Edman.” We see this as a great tool for those who are ‘on the road.’ This is just one of many steps that we are taking to reach consumers in ways that are easy and efficient for them.”

Use of mobile applications is soaring in the U.S. According to comScore Inc., the number of people using their mobile devices to access the Internet on a daily basis more than doubled from January 2008 to January 2009. Among the 63.2 million people who accessed the Web on their mobile devices during the month of January 2009, 22.4 million, or 35%, did so daily.

Through m.exploreminnesota.com, travelers can easily do a quick search by location for the things to do and places to stay near their destination, and find other things to do nearby. This mobile application allows travelers easy access to a subset of relevant information from the extensive database that is behind Explore Minnesota Tourism’s main Web site – exploreminnesota.com. The mobile site also allows users to plan a trip on the Web and save those details to a ‘trip planner,’ which they can now easily access from the road – no more need to print out all the details!

This mobile application was created by Ratchet, Inc., Explore Minnesota Tourism’s Web development partner.

About Explore Minnesota Tourism
As the state’s tourism office, Explore Minnesota Tourism pursues an entrepreneurial approach, leveraging the state’s tourism investment with increased involvement by the private sector. A council of representatives from the state’s tourism industry strongly connects Explore Minnesota Tourism with tourism businesses and organizations.

Tourism is an $11 billion industry in Minnesota, a key sector of the state’s economy. The leisure and hospitality industry, a major provider of tourism services, employs more than 248,000Minnesotans. More information can be found at www.exploreminnesota.com.

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Source: comScore Inc., accessed March 16, 2009
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2752