Contact: Joan Hummel
Explore Minnesota Tourism
651-757-1850

ST. PAUL (September 14, 2009) – Right in time for fall trip planning, the state’s Explore Minnesota travel Web site has a fresh new look and some handy new features, plus timely reports on good places in the state to enjoy fall colors. The popular Web site, operated by Explore Minnesota Tourism, the state’s tourism promotion office, gets more than 2.6 million visits annually.

The Web site’s latest enhancements include improved searching, mapping and navigation to make it even easier to search its comprehensive listings of places to stay and things to do across the state. The site also includes a vast assortment of beautiful photography. Visitors to the site can sign up to receive regular reports via e-mail or RSS feed on a variety of topics, including fall colors, festivals and events, fishing, golfing, birding and special deals, which describe discounts and/or packages offered at hotels, resorts and other accommodations around the state.

The fall color reports are weekly updates on where leaves are changing color across the state and where the best fall color viewing is for that week, with information provided by Minnesota State Parks. The reports include some details on autumn wildflowers, grasses, and bird migrations, as well as on foliage colors, and can be used to plan getaways for fall color viewing.

Another popular feature of the Web site is "My Favorite Minnesota," highlighting travel destinations on a variety of topics submitted directly by travelers sharing their inside tips with others. Consumers can add their own favorite places to the Web site, along with photos and video.

"With most people using the Internet for part or all of their trip planning these days, it’s important to keep fine tuning the state’s travel Web site," explains state tourism director John Edman. "The Web site is a primary marketing tool for Explore Minnesota and it really connects people with great places to visit. It’s an appealing and easy to use site."

The Web site is at www.exploreminnesota.com. Travel information is also available by phone from a center staffed weekdays by Minnesota travel counselors; the toll-free number is 888-868-7476. 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 248,000 Minnesotans.

# # #