What Meet Minneapolis does

Meet Minneapolis is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) and Convention and Visitors Association for Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating as an independent nonprofit founded in 1987. The organization markets Minneapolis as a destination for leisure visitors, meeting planners, convention organizers, sports tourists, and LGBTQ+ travelers, operating the official minneapolis.org visitor guide, a staffed Visitor Center on Nicollet Mall, and a 24/7 phone support line. It also manages the 1.6-million square foot Minneapolis Convention Center, the primary venue for large-scale events in the region.

The organization funds operations primarily through a Tourism Improvement District that levies a 2% hotel service charge across the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metro area's 44,900+ hotel rooms. Its go-to-market is hybrid: enterprise sales to meeting planners and convention organizers for the Convention Center, combined with consumer-facing content marketing across website, TikTok, email, and earned media. Core products include the visitor guide website, Sports Minneapolis (vertical for sports tourism), seven formalized Cultural Districts, and meeting/event planning services, supplemented by community-support initiatives such as Go. Gift. Give. and MPLS for MPLS.

The 2026-2028 strategic agenda is centered on a heavy mega-event pipeline (2028 NFL Draft, WWE SummerSlam, Special Olympics USA Games, Savannah Bananas) and Minneapolis's 2027 inclusion in the Michelin Guide's American Great Lakes regional edition, the latter funded by a $250,000/year commitment. The organization is navigating reputational headwinds from 2026 federal immigration enforcement disruptions, prompting a rebrand and local-business recovery programs. Leadership includes CEO Melvin Tennant, VP of Destination Development and Public Affairs Abby Poeske, SVP Destination Sales Brent Foerster, and VP of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Ka Vang.

Name

Meet Minneapolis

Legal name

Meet Minneapolis™, Official Convention and Visitors Association

Website

https://minneapolis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Meet Minneapolis is the official nonprofit Destination Marketing Organization and Convention and Visitors Association for Minneapolis, marketing the city to leisure travelers, meeting planners, sports tourists, and LGBTQ+ visitors while operating the 1.6M sq ft Minneapolis Convention Center, funded primarily by a 2% hotel service charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Convention Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Experiential & Cultural Programming (Tours, Activities, CSR/Voluntourism) (THAHADAF), Venue & Special Event Site Sourcing (Unique Venues, Permitting) (THAHADAE), F&B Experiences & Group Dining (Restaurant Buyouts, Tastings, Catering Coordination) (THAHADAI)

Keywords

• Destination marketing organization
• Convention and visitors bureau
• Convention center operations
• Tourism marketing services
• Event venue management

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Tourism Improvement District: Minneapolis funds its participation in the Michelin Guide and tourism marketing through a 2% hotel service charge, which funds the tourism improvement district that pays $250,000 annually for three years to bring Michelin inspectors to the city.
2. Convention Center Operations: The Minneapolis Convention Center generates revenue through hosting events, conventions, and public gatherings, with proceeds supporting tourism infrastructure and marketing efforts for the city.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Meet Minneapolis is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) and convention and visitors bureau for Minneapolis, Minnesota. It markets the city to leisure visitors, meeting planners, and event organizers through the minneapolis.org visitor guide website and operates the 1.6-million square foot Minneapolis Convention Center as a venue for conventions, trade shows, corporate events, and public gatherings.

Product overview

Meet Minneapolis operates as the official convention and visitors association for Minneapolis, providing a suite of interconnected tourism marketing products and services. The core offering is the visitor guide website (minneapolis.org) which serves as the primary platform connecting visitors with hotels, restaurants, attractions, events, and neighborhood information. This platform is supplemented by specialized sub-products including Sports Minneapolis for sports tourism promotion, the Minneapolis Cultural Districts guide for cultural and culinary exploration, and the Meet Minneapolis Convention Center management. Additional services include meeting and events planning assistance, visitor information centers, and community support initiatives like the Go. Gift. Give. campaign. The organization also maintains partnerships with Metro Transit and social media platforms for visitor convenience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Meet Minneapolis Official Visitor Guide Website Official tourism marketing website (minneapolis.org) serving as the primary visitor guide with information about hotels, restaurants, attractions, events, neighborhoods, and things to do in Minneapolis.
• Minneapolis Convention Center A 1.6-million square foot convention and event facility offering event planning services, meeting spaces, and public event parking through multiple integrated parking ramps for conventions, trade shows, corporate events, and public gatherings.
• Sports Minneapolis Dedicated platform promoting Minneapolis sports tourism, featuring information about professional teams (Vikings, Twins, Wild, Timberwolves, Lynx, United FC), University of Minnesota athletics, venues, and sports-related visitor experiences.
• Minneapolis Cultural Districts Guide Digital guide showcasing seven cultural districts (38th Street, Cedar Avenue South, Central Avenue, East Lake Street, Franklin Avenue East, Lowry Avenue North, and West Broadway) highlighting diverse communities, international cuisine, markets, art, and cultural experiences.
• Meeting and Events Planning Services Professional planning services for meetings, conventions, and events including venue selection, accommodation booking, transportation coordination, and event logistics support for meeting planners and convention organizers.
• Visitor Information Services In-person and digital visitor assistance including the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center on Nicollet Mall, visitor guides, maps, and 24/7 phone support (1-888-676-6757) for trip planning inquiries.
• Minneapolis Neighborhoods Guide Comprehensive neighborhood exploration guide featuring 15 distinct Minneapolis neighborhoods including Downtown, North Loop, Northeast, University, and various residential districts with descriptions and recommendations.
• Go. Gift. Give. Campaign Community support initiative encouraging visitors and locals to support Minneapolis businesses through dining, purchasing gift cards from local restaurants and shops, and contributing to The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% of travelers consider the Michelin Guide a key factor in destination selection

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Destinations InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeet Minneapolis holds accreditation from Destinations International, the global trade association for official destination marketing organizations, validating its standards and practices as an official DMO.
• Explore MinnesotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the state's official tourism marketing organization to promote Minneapolis as a visitor destination within Minnesota tourism initiatives.
• VisitTheUSAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-marketing partnership as part of the USA's national tourism brand to promote Minneapolis to international and domestic travelers.
• Delta Air LinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelta Air Lines is a hub airline at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, connecting Minneapolis to nearly 800 cities in 120 countries, facilitating visitor access to the destination.
• Metro TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Metro Transit for transportation information, including the METRO Blue and Green Line systems connecting downtown Minneapolis with the airport, Mall of America, and Saint Paul.
• Michelin GuideflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinneapolis has committed to paying $250,000 annually for three years to bring Michelin inspectors to the city as part of the American Great Lakes regional edition launching in 2027. The Michelin Guide will evaluate local dining establishments and is expected to boost culinary tourism significantly.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Choose Chicago: Official DMO and convention & visitors bureau for Chicago, operating McCormick Place. Directly comparable to Meet Minneapolis in operating a large convention center, running a hotel-tax-funded marketing budget, and pursuing marquee event bookings.
• Visit Denver: Official CVB for Denver, managing the Colorado Convention Center. Comparable mid-tier U.S. DMO with similar hotel-tax funding, meeting planner sales motion, and downtown convention infrastructure.
• Visit Seattle: Official DMO for Seattle with comparable convention center responsibilities and Pacific Northwest/Upper Midwest positioning. Competes with Meet Minneapolis in national association rotation and leisure travel.
• NYC & Company: Official DMO and CVB for New York City. Largest U.S. urban DMO with comparable convention center (Javits Center) management remit and breadth of cultural, sports, and MICE marketing verticals.
• Visit Philadelphia: Official CVB for Philadelphia, providing city-wide destination marketing and convention services with a comparable mid-Atlantic DMO funding model and meeting planner focus.
• Visit Austin: Official DMO for Austin, TX. Comparable mid-sized U.S. CVB with strong sports tourism (F1, college football) and live entertainment verticals mirroring Meet Minneapolis's sports + cultural positioning.
• LA Tourism & Convention Board: Official DMO for Los Angeles. Comparable tier-1 U.S. DMO managing major convention facilities (LA Convention Center) and competing for entertainment, sports, and meeting-driven travel demand.
• Tourism Toronto: Official DMO for Toronto. Comparable cross-border urban DMO with convention center responsibility (Metro Toronto Convention Centre), hotel-tax funding, and emphasis on cultural and culinary tourism.
• Visit Dallas: Official CVB for Dallas with comparable large convention center (Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center) operations and pursuit of national rotation events.

Broad incumbents

• Visit The USA (Brand USA): National tourism marketing organization for the United States. Already a documented partner of Meet Minneapolis (VisitTheUSA), Brand USA is the broad incumbent promoting inbound international travel at the country level — complementary, not competitive, but the relevant 'above-DMO' layer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meetminneapolis
• Facebookfacebook.com/meetminneapolis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Meet Minneapolis