Explore Minnesota Tourism

What Explore Minnesota Tourism does

Explore Minnesota Tourism is the official state government tourism marketing agency of Minnesota, headquartered at 121 Seventh Place East, Suite 360 in St. Paul. The organization promotes Minnesota as a travel, relocation, and film production destination through an integrated platform centered on the ExploreMinnesota.com website. Its core product surface includes four segmented email newsletters (minnesota explorer, minnesota outdoors, festivals & events, and life in minnesota), free digital and print travel planning guides, a toll-free travel counseling hotline (888-VISITMN), and active social media presence across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and Threads. In 2024, the agency expanded its mandate by establishing Explore Minnesota Film, a dedicated film office that manages a $93 million film production tax credit program, replacing the prior 41-year-old nonprofit MN Film & TV.

The agency's underlying technology stack consists of a state government content management system supporting its tourism marketing website, email marketing automation for newsletter distribution, digital travel guide delivery, and an online publication ordering system. The 'Star of the North' unified brand platform ties content, itineraries, and storytelling across digital and print channels. Explore Minnesota Tourism is not a revenue-generating enterprise in the traditional sense; it operates as a public entity funded through state appropriations and the broader Minnesota tourism lodging tax architecture, which under Minnesota statute authorizes local governments up to 3% lodging taxes with 95% of proceeds directed to destination marketing organizations. Its GTM motion is predominantly direct-to-consumer through its official website, free content resources, and earned media, supplemented by joint paid advertising partnerships with outlets like Star Tribune and Condé Nast Traveler that deliver measured engagement (22.9% click rate versus a 15% benchmark on $100,000 spend).

The organization serves four primary customer segments: leisure tourists (the dominant segment) seeking outdoor recreation, cultural experiences, and events; business and corporate entities considering relocation or expansion in Minnesota; film production companies accessing tax incentives and location resources; and prospective residents evaluating relocation. Its distribution extends through a statewide network of convention and tourism bureaus, media partnerships, and direct digital channels, collectively supporting a Minnesota tourism industry that generates $24.7 billion in annual economic impact and $2.4 billion in state and local tax revenue.

Name

Explore Minnesota Tourism

Legal name

Explore Minnesota Tourism

Website

https://exploreminnesota.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Explore Minnesota Tourism is the official Minnesota state government tourism marketing agency, operating ExploreMinnesota.com, four email newsletters, and the Explore Minnesota Film office to promote leisure travel, film production, and resident relocation across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Tourism Marketing & Destination Promotion

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)

Keywords

• State tourism marketing
• Travel planning resources
• Destination promotion services
• Film office services
• Visitor guide publications

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Lodging Tax Revenue: Minnesota's tourism industry generates $24.7 billion economic impact and $2.4 billion in state and local taxes annually. Lodging taxes fund convention and tourism bureaus that market communities to visitors. Minnesota state statute allows local governments up to 3% lodging tax with 95% of proceeds required to fund destination marketing organizations.
2. Explore Minnesota Film: Film office established in 2024, replacing 41-year-old nonprofit MN Film & TV. Manages $93 million tax credit program for film production in Minnesota.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Explore Minnesota Tourism is the official state tourism organization that promotes Minnesota as a travel destination through its website (exploreminnesota.com), free travel guides, email newsletters, phone-based travel counseling (888-VISITMN), and a dedicated state film office (Explore Minnesota Film). It provides comprehensive trip-planning resources, destination guides, itineraries, and event calendars for visitors and prospective residents, funded through lodging taxes and state appropriations.

Product overview

Explore Minnesota Tourism operates a unified tourism marketing platform centered on the ExploreMinnesota.com website, which serves as the official gateway for travel planning, destination discovery, and resident relocation information. The product portfolio includes four email newsletter subscriptions (minnesota explorer, minnesota outdoors, festivals & events, and life in minnesota), the Explore Minnesota Film service (established 2024 as the state film office), and free travel planning guides available in both print and digital formats. The website organizes content across categories including Things to Do, Destinations, Trip Planning, and Live & Work sections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ExploreMinnesota.com Website The official state tourism marketing website offering travel planning tools, destination guides, itineraries, event listings, and business/living information for Minnesota visitors and residents.
• Official Travel Planning Kit Free physical and digital travel guide featuring road trips, stellar dark skies, and curated Minnesota travel content; available online and by mail order.
• Minnesota Explorer Newsletter Free email newsletter delivering curated travel content including bucket-list activities, curated itineraries, and exclusive deep dives into Minnesota destinations.
• Minnesota Outdoors Newsletter Free email newsletter featuring outdoor adventure content and insights on the best nature experiences in Minnesota.
• Festivals & Events Newsletter Free email newsletter covering upcoming special events, festivals, performances, and exhibits across Minnesota.
• Life in Minnesota Newsletter Free email newsletter providing insights on living in Minnesota with must-dos, insider tips, and need-to-knows for prospective residents.
• Explore Minnesota Film Minnesota's official state film office established in 2024, providing production resources, a crew and location directory, film incentives, workshops, and a $93 million tax credit program for film and TV production.
• 888-VISITMN Travel Counseling Hotline Toll-free phone support staffed by travel experts providing personalized trip planning assistance and destination guidance for visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22.9% click rate achieved in joint advertising campaign (vs. 15% average)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Star TribunecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 October 2025Joint advertising campaign with Explore Minnesota and Star Tribune achieved a 22.9% click rate compared to the average 15%, reaching over a million people online from a $100,000 ad spend. Campaign promoted Northfield as a travel destination.
• Northfield Convention and Visitors BureaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal CVB partnered on joint advertising campaigns with Explore Minnesota, distributing 14,000 printed visitors' guides and investing in digital ads, billboards, and partnerships to attract visitors to Northfield.
• Local Convention and Tourism Bureaus (Minnesota)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of local tourism bureaus receiving lodging tax funding (up to 3% under Minnesota state statute) required to fund destination marketing. Over 400 tourism professionals attended the 2025 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference in Duluth to discuss best practices.
• Condé Nast TravelerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned media coverage highlighting Minneapolis' emerging food scene, describing the city as having 'embracing newly arrived immigrants' and talented chefs creating 'remarkably diverse food scene.'
• The New York TimesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned media coverage on Prince's Minneapolis legacy and Purple Trail anniversary, highlighting Minnesota's cultural significance.
• Travel + LeisureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned media coverage describing Minneapolis as 'one of those rare large cities that does culture and outdoor adventure really, really well' with over 55 museums.
• Midwest LivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned media coverage featuring Minnesota small towns as charming retreat destinations for road trips.
• MN Film & TV (replaced)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExplore Minnesota Film established in 2024, replacing the 41-year-old nonprofit MN Film & TV. Manages a $93 million tax credit program for film production.
• Minnesota Film & TV IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExplore Minnesota Film provides production resources including stellar production sites, camera-ready communities, nonprofit network, and $93 million tax credit program to support film and TV production in the state.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for business development and workforce attraction initiatives. Commissioner Matt Varilek quoted supporting Minnesota's business environment.
• Minnesota Department of Tourism IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department providing resources for tourism industry professionals including regulatory guidance, data, and industry support.
• Explore Minnesota FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated film office (exploreminnesota.com/film) providing directory, production resources, tax credit information, workshops, and educational programs for the film industry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Visit California: California's official state tourism marketing organization. Directly comparable as a large US state DMO that runs multi-channel destination marketing, content platforms, and partner programs to drive visitation.
• Pure Michigan (Michigan Economic Development Corporation): Michigan's official state tourism brand. Closest geographic and structural peer to Explore Minnesota — a fellow Midwest DMO running national branding campaigns, content hubs, and lodging-tax-funded marketing.
• Visit Florida: Florida's official state tourism marketing corporation. Directly comparable as a state-level DMO funded by tourist-development taxes that runs large-scale marketing, content, and partner programs.
• Travel Oregon: Oregon's official state tourism office. Comparable as a smaller, content-driven state DMO with a strong brand identity, niche outdoor/nature positioning, and lodging-tax-style funding mechanisms.
• Visit Colorado: Colorado's official tourism office. Comparable as a state DMO focused on outdoor recreation, scenic drives, and adventure travel — overlapping Minnesota's nature-and-Boundary-Waters positioning.
• Northfield Convention and Visitors Bureau: A local Minnesota CVB that directly partners with Explore Minnesota on joint advertising campaigns and printed visitor-guide distribution. Directly comparable as a lodging-tax-funded destination marketing partner within Explore Minnesota's distribution network.

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: The national destination marketing organization for the United States. Comparable in mission (destination marketing) but operates at a federal/whole-country level rather than competing for a single state's visitor share.
• Tripadvisor: Global travel content and review platform. Comparable as a destination-discovery and trip-planning resource that competes with Explore Minnesota's content/website for traveler attention upstream of booking.

Regional players

• Meet Minneapolis (Convention & Visitors Association): Minneapolis's official convention and visitors bureau. Comparable as a CVB/DMO for Minnesota's largest metro area, handling traveler advisories, safety updates, and local destination marketing referenced by Explore Minnesota.

Emerging players

• Lonely Planet: Travel content and guidebook publisher. Comparable as a destination-discovery and itinerary source that overlaps with Explore Minnesota's guide, itinerary, and editorial content offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ExploreMinnesota
• Facebookfacebook.com/ExploreMinnesota
• Instagraminstagram.com/exploreminnesota
• TikToktiktok.com/@exploreminnesota
• Pinterestpinterest.com/exploreminn
• Xx.com/ExploreMinn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/explore-minnesota-tourism

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Explore Minnesota Tourism