2020 VISION Creating Tourism for Tomorrow. Explore Minnesota Tourism April 2009

Transcription

1 2020 VISION Creatig Tourism for Tomorrow Explore Miesota Tourism April 2009

2 Tourism i 2020 Lookig ahead to 2020, Miesota's tourism idustry evisios a bright future for this key sector of the ecoomy, with tourism as a leadig ecoomic force i the state. It is aticipated that tourism will be a $20 billio busiess by Commuities across Miesota will cosider tourism to be a essetial idustry for ecoomic developmet. Leisure ad hospitality will be a leadig producer of jobs, attractig ew geeratios of employees. Miesota's atural resources will cotiue to be a mai attractio for travelers. Beig evirometally coscious will be fudametal to the future health of the tourism idustry Visio This report is the result of a plaig process udertake with the tourism idustry by Explore Miesota Tourism, the state s tourism promotio office. Thaks to all of the orgaizatios aroud the state that hosted 2020 Visio discussio sessios, as well as to the hudreds of members of the tourism idustry who participated i these sessios ad who completed the 2020 Visio survey. This report reflects the iterests ad priorities idetified by members of Miesota s tourism idustry durig the 2020 Visio process.

3 Itroductio What will tourism i your commuity ad at your busiess be like i the year 2020? That was the questio Explore Miesota Tourism, the state s tourism promotio arm, raised with members of the tourism idustry durig this past year. Chages i the populatio, chages i cosumers iterests ad expectatios, chages i the ecoomy, ad chages i society overall all will ievitably lead to chages i how busiesses operate ad market themselves. Miesota tourism destiatios lodgig busiesses, various types of attractios, commuities across the state ad the orgaizatios that promote them eed to prepare for doig busiess successfully i the year Explore Miesota Tourism led a statewide process to idetify the challeges ad chages that Miesota tourism will eed to address i the ext te years to keep the tourism idustry thrivig. Called 2020 Visio, Creatig Tourism for Tomorrow, the process egaged the tourism idustry i a series of discussio sessios, a survey, ad follow-up at the aual state tourism coferece. The 2020 Visio process icluded: A series of discussio sessios held with 17 orgaizatios aroud the state i fall 2008, drawig more tha 500 participats, focusig o the areas of travel product, marketig, busiess operatios, the eviromet, ad trasportatio. A detailed survey i December, 2008 regardig potetial chages i these same five primary topic areas, with more tha 450 respodig to the survey. Follow-up at the Miesota Tourism Coferece i Jauary, 2009, with sessios focusig o several of the topic areas covered i 2020 Visio sessios, ad a electroic poll o the future outlook for Miesota s tourism idustry. The body of this report icludes results from both the discussio sessios ad the survey, ad reflects a broad spectrum of iput from members of Miesota s tourism idustry. The 2020 Visio process was ot iitiated i respose to the curret ecoomic crisis. Participats were ecouraged to take the log view for the tourism idustry. Tourism will cotiue to be vital to the log-term ecoomic health of the state, ad this report outlies a blueprit for this idustry to thrive as a ecoomic force i Miesota Visio Sessios Bed ad Breakfast Associatio Cogress of Miesota Resorts Explore Miesota Tourism Staff Makato State Uiversity Metro Tourism Committee Miesota Arrowhead Associatio Miesota Associatio of Covetio ad Visitors Bureaus Miesota Chamber of Commerce Miesota Festivals ad Evets Associatio Miesota Heartlad Tourism Associatio Miesota Recreatioal Trail Users Associatio Miesota Resort ad Campgroud Associatio Rochester Covetio ad Visitors Bureau Souther Miesota Tourism Associatio St. Cloud State Uiversity/ St. Cloud Covetio ad Visitors Bureau Uiversity of Miesota Tourism Ceter Visit Duluth Ecoomic Impact of Travel & Tourism 2007 $11 billio i gross sales, a 35% icrease over 2000 sales $679 millio i state sales tax, 15% of state s sales tax reveues 247,808 leisure & hospitality jobs, almost 11% of private sector employmet

4 Busiess Operatios 2 The tourism idustry is made up of a wide variety of busiesses, icludig lodgig accommodatios, restaurats, gift shops, ad may types of attractios, icludig amusemet parks, historic sites, museums, state parks, wieries, theaters ad other performace veues. Commuities are promoted as destiatios primarily through the local chamber of commerce or covetio ad visitors bureau. May of the tourism busiesses are small to mid-size; some others operate as frachises of large corporatios. May of the attractios ad tourism promotio orgaizatios are oprofits. Tourism-related busiesses ad orgaizatios share may of the same cocers ad challeges faced by other types of busiesses, as well as some that are particular to the tourism idustry. Addressig these cocers will be importat to the success of these busiesses i the comig years. Workforce Availability A agig workforce ad decliig rural populatios both may lead to future labor shortages i the tourism idustry. Actio i the followig areas could help esure a future workforce for the tourism idustry: Address immigratio issues to facilitate hirig of o-u.s. labor. Cosider impact of school caledars o employee availability. Develop career paths i the tourism idustry to attract ad keep youger employees. Stay competitive i pay ad beefits to attract ad retai employees. Other Busiess Operatio Cocers Tourism busiesses have cocers about some areas of govermet regulatio ad about cotaiig high costs of some aspects of doig busiess, citig: Need for affordable health care, Need for affordable marketig/advertisig opportuities, Impact of taxes, fees ad licesig requiremets, especially o small busiesses, Impact of zoig requiremets ad shorelad regulatios, especially o resorts. Educatig the Workforce Tourism busiesses are cocered about educatig ad traiig youger geeratios of employees for their idustry, focusig o the followig: Improve tourism career educatio i secodary ad post-secodary schools. Foster a strog work ethic ad basic skills amog youg employees. Provide customer-service traiig for tourism employees. Provide traiig related to geeratioal differeces i the workforce. Which busiess operatios issues should be priorities for Miesota s tourism idustry over the ext 10 years? 1=Very low priority 4=Very high priority Usure Affordable health isurace 5% 8% 22% 57% 8% Quality customer-service traiig 3% 8% 34% 53% 2% for tourism employees Taxes ad fees 3% 12% 32% 48% 5% Improvig tourism career 9% 21% 45% 22% 3% educatio i colleges Tourism busiesses eed to be more competitive ad chage with our customers. Survey respodet 2020 Survey Results: Affordable health isurace ad quality customerservice traiig for tourism employees are rated highest amog busiess operatios issues.

5 Travel Product What experieces should be developed to appeal to the travelers of tomorrow? The kids of thigs people ejoy doig o vacatios ad quick getaways chages over the years. I order to keep attractig customers, Miesota travel destiatios will eed to keep i tue with chagig prefereces ad demads i lodgig ad recreatioal activities. Developmet of Miesota Travel Experieces Whe the tourism idustry braistorms the kids of thigs they eed to offer to travelers i the comig years, several commo themes come up, icludig: New ad upgraded lodgig accommodatios (hotels, motels, resorts, B&Bs, campgrouds) that offer the quality ad ameities today s travelers look for Commuity ad regioal festivals/evets desiged to egage ad etertai Packaged quick-trips, that offer short, fu, easy getaways Educatioal travel experieces Attractig amateur ad youth sportig competitios/ evets Trails for bikig, hikig, sowmobilig ad ATV ridig Golf Plaed activities that easily egage families ad their childre i the outdoors Experieces that reflect Miesota s history i egagig ways Experieces that feature Miesota s local foods, artists ad varied ethic heritage 3 Experieces that itegrate techology, such as geocachig ad techology-assisted tours What travel products ad experieces should be developed i Miesota over the ext 10 years? 1=Very low priority 4=Very high priority Usure Commuity ad regioal 1% 7% 35% 56% 1% festivals ad evets Gree travel destiatios, 4% 11% 36% 48% 1% experieces Packaged quick-trips 2% 12% 41% 43% 2% 2020 Survey Results: Commuity ad regioal festival ad evets, gree travel destiatios, educatioal travel experieces, ad packaged quick-trips were all rated as very high priorities as travel products to be developed over the ext 10 years. Grats to develop travel products also received high ratigs. We wat our visitors to.. lear about the Miesota that s beyod your imagiatio. Survey respodet

6 Marketig Tourism s beefits to Miesota commuities deped o the successful marketig of Miesota as a travel destiatio. Marketig of Miesota tourism takes place o may levels: by the state through Explore Miesota Tourism, by regioal tourism associatios, by commuities (typically through chambers of commerce or visitors bureaus), by lodgig busiesses, ad by attractios, from amusemet parks to zoos. New techologies have opeed up a variety of ew marketig chaels, ad utilizig them effectively is key to reachig ew customers. 4 Target Markets I the comig years, it will be importat to keep drawig our traditioal tourism markets, but also to target specific ew audieces to keep the tourism idustry thrivig i the future. Target markets must reflect a variety of demographics: Miesota residets ad residets of earby states ad Caadia provices Select targeted cities farther from Miesota Select iteratioal markets Youger, year-old travelers Families Baby boomers ad retirees Various ethic commuities Gay ad lesbia (GLBT) travelers Marketig Emphasis Miesota offers a rage of travel experieces, ad that diversity will cotiue to be importat to attractig the travelers of tomorrow. Outdoor recreatio ad cultural experieces will cotiue to be key tourism draws, though there may eed to be chages i the ature of these activities to keep up with cosumer iterests. Keepig Miesota travel experieces fresh ad curret will be importat for the tourism idustry. Experieces to emphasize i future marketig iclude: Ejoymet of atural resources Outdoor recreatio: trails, golf, fishig, etc. Quick trips: short, close-to-home getaways Family travel, icludig gradparet/ gradchild trips Which markets should be priorities for Miesota s tourism idustry over the ext 10 years? 1=Very low priority 4=Very high priority Usure Residets of earby states 0% 1% 14% 84% 1% & provices Miesota residets 0% 3% 22% 75% 1% Targeted cities/states farther 3% 18% 45% 32% 2% from Miesota Iteratioal markets 14% 35% 31% 17% 4% 2020 Survey Results: Residets of earby states ad provices were rated a very high priority as target markets by 84% of respodets, with Miesota residets a very high priority market for 75%. Ejoymet of Miesota s atural resources raked highest as a marketig emphasis, ratig as a very high priority for 82%.

7 Eticig youg people to outdoor recreatio Cultural experieces: arts, heritage, ethic food, wieries, historic sites Diverse lodgig/campig experieces, icludig resorts Marketig Tactics While there cotiues to be a role for traditioal advertisig ad public relatios, effective marketig of the future will utilize techologies ad tactics that might ot eve exist yet. Just as the past years brought a major shift to Iteret marketig, the ext years are likely to offer other ew chaels for reachig cosumers. Savvy marketers must develop strategies to reach cosumers usig a effective mix of ew ad traditioal commuicatio chaels. Traditioal prit ad broadcast advertisig will cotiue to have a marketig role, to attract iterest ad poit to web sites ad other chaels carryig more detailed marketig messages. Iteret use to research ad book trips will cotiue to grow, ad will expad i areas of olie videos, cosumer reviews, ad use of social etworkig sites. Mobile marketig will develop as a way to reach travelers usig laptops, multimedia phoes ad other mobile devices. Multicultural marketig will icrease as the diverse populatio of the Midwest grows i size ad affluece. Cooperative marketig ad parterships ca offer cost-effective opportuities for the tourism idustry. Developig favorable coverage of Miesota i a variety of travel media will cotiue as a effective way to draw attetio to our destiatios. 5 What should be emphasized i marketig Miesota durig the ext 10 years? 1=Very low priority 4=Very high priority Usure Ejoymet of atural resources 0% 1% 17% 82% 0% Outdoor recreatio: 0% 3% 21% 75% 1% trails, golf, fishig, etc. Quick trips: short, 2% 3% 23% 71% 1% close-to-home getaways Cultural experieces: arts, 2% 9% 36% 52% 1% heritage, ethic food, wieries, etc. It s importat to emphasize what is uique to Miesota ad most relevat to tourists. Our outdoor life ad cultural offerigs have cosistetly placed us o Top Places to Live lists, makig Miesota attractive locally ad across the coutry. Survey respodet

8 Eviromet Miesota s bouty of beautiful lakes, rivers, forests, prairies, parks ad other atural areas cotiue to be a large part of our state s appeal to travelers, who ejoy them ot oly for their sceic views, but also for the recreatioal opportuities they offer. Those ivolved i Miesota s tourism idustry place a high value o our state s atural eviromet, ad cosider protectig our great outdoors a top priority. 6 Preservig the Natural Eviromet Addressig potetial threats to the state s waters ad atural habitats will be importat ot oly to retai the high quality of life of our state s residets, but also to preserve a major attractio for visitors to our state, who pump vital dollars ito commuities across Miesota. Several issue areas will be o the watch list for those who work i tourism-related areas: Water quality of lakes, rivers ad groud water Threats related to ivasive species Appropriate recreatioal use of atural areas without damagig them Balacig developmet ad preservatio of lakeshore ad other atural habitats Gree Travel Opportuities Gree is a curret buzzword i the travel idustry, but commuities ad busiesses must cosider how to offer meaigful experieces to travelers that live up to their expectatios. I the comig years, the Miesota tourism idustry must cosider how to traslate this global travel tred ito evirometally-friedly travel optios for travelers i our state by: Icorporatig evirometally friedly busiess practices Preparig for icreased cosumer scrutiy of everythig labeled gree Promotig experieces that icorporate lodgig, diig ad recreatio that are all geared to protectig ad egagig i the local eviromet Recreatio at Lakes ad Natural Areas State parks, local parks, ad private accommodatios such as resorts ad campgrouds all provide travelers with access to our woods ad waters. They are a importat resource, especially to all those who do t ow their ow lakeshore property. The tourism idustry places critical importace o maitaiig these access poits for residets ad visitors, makig it easy for travelers to ejoy our great outdoors. Issue areas raised by the idustry iclude: Maitaiig easy public access to lakes, rivers ad other outdoor areas Attractig youger audieces to outdoor recreatio Addressig the complexity of fishig ad hutig regulatios Which evirometal issues should be priorities for Miesota s tourism idustry over the ext 10 years? 1=Very low priority 4=Very high priority Usure Preservig atural resources 1% 4% 24% 71% 1% Access to Miesota s lad 1% 6% 24% 68% 1% ad water resources Appropriate use of 1% 3% 31% 64% 1% evirometal resources Water quality cocers (both 2% 5% 27% 64% 1% groud water ad surface water) We eed to figure out how to preserve the traditioal lake vacatio that Miesota is famous for ad also redefie that vacatio so that it appeals to a youger geeratio, too. Survey respodet 2020 Survey Results: Overall, evirometal issues raked amog the highest priorities for the tourism idustry, with 95% of respodets placig high priority o preservig atural resources ad o the appropriate use of these resources.

9 Trasportatio A high-quality trasportatio ifrastructure is essetial to a strog tourism idustry. Literally, it s what gets travelers to their destiatios. I Miesota, there are several compoets of our trasportatio system that will be importat to a thrivig tourism sector i the years leadig to Roads & Bridges Most travel to ad withi Miesota is by car. Although fuel prices will cotiue to ifluece travel decisios, the majority of Miesota travel i the foreseeable future will be by road, as more fuel-efficiet vehicles become commoplace. I the comig years, it will be importat to: Maitai the curret system of roads ad bridges i good coditio Improve rural roads ad highways, as well as those i the metro area Idetify ad fud the most critical road improvemet projects across the state Air Service Both busiess ad leisure travelers deped o a efficiet air trasit system. Air service to the Mieapolis-St. Paul Airport brigs travelers to our area from across the coutry ad from coutries aroud the world. Te other Miesota Which trasportatio/trasit issues should be priorities for Miesota s tourism idustry over the ext 10 years? 1=Very low priority 4=Very high priority Usure Developmet ad maiteace of 2% 7% 32% 59% 1% trails (bike, walkig, sowmobile, ATV, etc.) Highway ad bridge 2% 12% 39% 46% 1% costructio/maiteace Reasoable ad competitive 5% 11% 38% 45% 1% air fares ad service Improved log-distace 8% 17% 31% 42% 3% passeger rail service cities are also curretly served by commercial air service. I additio, private plaes brig visitors to commuities throughout the state. The tourism idustry eeds: Expaded, competitive air service with reasoable prices at the Mieapolis-St. Paul Airport Cotiuig air service to greater Miesota commuities, combatig the tred of decliig air service to smaller cities Facilities to serve travelers who arrive by private plaes Rail Service Americas are oce agai turig to trai travel, i reactio to the icreased costs ad hassles of travel by air ad car ad a rediscovery of the pleasure of rail travel. Some potetial projects that could play a role i developig tourism i the future iclude: High-speed rail betwee Chicago ad Miesota Rail service betwee the Twi Cities area ad Duluth Light-rail service, which helps visitors to get aroud the Twi Cities metro area Additioal Trasit Optios I the future, there may be a icreasig umber of travelers, icludig older travelers ad those who arrive i the state by air, who will wat trasportatio alteratives to drivig themselves. Some possible trasit optios for commuities to cosider: Shuttle services to area attractios ad evets High-quality iter-city bus service Multi-modal trasportatio alteratives Trails for bikig, walkig, sowmobilig, etc Survey Results: Trail developmet ad maiteace rated as the highest trasportatio priority, followed by highway ad bridge costructio/maiteace ad reasoable ad competitive air fares ad service. It would be iterestig to put together a tourism package where visitors ca fly i ad ever have to worry about how they are gettig aywhere. Survey respodet

10 Movig Ahead to The 2020 Visio process ad this report serve as a foudatio for buildig tourism for tomorrow. The Explore Miesota Tourism Coucil, represetig all major facets of the travel ad tourism idustry i the state, will have a primary role i plaig for the future of the tourism idustry, based o the fidigs of this report. However, everyoe ivolved i tourism has a role to play i shapig this busiess to cotiue to thrive ad beefit Miesota. Busiesses, tourism promotio orgaizatios ad a variety of govermet agecies ca take positive steps to address the areas idetified as key to the future of the tourism idustry. The 2020 Visio process also idetified who the primary players are i addressig various issues of cocer to the tourism idustry. Busiess operatios: Idividual busiesses have the lead role i addressig issues related to busiess operatios, but chambers of commerce, covetio ad visitors bureaus (CVBs), idustry trade orgaizatios, ad as appropriate, local ad state govermet agecies, also ca be effective i addressig busiess operatio issues. Marketig: Chambers of commerce ad CVBs bureaus take the lead i tourism marketig for commuities across the state. Explore Miesota Tourism has the lead role i promotig the state as a destiatio for travelers, ad some other state agecies, such as the Miesota Historical Society ad the State Parks ad Trails Divisio of DNR, also promote their sites to travelers. Idividual busiesses ad attractios (from amusemet parks to zoos, from museums to theaters) have the primary resposibility for promotig their ow busiess, but also have opportuities to coordiate their efforts with their local chamber or CVB ad with Explore Miesota Tourism. Travel Product/Experieces: Whe it comes to developig or expadig the experieces Miesota offers to travelers, the primary players are idividual busiesses, chambers ad CVBs, ad idustry trade orgaizatios. I some cases, state ad local govermet agecies ca also play a role i developig ameities that become travel products (such as bike trails, historic sites, aturalist programs at parks, etc.).

11 Eviromet: Evirometal cocers iclude such areas as clea water ad lad use, issues that must be addressed by local, state ad federal govermet agecies. Busiesses ca address evirometal cocers i their operatios, i areas relatig to eergy coservatio, buildig desig, recyclig, purchase of local foods ad other goods, lad stewardship ad other aspects. Chambers, CVBs, ad trade orgaizatios ca assist busiesses i these efforts, ad everyoe ivolved i tourism ca keep abreast of local evirometal issues ad cotact appropriate govermet officials to ecourage actio o these issues. 9 Trasportatio: Federal, state ad local govermets have the resposibility for trasportatio ifrastructure developmet ad maiteace. However, everyoe ivolved i the tourism idustry ca help determie which trasportatio projects would be beeficial to local ad state tourism ad alert appropriate officials about their priorities. What will Miesota tourism look like i 2020? With the isights ad iitiative of everyoe ivolved i this idustry workig toward that future, tourism will be a eve more sigificat part of the Miesota ecoomy, providig jobs ad reveue i commuities across our state. Notes: Due to roudig, percetages i the survey results charts i this report do ot always add up to 100%. The complete results for the 2020 Visio Survey are posted olie at:

12 Explore Miesota Tourism 121 Seveth Place East, Suite 100 St. Paul, MN For iformatio of iterest to the tourism idustry: For travel plaig iformatio: m.exploremiesota.com 888-TOURISM M