Explore Minnesota Tourism is developing a presence in the meetings and conventions market. Although meeting and convention marketing is primarily a focus for Minnesota’s convention and visitor bureaus, Explore Minnesota Tourism is coordinating with organizations throughout the state to promote awareness of the bottom-line benefits of meetings and conventions and of Minnesota’s many meeting venues. The goal is to increase the number of meetings and conventions held in Minnesota and to increase attendance at these events.

This effort includes a website for use by meeting/convention planners and particiaption at national trade shows for meeting plannesrs. Activities for 2012 include:

• Support for a Minnesota hosted reception for meeting planners and materials for booth branding at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) conference in Dallas, TX, August 11-14, 2012
• MeetinMinnesota.com – Listing of meeting facilities and tourism promotion organizations; online format for meeting planners to request RFPs; communities should make sure facilities are updated on the website.
• Meet in Minnesota logo – use of this logo is encouragedd when meetings-related information is distributed; download the logo here
• Organizational Partnership Grants – meeting & convention marketing is available in this program

For further information on updating meeting facilities on the website, and resources for promoting meetings & conventions in your community or business read this article.

Sample Opinion Editorial piece available for your community’s use
Use the attached “op-ed” template to tell your story. Add information pertinent to tourism in your own community and send out under the letterhead of your own organization, with a local contact. Or, use as the basis for your own letter to the editor to your local newspaper.

Opinion Editorial template

Download the Meet In Minnesota logo.