(00:00:00) Two of the three big summer holiday weekends are now behind us and we thought we'd take this opportunity to hear about tourism in Minnesota by some accounts. It's one of the largest sectors of the Minnesota economy and Minnesota Resort owners and others who cater to tourists. Hope to do a substantial amount of business during the short Minnesota summer joining me in the studio. Today is the director of Tourism for the state of Minnesota Hank taught. Thank thanks for coming by glad to be here first. We need to establish how big a business is tourism in Minnesota. What kind of numbers can you (00:00:28) put to it? Well, first of all, I think it's one of those industries that in fact is very difficult to even measure because it touches on so many other Industries we estimate for 1991 that it's about a five billion dollar industry and when you take a look at wages payroll, it's about 1.7 billion and it employs over a hundred thousand minnesotans. So it's a major component of the state's economy and it varies throughout the state, but literally in one way shape or form tourism exists in every County of the (00:00:59) State House. Been doing so far this year the tourism business in (00:01:02) Minnesota. Well, I think he almost have to look at it in a perspective of The Changing Times. If you will, obviously this year we started out this year with the Super Bowl in the final four in the Twin Cities, which brought a great deal of added business and a great deal of added attention and and all the other things that have been going on the state moving into the into the summer. We've come off of I think to very good summer seasons coming into 1992. I think it'll be tough at best to beat those the other thing. I've been with the state now for almost 19 years. So one of the things clearly June 10th to be one of our wettest months, normally, this June is being one of our coolest June's for quite a few years until July not exactly burning burning up. I think that's having some impact. So I think would vary from different parts of the state as to how business in July and August have moved into clearly the strongest months for a number of our His orders Campground operators that kind of thing. So I think we're optimistic that a lot of that'll will (00:02:04) develop our studio guests is Hank Todd the director of Tourism for the state of Minnesota. Well, you mentioned the big items the various national International tournaments that have come to the Twin Cities in Minnesota generally do they really add much by way of solid long-term tourist business. (00:02:20) Do you think I think they do? I think there's a couple things you have to look at is you deal with the issue of the numbers of people that come into a state or into the Twin Cities or whatever. That's that's some level of immediate impact and and that's significant for a number of the events that we've talked about beyond that what you get is a whole deal of visibility in areas that you never had now for some parts of the US or the world that's not going to make a lot of difference but for others it will and I think it's a compounding more and more people here Minnesota Minneapolis st. Paul the Twin Cities area. And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that on August 11th, Another major event with the grand opening of the Mall of America and and so it's a combination of things and and as we go sometimes people will think our look to us as being the only entity if you will in the state that that's out there promoting to bring people here, but the reality is a lot of the private sector and a lot of other not-for-profit organizations are also out there and that all adds (00:03:23) up the Mall of America people say project that they will need. I believe I have this figure correct that they will need 40 million visitors a year in order to achieve some level of (00:03:34) success while the the you get in a lot of different term statistically. I think what they're my understanding is what they're talking about is visits visitors. So that's one person going through the door type of situation if you take a look at at Minnesota, and again, we're dealing with estimates, but if you take all the visitor days if you will, which is a measurement we use so it's it could be some of us in the Twin Cities going up north five times as part of that but that comes About 55 million visitor days that we achieve right now and that's for 1991. And again keep in mind the the mall is such a unique attraction its combination retail and entertainment Etc. So (00:04:16) but of course the still the question is the Euro Disney people and your Paris apparently have projected 12 million visitors. I don't know if they're using the same terminology as visitor days or whatever but it seems to me that I'm All Over America is being very optimistic if it hopes to lure 40 million (00:04:32) visits. Well, I think you have to look at it. The retail aspect is a big part of that and the fact that you take and I don't know the total numbers of people within the first hundred fifty mile radius, but a great deal of that I think obviously the looking at the shopping (00:04:47) opportunities, no doubt. We'll return to that topic a little bit later in the conversation Our Guest Hank Todd in the Minnesota Public Radio st. Paul studio today taking your questions about tourism in Minnesota. We have questions on the line will go to the first caller. Thanks for standing by go ahead. We're listening. Where you calling from. I'm calling from Moorhead Minnesota your question. Yes, I'd like to ask. Mr. Todd regarding the utilization of our state parks if he has any statistical information on a breakdown as to how many people utilize the parks that are residents of the State versus out State people. (00:05:20) I don't have the exact figures. I do know, however that there are when you take a look at it the majority of the people using the state parks are Minnesota residents. If you take a look at the total number of people traveling in the state roughly and it's going to depend on a given year, but anywhere to haft almost as high as 60% of our travel comes from our own residence typically in a number of states big populous states, whether it's Michigan or Texas, you'll get the same kind of of breakout percentage-wise. I if I'm not mistaken, I think the Parks from total attendance is six to eight million visits and that would be an Would be spending perhaps three or four days there that would count as four of (00:06:03) those. All right, what has happened to people outside Minnesota coming to the state have the numbers increased dramatically mildly are the numbers flat over the years. (00:06:13) I think we've seen more and more an increase of non-residents coming into the state to vacation. I think what you have however, especially perhaps this year is when the economy tightens up and you get into recessionary Times generally what'll happen is you'll get fewer non-residents because it gets really gets down to a pocketbook issue. And then what you have are more minnesotans perhaps for going some of their longer trips and staying in Minnesota. So if you go back to the previous recessions, or if you get into the difficult times, especially in the 70s with the energy crisis the escalation of fuel back in the late 70s, all of those are indicators where which you'll tend to get is more residents than non-residents. But if we take a look at our advertising the numbers were We've been steadily getting I think more non-residents coming in and that's predominately in the 12 Midwestern (00:07:04) states, but it's difficult to cite a number in terms of a percent (00:07:07) increase. Well, if you take you as far as a percent increase, I couldn't I couldn't give you an actual percent increase we will handle close to 1.2 million customer contacts a year. Those are people calling us writing to us or walking into any of our facilities throughout the state. We have 15 different locations (00:07:23) caller on the line with a question will go to you. Where you calling from, please. Hello. I'm calling from a telephone booth beside the road in Nisswa. My wife and I are tourists from New York. We're on our way back from driving to Alaska and I wanted to say that we love Minnesota. It's beautiful but we think find on the basis of a very small sample that the camping facilities here seem to be old pretty rundown and could use a lot of refurbishment and I'm wondering if there's anything going to be done to improve (00:07:56) matters. Well, there's I guess I take it from a couple of aspects first of all public facilities, which would be either state or County Parks the provide camping opportunities vis-à-vis private Campground operators, so they can have to look at it from two levels. Let me first take the private side because Minnesota is unique in that it is one of the few states that actually has a loan program to work directly with small tourism businesses specifically Resorts and campgrounds have used it as well as Motel operators, but if you take a look we do have facilities that were built back especially in the resort area built back in the 20s and the 30s and the need to add cabins and and take a look at other things 500 of our Resorts have camping facilities that they've added that's been one of the growth areas where they've added a few sites or bigger sites. I think when you take a look on a public facility side, and again, it's difficult to comment without knowing specifics, but I think in general we have a lot of facilities in our state parks and other areas. Again were built a number of years ago and the ability to maintain those is very much needed. Now if I understand we (00:09:04) of course don't know what this caller has found by way of his camping but we have at least three levels of camping that I'm aware of in Minnesota there all the federal land some of the forest areas have some federally operated camping sites. We have the state park system and then some counties and cities have their own camping and arrangements. And then of course the fourth level not to mention the private (00:09:24) operator and they're all the one of the things if you take a look at all of those various elements of camping and you've got a variety of different jurisdictions, if you will involved, you'll go to the very primitive camping where it's almost on an honor System on up to the to the full-service. I think what you're going to tend to find is the private operators are the ones that are going to tend to have are going to be more the full service where you can get everything from a swimming pool to all of the services you need for your RV, then in the state parks, it's obviously the strengths of the of the Environmental naturalist programs as well as the other services they have for camping. (00:10:02) What do Minnesota taxpayers spend or invest in promoting tourism in the state (00:10:05) true. Our total budget is about 8 million dollars and that puts us all roughly 15 Thor 16th out of the 50 states in terms of what's invested the total amount invested by all 50 states is almost an excess of 350 million. And so it's a major investment that's made and state like Illinois their budgets about 26 million and all the way down to two (00:10:34) others what has been the rate of increase in that budget. Well the (00:10:38) last obviously especially in the land the recent years trying to deal and respond to the budget crisis that we're facing the state government. The budget is pretty well held its own if you were to go back again, I go back far enough, I guess in 73 it started out at a $500,000 budget in. 81 it was a 1.2 million dollar budget a big part of the growth that occurred was in the early to the middle part of the (00:11:05) 80s. We should point out that Hank Todd is a Survivor you have served in how many administrations are how many different Governor's 44 remarkable to what do you attribute your political (00:11:15) success? Well, I'd like to believe that it's the programs in the things were putting together out there that are there helping to make an impact. But yeah after the 50 states right now I end up I am the most senior travel director out of all the travel directors in the 50 states. I haven't decided yet if that's good or bad. It's it's a statistic I guess or something. (00:11:35) Alright another color with a question. Thanks for standing by. Where are you calling from only from Rochester Minnesota. Yes your question. I've seen a lot of advertising tourism advertisements and some of the national magazines and Midwest living in those kind of things. I'm just wondering what magazines are Publications does Minnesota advertise, and I really haven't seen a lot of advertising (00:11:54) good question. I think the Up. There's a couple different things that probably is the best way for me to share it all it's a very competitive business, even though as being part of government and mentioned the 350 million dollars that are spent by all of the 50 states and and from that perspective. We work very hard to try to if you will out Market the other states because in many cases we aren't able to outspend Illinois with 26 million. So most of the states you're going to see some very well, I'll call very traditional marketing where you'll see a 4 color AD in a magazine. You'll see a 30-second commercial with high imagery in 1985 in order to try to break out a little bit from from some of the Clutter we developed the Minnesota explore a newspaper and we're the only state that produces that it had a tremendous amount of Efficiencies For Us in terms of the ability to maintain the quality and then also to reduce costs and so when you see the ads are the things we're doing we're one of the few states that does direct marketing and so a lot of what we're trying to do. To generate the maximum amount of efficiencies in terms of the number of people we come in contact with and I'd mention our budget ranks 15th or 16th among all the states. If you take a look our ad budget, which is a little under 2 million that ranks in the probably around 32nd or 33rd. In fact, Iowa and a few other states that would surprise people actually outspend us the reality however is we're able to generate more customer contacts with that money than any other state in the US and and as a result, we think we get very high efficiencies, but what may happen then is you may not see some of our ads in the same vein that you'd see some of our competitors (00:13:34) I was about to ask what kinds of Minnesota television ads. Are. We going to see in a Chicago or in a New York City rat place like that the (00:13:40) the TV spots that we're doing are predominantly 60-second spots as opposed to 30 and basically we're moving into where the focus has been the Explorer newspaper asking people to call or write to get the Explorer this last year and a half now we've been starting to move a Little bit more into what's more of a service orientation. I think a lot of people will hear the whole idea that what is going to distinguish perhaps one from another in a competitive environment is the kind of service that you provide people. So we are starting in investing a lot more in the ability to service people better in terms of their planning their vacation planning that kind of thing. So our toll-free telephone systems were in the process right now putting in a new computer system, which we think will hopefully upgrade the ability to service Travelers a lot. Better (00:14:26) Our Guest is Hank Todd the director of Tourism for the state of Minnesota not too long ago. I think I heard some accounts of Life becoming tougher for the mon postel Lake Resort. It's very difficult. Always I assume to make a living in that line of work what's happened to them since (00:14:41) well, there's a couple of things and again, it's again one of those issues where you you talk about averages and you really can't get at the issue of an individual business operator out there. That's trying to make a go of it. One of the things clearly the the 60s and the 70s, especially as a great. Brewer and attrition of small resorts in the numbers went way down that's stabilized. The number of Resort businesses reporting sales through the revenue department has basically stabilized. It's right around 1,200 which is still substantial. I think though that you get into a situation where the smaller operators are very much squeeze their costs are rising and then some cases depending on on the owner in other words. If you're a new owner the last four or five years, you're the debt you've had to take on in order to buy their Resort and make it work that's totally different than perhaps an operator that bought in the early 70s where they perhaps don't have that high debt load. So you run a lot of variables but it is very difficult. (00:15:42) What do we know about the Lake Resort season are many of the Resort's smaller medium and large size essentially booked for the (00:15:47) season. That's I've learned a long time ago to never say that because what you have and it's the same in any part of the travel business as you have a perishable commodity in the sense that They have cabins for rent or rooms for rent. And there's always going to be some openings that exist there either because a cancellation has occurred generally people can still find an opportunity to stay at a resort and you know, they need to really take a look at the area's they're interested in and and then call and they can either call us directly or we have a whole network that we're developing with all the local communities so that they can give them information on vacancy or other services. They (00:16:25) have as the arrival of bingo other gaming activities clearly had an impact on tourism in Minnesota bringing in most out of state. There's (00:16:33) two levels. You almost have to look at relative to gaming and I think the first thing is looking at it from a perspective of non-resident travel and clearly any any new non-resident coming in the state of result of gaming opportunities is all plus business for the state with all of the and we've had what three new casinos just a Nick in the last three or four months and shooting star and Mystic Lake and Grand Casino blankly the Hinckley operation we estimate that about 15% of the people that are going to those establishments are non-residents. We also I think are seeing some patterns where different facilities draw greater non-residents than others. If you take a look at the Grand Portage facility up on the North Shore, it's predominantly Canadians coming down out of Thunder Bay Area Etc. If you take a look at Jackpot Junction on in Morton a large numbers of people coming out of some of the Southern States and what we have is anecdotal information, but a tour operator out of Chicago is bringing in about thirty thousand people this year just to that facility. So that's one whole aspect and you have his whole nother area which are all of us as minnesotans and how we're spending our discretionary income and and that's an area that I think needs a lot more work and study on there's some things that the tourism Centre at the University of Minnesota is going to be doing some study on to get a better understanding. Standing of discretionary income patterns for minnesotans because that starts getting into Play Because with all of us with our discretionary income we have choices and I think that's part of the area that really we need to have a better handle on an understanding of those (00:18:11) implication has there been any success in marketing Minnesota's winter season, very hard (00:18:15) sell. It seems we all it I guess that's one of those questions where you say, it depends. We always like to start the snow season out with a lot of snow. And of course last year last year with Halloween, we kind of got more than we even bargained for I think when you get into winter, it's what we call a niche market and you need to approach it very specifically to those people that are Avid snowmobilers own snowmobiles cross country skiers downhill skiers that kind of thing and another area that's kind of opening up is more the what we'd call Adventure travel in the sense of people that want to experience going out on a dog sled or something like that. And actually there's Is there some sense that some areas? I know and this is more anecdotal than a statistical number. But last winter we had a group up on the Gunflint was out of Costa Rica, but it's experiencing something they don't have in their own area. Now. We're never going to generate large numbers, but I think that that that winter we really have to go after specific users. That's our number one and we wouldn't do general, you know Mass market for winter because it's just it's too hard to compete with the sun (00:19:30) destinations. Well, Minnesota doesn't have a Grand Canyon we have of course the Boundary Waters canoe area. We have the st. Croix the Mississippi other great attractions the state park system, but I mean to really get a sizable measurable numbers of people and increase in visitors to Minnesota. What do we need? We need a new airport. We need more freeways better Road system one. (00:19:49) Well, there's a couple things I think first of all when you take a look at what I'll call the state's infrastructure and that deals with Anna from a travel purse. Active that's all the hotels motels Resorts natural attractions man-made attractions Etc. We've had over the last three or four years quite an infusion if you will of improvements in the infrastructure, and I think first of all just take a look in the Twin Cities area with the addition of the convention center with the Mall of America with the new History Center that's opening up Etc. I'm sure I'm leaving stuff out but there's a lot of infrastructure development that from a travel perspective helps enhance. The whole area is a destination you go beyond that and you've had expansions of Resort facilities in the last four or five years and actually one brand new facility and up in the Bemidji area. So we're seeing that so I think that's all very much on the plus side. I think when you take a look at it, we have one of the best road systems not that we don't have a tremendous need to maintain those but and then from the standpoint of error with some of the additional Services KLM coming in and then some other things take a look at all of that. I think our Sure over time is improving now to make a Quantum Leap. You know, are we ever going to be California know are we ever going to be New York? No or Florida or probably not Texas. I think are consistent goal is really the relationship if you will of our population in an investment to what we gain economically the state so it's kind of the relationship of those two things and maximizing that that's what we see as our (00:21:19) role. What do you get from people as they comment about getting around in Minnesota generally the Twin Cities specifically in terms of signage and then of course, I think in terms of foreign visitors, who come there's no Subways, some of them are used to a Subway. (00:21:31) I think the area that when you take a look at looking ahead, let's say for the next 10 years and we've done some work where we brought in about two years ago all of the travel industry and over 14 meetings throughout the state a thousand ideas and examples of where people want to be in the next 10 years Transportation was a major component of that and not only from the standpoint of their service, but the standpoint of Transportation within the Metropolitan Area, you know, so I think there's a tremendous interest on the part of the travel industry to find ways to improve accessibility. Even though I think it's very good environment was a very strong one and that's the you know, that's obviously not a minute. It's been a Minnesota issue. I think for a long time. It's not very much a worldwide issue but the importance of that to protect and enhance what we have and to be able to share it and doing that in a balanced way and I think that's been Minnesota's style and pattern but I think there's even more emphasis from the travel industry now (00:22:29) our guest is tourism director for the state of Minnesota Hank Todd who survived for political administration's and he will survive this calling program to with us here at Minnesota Public Radio. So high speed rail service from Chicago to the Twin Cities. Is that going to be the kind of link that is going to mean a Quantum Leap and visitors to the (00:22:46) state. Well, I think again, I don't know that there's anything that makes the Quantum Leap. I think what it is is constantly making sure to be looking ahead the more we can do. If you will to be looking out five 10 years 15 years and getting a sense of what might be occurring. That's I think clearly the important thing I all of those things have advantages and I think when we talk about travel in Minnesota, you know, we really have to start breaking it down into four categories. The one that comes to mind all the time as pleasure travel the concepts of vacationing and but we also have business travel and we also have friends and relatives and then we also have what would become the more necessity travel and an example of that is if you take a look just with our Healthcare facilities in Minnesota tremendous amount of travel generated as a result of the Mayo Clinic's and the U of M in terms of the number of people coming in using Hotel facilities in order to get Quality Healthcare. So you really have to look at those four areas and there are different ways in which then to move that (00:23:48) forward other colors with questions for our guests Hank. Todd will go back to the telephone now. Go ahead. Where are you calling from, please I am calling me Yoda, Minnesota. Rochester's a suburb about 14. Yes, right. I was wondering if there's been any discussion about expanding bike trails, you know, perhaps from some major cities to state parks and on about where we could use a more than and you know, perhaps the most State visitors coming and could use them. Also. (00:24:15) I think there has been a growth in biking in Minnesota and edition of trails and I think with anything you get into the dealing with the issues of dollars to be able to do it but I think the direction and the trend and things we pick up when we take a look at for instance customer profiles of people coming in is that biking is becoming more and more a bigger activity. It's an activity that obviously people travel to take advantage of they will go to a given Trail some great Trails. I know in the Southeastern part of the state. I'm not familiar in and around Rochester, but I happen to be a biker myself. So I and I just took that up in the last four or five years. So I think the general Trend would be as to look for more ways and better. Is to tie in the ability to to bike and I we have some major events. Now they've been developed in terms of organized biking trips across the state East and West to Duluth North and South. So I think you're going to see more of that. I think with anything when you deal with with trails and Trail Development A lot of it comes from initiatives within your own local community to if you have a group of activists people who want to expand a trail or get a trail to starting at the local level and then working through that way and then seeing what can be developed. I think the state's role much is the idea of taking a look at the interconnectivity if you will from a local trail system to another trail system and then making it (00:25:35) broader other callers with questions for our guests Hank Todd the director of Tourism for Minnesota. Go ahead. Where are you calling from? I'm calling from Minneapolis. Go ahead. Yes. My question is is what is the Bureau doing in terms of preparing the area to exploit or take advantage of the popular culture from Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities for instance if you bring any visitors in there's nothing. Tell people about where the Andrew sisters used to live in North Minneapolis were James Arnaz a dozen Gunsmoke. I mean, there's an incredible aspect for tourists that all of I think everybody has seen television. So I know that for a while they were taking advantage of the Mary Tyler Moore house when Kenwood but overall the state doesn't seem to have a plan to take advantage of all the you know TV movie and especially Charles Schulz. You can't find anything in the Twin Cities that shows you where Charles Schulz was born over a ninth and Chicago. There's just a parking lot. (00:26:35) Mmm, I don't know that I know I can't I can't disagree what you're saying. Like first thing would be is our program in our department is very active with the Minnesota film board and and are part of working with them and I've seen that grow and hopefully that will continue to grow because I think that does bring a whole area of imagery and visibility towards a state and I think you mentioned Mary Tyler Moore. I know that from our perspective Any of the things that are occurring we will get people calling in to us into our information center. If we don't know it will find out and we'll give it out. But in terms of pre printed literature or in fact taking those sites and actually doing something with them where they'd be open to the public that's an area. We haven't been involved with I think it's maybe kind of taking a look at what we consider history and and putting a different spin on it because I think we have traditional concepts of it, but clearly today and I think in the 90s people travel for so many different reasons and people want to see so many different things. I think that's an Avenue for us to consider exploring. (00:27:38) How are the cities and towns doing on this front. I mean, you have the responsibility for the state image and so-called but cities and towns pay a lot of lip service to wanting more people to visit them to spend the tourist dollar but is there much activity to show for it in terms of promotion (00:27:52) the I think there are one of the things in Minnesota and it's it's a unique piece of legislation in 1983 it and it created the ability. Leave for local cities to create a taxing Authority in which 95% of that tax collected in this would be on rooms goes for the promotion of Tourism. And if we were to go back we'll probably 15 years or so there probably were six or seven convention bureaus in Minnesota. We now have close to 50. The total amount that they're collecting on that ad in is actually 10 million dollars. So I was mentioning earlier in the program that you know, we're one of the players but they're a lot of others Minneapolis has been very aggressive and doing very well along with the other Twin Cities bureaus in terms of major conventions. The Lions will be coming in and in and that kind of thing. So I mean, I think they're they're out there. I think they have many of the same difficulties that anybody would have in the sense of always trying to find ways to stretch dollars and I think when you look at Cost that's one of the elements and we're society that from travel perspective. It's Has been built on literature on brochures and when you take a look at what it cost to produce them what it cost to mail them, etc. Etc. You start taking a look and you say that you want to add more customers and reach more people. The numbers are pretty astronomical. That's one of the reasons we went to the Explorer. But even with the Explorer when we take a look at our program, we're investing close to a million dollars in literature and mailing it out every year and I think one of the things we all have to take a look at doing is finding better ways and different ways to provide information to people and it may not necessarily be in the traditional venue of here's your community brochure or here's your state brochure. I think we have to take a look at that what technology offers us and find new ways to apply it to help people plan their (00:29:46) trips. All right, we'll come back to this marketing conversation. Just a moment other callers with questions for our guests Hank Todd the director of Tourism for the state of Minnesota. Thanks for waiting. Where are you calling from? I'm calling from Minneapolis. Yes, your question. I'm especially interested. In historic preservation destinations and I wish mr. Todd would just talk about development in that area what new sites might be coming open in the next couple several years and as matter of fact specifically in that area. I'm interested in the Megan store, which has been closed for a while. And I wonder if he knows the schedule for reopening that (00:30:23) I don't know the schedule for reopening I think a couple of different things first of all the historic sites from the standpoint of existing two new ones, whether it's those that are being primarily maintained through a County Historical Society or state Again part of the Dilemma is just the lack of dollars to be able to do all the things that everyone would like I think there's a couple things longer term or in a bigger Focus. Perhaps I a cultural tourism Heritage tourism has been growing I see a continuing to grow in the 90s. I think that there's st. Paul is As a city is looking very much at that whole aspect of how all of the various things they have and would like to have interrelated on a cultural basis and and preservation. I think there's some things now jointly being done between Minneapolis and st. Paul and the way of preservation. So my hope although I don't have any specifics would be that there would be more of that because I think that's that's an area we find repeatedly with people that call us of an interest. They have history architecture unique kinds of things and I would expect that (00:31:33) to grow what encouragement is there for folks visiting Minnesota coming from outside or folks with in Minnesota. I'm thinking especially the Twin Cities to just get in the car and get out of the city and get to the country to the small towns and find some of these locations which are jewels and see them. (00:31:50) Well, I we one of the things we have and and is we have a toll-free telephone number that people can call its one. 865 7 Three five three five and it's set up so that if people just want literature they can order that through our voicemail system, but they can get directly into our operators and basically any interest that they would have our operators are there to try to respond to them and we have over 500 individual pieces of literature from small communities too large to activity-based that kind of thing and then to try to help people take a look at it in the early 70s. We had a program called Minnesota mini tours and we still have obviously a lot of that information. We don't have that publication. But a lot of that information is still contained and we can provide that to (00:32:39) people I forgot to ask you what was that callers reference to the Megan stored, you know (00:32:42) anymore. It's part. I don't know all the specifics about it, but we've done work with the State Historical Society for their Statewide sites and part of the issue with with some of the facilities is just the ability to maintain them in a format that they can present to the public and I know that Problem has been with that same prep. Some others is just not having enough funds to do the things they need to do (00:33:05) other callers with questions for our guests Hank Todd. Thanks for standing by go ahead with yours. Where you calling from, please I'm calling from Northfield. Yes. Go ahead. One of the things I enjoyed last summer Crossing South Dakota, which can be a rather somnolent sort of trip was set of audio cassettes. We stopped at the first rest stop on Highway 80 just inside the South Dakota border and Lease them for the trip across the state and the cassettes described local points of interest and a little bit of early history and so on and I wondered if you're doing that in Minnesota for people on 35 going north and south or 94 going across the state and also in reference to an earlier callers idea of that people visiting the Twin Cities may not know or may not see Information that would help them to explore some of the exciting things that are available in the Twin Cities. (00:34:07) Well, first of all on the tape issue we are doing that. We're in the process. It's not in place now, we will only be on Interstate 90 and that'll be for the East-West traffic and it's something that's in the works. It'll be there for next next calendar year in the summer. And so that's that's that's one beyond that when you take a look at information. I think we do have a center that's open seven days a week as you're coming in from Wisconsin and I-94. We also have centers both coming in on I-90 both sides of the state. We have a center in Albert Lea. We have a center in Duluth Grand Portage International Falls in a lot of those centers are and we have others. I don't want to leave any of them out more head. We also have one up in in the Crookston area Fisher's Landing and one in Eveleth and acre Lake. And this is why Hank has survived. (00:35:02) He has a photographic memory. But all of this is our centers, (00:35:05) but I think those are those are the kinds of things where they really provide very first hand kind of technical information, you know, it's not uncommon to go into those centers and you may think you have a very unique odd question that no one's going to answer but let me tell you how because I know all of the people out there. They know the answer or they can get it very quickly in some of them. I found to be very unique but they tailor to the area you're in and try to match it and we're doing some different things with our Information Services just this last April May period we became the first state I should say States in this case where we actually know run a joint facility and North Dakota and Minnesota Sheriff facility on Highway 2 and Crookston and that's going to allow us to be more efficient and running that it's going to eliminate someone employment costs because it was a seasonal Center. So the information is a big component. I think we're always looking for ways to apply. New things the tape idea the caller had and some of the others (00:36:03) maybe they could use your voice Hank taught on tape describing Minnesota's biggest science and greatest hits other callers with questions. We'll go back to you. Thanks for waiting. Where you calling from from the Twin Cities. All right your question. Yes. Well, I hear a great deal of talk here about the fact that it's a lot of this is of course determined by what happens economically the need for development the possibility of a high-speed train from Chicago or things of this kind of thing to attract more people, but I don't hear much talk about balance with the with the resources themselves and natural resources within the way that we are redefining natural resources as they are used greater example in the WCA at some of us who've been up there years ago certainly know like unlike people just coming for the first time now that it used to be that you didn't have to get a permit to go in there and go out of there. Same thing at Yosemite same thing at many of our resources throughout the country. I spend time part of the summer. He had an island in Lake Superior, which doesn't happen to In Wisconsin, it's in Wisconsin and Minnesota but people are realizing up there. Of course that as we attract more tourists we are we are having a tremendous impact upon the natural resources that exist and I'm wondering when there will be more. I hope to see a day when there will be more thought given to what we're doing to the impact for future generations for our seventh generation. Even for our say second generation 50 years hence in terms of balancing these resources and some kind of greater sense and economic priority to preserve some of this and make sure that we're not irrevocably deteriorating the resources that we have because because we have one planet and we're all on it and you don't you don't just think half of half a boat. Let's get Hank Tom's (00:37:47) reaction. Yeah. Well I and obviously I can't disagree with the call in a sense of the need to have and to strike a balance and to make it work and the only I could say would be first of all I think when I talk with The travel industry people throughout the state when I take a look just several years ago with our travel conference in which the whole nature was the environment and Recycling and how can the travel industry play a greater role in in being a positive force that way I think globally clearly the world tourism organization is involved more in terms of looking at that. I think one of the things that probably is the most problematic with the whole concept is the sense of everyone's definition of what is Preservation or what is use and how do we balance all that out? I you know for instance you get into the whole issue now we're as a society we want to preserve and protect the environment. There's no question about that. We also want to be able, you know in a prudent reasonable way to share with those of us that live here and let's just for the for the moment. Let's not even deal with non-residents. Let's just deal with all of us that live here in the state. There's a large number of people with disabilities and you Certain parts of the Boundary Waters was mentioned by the caller the ability to really provide access of that experience to what all of us able-bodied persons we have. So there's a lot of questions and issues there. I think the main thing is environment is become much more to the Forefront with everybody as I think it should and I think the more that that's going to take place in the 90s. You're going to see those debates but debates in the sense of how do we make it work for everybody preserve the environment provide experiences for people and I think that's good. I think that's healthy and I think the level that people are now looking and talking about the environment as a relates to tourism and other things to development in general I think is real positive (00:39:39) other callers with questions for our guests Hank Todd the director of Tourism for the state of Minnesota will take your question. Go ahead. Where are you calling from? I'm calling from Minneapolis. I'm a publisher actually of work for publisher of maps and traveled travel type things. One of the questions we've had as related extra to last caller sort of a cultural version of that. As we've tried to do for example pieces. We just did a piece last year on Lake District in Minneapolis that house through Harriet Cedar Alastair Calhoun Harriet area, and we wanted to put some of the historic houses on the map and in getting in touch with the residents, we found that a lot of them were not all that enthusiastic about the idea because they're their own houses and that's their own private private service situation and I think a lot of what what I what I enjoy serve traveling around and looking at in certainly in the Twin Cities and I in general I think is the sort of small town atmosphere. I wonder to what extent you've looked at how to preserve the at the real sense of community that is attractive to people while the same time making it a tourist attraction letting people from the outside know about it and experience it. (00:40:54) I think the issue you raised is probably one of the one of the Crux if you will of of the hole Changes that have occurred in the travel industry because 40 50 years ago. Obviously the numbers of people on the opportunities people had were substantially different than they are today. I think that that every kid something every Community whether it's a neighborhood in Minneapolis or the entire city or a community from Stillwater to Brainerd to the Thief River Falls all deals with which is how do you strike the balance? And and I don't I wish I had an answer if I hadn't answered all of that. I could probably do even even better. I think it's making sure that there's always dial on Communications and I think from a state perspective we don't see ourselves as being intruding into into issues that perhaps in a local area. People are trying to work through. Hopefully we'd see our role one of trying to bring people together at least to talk about the various issues that they have but if you want to if people involved don't want to share what they have whether it's culturally or historically, I don't think this I don't see the state's role is going In there unilaterally and tried to make it that way and I think a good example would be the work we've done over the years with our Native American Community which is we've now gotten to the point where they've now created a tribal tourism Association Statewide specifically to deal with ways to share their culture and their they're just starting their working through and but until they've made their decision internally to approach something that way I think the state's role is one of support of but not unilaterally going out and marketing it (00:42:28) other colors with questions for our guests Hank Todd. The director of Tourism will take another one. Go ahead. We're listening for you. Where are you calling from Santa Halverson Minneapolis, and I've just checked around the office here to see if other people had any consensus of agreement with me while I've been waiting on hold and these are comments that foreign visitors and and businessmen of comes from any episode deal with our company of passed along to us and I thought we'd really like to have some answers from the tourism director if they're if they're answers possible. The first one is about transportation and we've had numerous complaints particular. Western Europeans and people from the East to come in and say there's no easy way to get in from the airport to the center city. There's nothing like a city Air Terminal there. No, like show things that go back and forth. There's no underground. There's no monorail. They're just buses and or taxis taxis being very pricey. But also they say this is the kind of a climate where surface transportation makes absolutely no sense. What are we doing? Here? We always say well, I don't really know and at the center maybe he has an answer as to how to get people from the airport into the city better than just say take a bus or a cab. The second question that we run into a lot of times is why isn't there any Central booth at the airport either by the tourism or it by the Chamber of Commerce where people can buy books but books not a pamphlet or a page detailed maps list of hotels historic events by you know, who was the first governor of Minnesota here is his biography, you know, some sort of depth and an incredible incredible historic and tourist information about the area. We they all point out that in their countries is that in every major city in is also minor cities that this sort of thing regularly occurs in here. There's really nothing. They're lucky if they find a map we say, okay. Well we're doing we don't know what to do about this. Maybe he could help us as to why or where or how either through the Chamber of Commerce of the state something broader in with more intellectual depth could be offered out there may be for sale. Third question is why are the historic sites in Downtown Minneapolis? And st. Paul not labeled there? No plaques there no discs, there's nothing on the building that indicates that they did indeed find whatever the building is that they were trying to find and why it's historically relevant. The next question was in the city hall in Minneapolis. There's no film about the city hall. There's no Museum in the city hall. There's nothing that indicates if anything ever did happen there. For example, they say wasn't Hubert Humphrey actually from Minneapolis. Originally, there's no statute of him. There's nothing about him. There's nothing about any of the early Mirrors or governors in the city hall in Minneapolis or in St. Paul. Alright. Well, we'll take those foreign Hanka. I think I'm Greg Hubert doesn't have a statue there on the south side of the city hall in Minneapolis II don't think this I know this I walked by this statue zillion times Hubert. Is there gazing at Hennepin County Government Center, but now go ahead these four these four points. (00:45:19) Well at first the first point on the transportation, I don't disagree at all the caller and I think a fair number of people in the travel industry in the Twin Cities is would Echo that we need to do it. Do I have an answer? No, I don't have that. But I know that it needs to be looked at we need to keep finding ways to find a better way to bring our guests from the airport facilities into the into the downtown areas as well as as as the other parts of the Twin Cities and I think you know her comment as well taken especially from European Travelers or east coast when you take a look at this area conceptually from this Transportation standpoint the fact that we rely so heavily on bus and and car kind of is just hard for them to fail them. The second area that's my have an answer in a response to it. It may not be the one to call I was looking for we do have a facility at the airport. It is a joint operation that we put together with the airports commission and the some of the bureau's and Chambers Minneapolis st. Paul and Bloomington and it's right at the baggage area with a Northwest on the lower level and part of the issue. However we deal with and and and she's totally right. There's limitations in the amount of material were able to provide or give out and one option may be to take a look at providing material at some kind of cost basis that people would feel comfortable with and I think that's a whole area that needs to be explored because if the idea is to provide service if for any reasons, we aren't in a position to underwrite a cost to be able to provide a service for a reasonable cost may be an alternative third area. I guess I'll have to defer and follow up after this and talk with the Historical Society. 88 from a state perspective. That's one thing I as far as I know the state sites are marked. It may be that they aren't then you get into an area of of the local if you will the st. Paul or Minneapolis or other areas. In fact, I'm having a meeting tomorrow with the preservation group. So I'll raise it with them. I think though the caller's right the more we can identify our buildings are other places and I know there's some of that in st. Paul and and in other areas that the better off it is because people will look for that people look for unique things and they'll do that. And since you already covered the fourth question with your statue comment earlier, maybe I (00:47:34) won't but I'm not aware of a film good ol dang ol that's true. No filmic history that I know of Minneapolis city hall. There's probably an old print sitting somewhere. (00:47:42) Well, I think one of the things with our metropolitan area which is unique and she kind of comment about other cities and areas, but really when you take a look at it from a travel perspective, the state travel office is located in the Twin Cities and we happen to be in st. Paul. You have three major convention bureaus. Apple's say Paul Bloomington the fact of the uniqueness of our metropolitan area and the broad base of having three major areas kind of create some opportunities for us and sometimes some challenges (00:48:14) other callers with questions for our guests Hank Todd who is director of Tourism from Minnesota. Go ahead. Where you calling from, please Rushford. Yes and your question. Yeah. I I was wondering why there are so many information signs for gas stations lodging Etc. But what about information signs for what you do when you get to a location? (00:48:42) I don't know maybe if you could spell it out just a little bit more. What have you got (00:48:46) in mind? They're down here near 90 and 43 South just south of Winona. There's a real good museum with a wide variety of of historic things collected and they had a real huge battle to get any signs permitted. (00:49:12) Okay, I there's I guess a couple things to respond to that and I'll you know, I'll try to make it short even it goes back to 1964 but obviously back in 1964 was a Highway beautification Act. The net result was is the federal government wanting to have the removal of all of the Billboards along the highways and interstates where they had money involved majority of States went ahead and proceed with that Minnesota is one of them South Dakota on the other hand was one that didn't and most of their Billboards stayed but what happened is during the course of that that Highway beautification Act removal of billboards. What started to be created was a gap in terms of information and unfortunately, sometimes advertising and information kind of get mixed into the same same same basket. So for the last oh six seven years both from the standpoint of state law and well as Federal, there's been an expansion of information provided to people the one thing that changed. However though is that in order to get that kind of informational signing you To pay and that's whether you're a private business or a not-for-profit and I know for some especially when you get in the not-for-profit OR that's a major investment let alone the ability to permit but the antenna is when you say Museum as far as I know, they qualify and I guess that should be something that can be worked out (00:50:30) the colors with questions. Go ahead with yours. Where are you calling from? Champlin, Minnesota? Yes your question. Yes. I may be in the minority view during this generation, but the great attraction of tourists and future permanent residents to the state by the tourist bureau in the Chambers of Commerce in my opinion will destroy an altar many of the wild areas that makes Minnesota attractive through crowding and development also to accommodate more people means a greater highway system, which will infringe on the natural ecosystems even more. Can you tell me how accelerating the development of our natural resources and exploiting our wild areas is going to benefit the existing people of Feet in the (00:51:12) future. Well, the first of all I don't know that that's something we Advocate Even in our office. I mean, I think that that there's a couple different things when you take when you take a look at the numbers. First of all, you have to look at it from a perspective of we have about sixteen point five million visitors into the state and what we Define as a visitor all of us as residents traveling one two three times as well as non runs total number of non-residents is a little under 7 million. So when you take a look at that, the majority again of people are all of us as residents going out in the bond the state's I think one of the first things we need to look at and we quite frankly are not as active if you will in terms of actual marketing or advertising minnesotans to go and do things in Minnesota we have information, but we aren't out there selling that is strongly. So I think one of things we have to look at as ourselves and and and talk about it as Citizens. What do we want? I think the the capacity issue is is such that the state's been very Progressive and In its environment not that we don't need to do more but I think with that with that comes a balance and that applies everywhere (00:52:22) Hank, we may have time for one very brief collar question and very brief response. Go ahead. It's yours. Yes. Mr. Todd. I guess part of my question relates back to the caller who had the question about protecting the environment and I guess is most of the tourism's are are significant amount of the tourism's efforts are to attract people from out state to come and enjoy our resources. Would you support significantly higher user fees in order to pay for those facilities? Because I do I live in The Lakes area and I do notice a significant number of people from out State. All right. Let's get a response from hang tight. Very brief. (00:53:00) Well, I think we need to we need to have a balance and I think we have to find ways to generate revenue for all of us. I should just mention of if you take a look at the total. The largest travel county in the state is Hennepin County and that's close to two billion dollars and The next largest is Ramsey and then Olmstead and Rochester. The total amount of sales from Resorts is about a hundred million dollars out of 700 million. So the balance when you talk about it, yes, we obviously try to share what we have in the way of our resource visually and imagery, but a lot of travel occurs in places Beyond those traditional areas (00:53:32) Hank Todd director of Tourism for the state of Minnesota. Thank you for coming by. Thank you.