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Explore Minnesota tells committee tourism generated $24.7 billion in 2024; agency flags AI impacts to web traffic
Summary
The director of Explore Minnesota told lawmakers the agency welcomed 81 million visitors in 2024, producing a $24.7 billion economic impact and 182,000 jobs, and said search‑AI (Gemini) diverted roughly 40% of clicks from the agency website, prompting strategy changes.
Lauren Bennett McGinty, executive director of Explore Minnesota, briefed the House committee on the agency’s 2024 results and programs, emphasizing tourism’s contribution to jobs, tax revenue and local economies.
"We welcomed 81,000,000 visitors," McGinty said, and described tourism’s fiscal effects: roughly $2.4 billion in state and local taxes, $1.8 billion in federal taxes, more than 182,000 tourism‑related jobs and a reported $24.7 billion economic impact in 2024 (figures from Tourism Economics).
McGinty described core programs — destination marketing organizations, industry grants and co‑ops, an Explore Minnesota Film program (separate $825,000 budget) — and said the agency distributed 117 grants totaling $899,600 and provided $4.3 million in industry investments. She said one‑time legislative appropriations fund pass‑through grants and that county‑level data sheets were provided to lawmakers to show local tourism impacts.
On digital strategy, McGinty said new AI/search features (Gemini) reduced direct clicks to ExploreMinnesota.com by about 40% in the first year Gemini deployed; the agency has redesigned its website and optimized content to remain a primary source for users. She also described a 2025 livability and resident‑retention campaign aimed at 18–25 year olds that generated hundreds of thousands of web sessions and large ad impressions.
In response to member questions about federal immigration activity, McGinty said a brief statewide survey of tourism businesses found 46% reported at least slight dollar impacts, with anecdotal reports that some restaurants and hospitality businesses were down for the winter season. She offered to follow up with county‑level and event‑specific data on tourism and the World Junior Hockey Tournament.
McGinty said the agency’s core role is to attract visitors who may later become residents — research cited a 55% higher likelihood to want to live in Minnesota among visitors — and she urged continued support for marketing and industry partnerships.
