Two sets of Northwestern Minnesota communities will be conducting a yearlong survey of visitors to the area. When complete, the survey results will be used to create an area tourism baseline, improve marketing efforts and assist communities in developing cooperative efforts.

The Riverland Association including Crookston, East Grand Forks and Thief River Falls constitutes one of the study’s two clusters. The other cluster will feature communities on the State’s Northern Border including Lake of the Woods County, Roseau, and Warroad.

The survey will be the first area-wide in-depth study of visitors to Northwest Minnesota and will be conducted by staff from the University of Minnesota Tourism Center. Survey results will be completed by December of 2003 and will include a community meeting where the results of each cluster will be reviewed.

Partners in the effort include the communities, the Minnesota Office of Tourism, the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, the Northwest Partnership, the Northwest Regional Development Commission and the University of Minnesota Tourism Center.

Visitor Profiles for Northwestern Minnesota