Minneapolis (Sept. 19, 2023) – Signs of positive recovery for the city’s tourism industry continue as Meet Minneapolis announces that the final week of summer recorded the highest weekly demand for hotel rooms in Minneapolis since the fall of 2019. More than 56,000 hotel rooms were occupied from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, thanks to events throughout the city and region, including the 2023 Gay Softball World Series. That week capped a successful summer as major events – many of which were booked by Meet Minneapolis – translated into significantly improved overall performance for Minneapolis hotels.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day this year, demand for hotel rooms in Minneapolis increased nearly 11% compared to the summer of 2022. On June 23-24 – with Taylor Swift concerts, the Twin Cities Pride Festival and the Kiwanis International Convention all taking place in the city – Minneapolis set a new all-time record for total hotel rooms occupied on a weekend with 19,531.

“We’re thrilled with the summer we had in Minneapolis as people from all over came to our city for the many theater, sports, arts, music and business events hosted across our community,” said Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant. “All of that activity provides a significant boost to the Minneapolis economy and supports the nearly 30,000 tourism and hospitality workers in the city.”

“Minneapolis shone brightly this summer,” said Meet Minneapolis board member Christy Loy, General Manager of the Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District. “Visitors from near and far came to our city for a wide variety of events and the hospitality community really came together to showcase Minneapolis. We’re excited to carry this momentum forward in the seasons ahead.”

Minneapolis hotel performance for summer 2023 – by the numbers*:
2023 Demand (rooms sold)

2023 Occupancy

2023 Revenue

* All data according to hospitality industry data provider Smith Travel Research (STR)

Many of the summer’s highest in-demand days for hotel rooms in Minneapolis occurred when large events were held at major venues in the city, such as the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC), Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium:

That good news is tempered by the continued lag in business travel, which is still slow to return to pre-pandemic levels. Work is ongoing at Meet Minneapolis to continue supporting and stimulating the city’s tourism and hospitality industry.

Today, Meet Minneapolis launched a fall leisure tourism campaign to promote the wide variety of world-class experiences that visitors can have in the state’s largest city. The campaign invites visitors to “take it all in” and shares itinerary ideas to encourage overnight stays in Minneapolis. The marketing initiative – featuring digital, social and video advertising, and a dedicated web presence – is targeting communities that are 15 to 300 miles from Minneapolis. To access visual assets from the campaign, including the 30-second video, go here.

Earlier this year, Meet Minneapolis launched a major leisure tourism campaign – “See What All the Fuss Is About” – which addressed misperceptions of the city head-on and highlighted the city’s offerings available to people who used to travel to Minneapolis often – as well as to those who are new to the destination. In a post-campaign analysis, 71% of targeted visitors in Duluth, Fargo, La Crosse/Eau Claire, Mankato, Rochester and Sioux Falls indicated they were likely or very likely to recommend Minneapolis as a place to visit.

In addition, in late August, more than 2,500 people – including nearly 900 meeting and event planners – gathered at the MCC for Connect Marketplace, a major convention in the events industry. Attendees learned about Minneapolis as a meetings and events destination, and many planners are now considering the city for their next conference or event. As a result of hosting Connect Marketplace, Meet Minneapolis anticipates receiving numerous requests for proposal for future events that will bring significant economic impact for the city.

“While we celebrate the summer we had in Minneapolis, we must acknowledge that the path to full recovery stretches ahead of us,” Tennant added. “Alongside our partners, we will continue working to support our city’s tourism and hospitality businesses and their workers. The journey continues, and we are committed to making every step count.”

For the latest from Meet Minneapolis, go here and here, or follow us on social media.

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ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS
Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to positively impact the economic and social prosperity of the Minneapolis community. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Kevin Kurtt, PR Manager, o 612-767-8118, c 952-288-9319, KevinK@minneapolis.org
Kristen Montag, Senior PR Manager, o 612-767-8038, c 651-335-5754, KristenM@Minneapolis.org