Lack of winter impacts tourism in Minnesota

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Many of Minnesota's biggest winter attractions were affected by higher-than-normal temperatures.

Transcript

00:00 Now the upper Midwest is experiencing one of the warmest winters on record.

00:05 But for many and for many, they may like that.

00:07 Yes, many businesses and communities that rely on tourism.

00:11 It has been a brutal winter economically.

00:14 Shani Qian is the director of the University of Minnesota Tourism Center

00:18 and is joining us this morning.

00:20 Ms Qian, thank you so much for being here.

00:22 We appreciate you waking up with us.

00:25 Thank you so much for having me here today.

00:27 Absolutely. Let's dig right in here,

00:29 because, you know, it really is on a lot of our minds with how warm it's been.

00:32 Can you tell us how the lack of snow and missed opportunities for,

00:36 let's say, like ice fishing, skiing, snowmobiling

00:39 and other outdoor activities is impacting the state?

00:42 Yes, that's a great question.

00:45 So far, we have not conducted a formal study.

00:48 However, we have heard stories from communities about, for example,

00:53 they are lodging properties having low occupancy rates,

00:56 small rental businesses, they are way short of revenue goals

01:00 and plummeted ice fishing activities on lakes.

01:03 If the studies that we have done with our colleagues in recent years

01:08 can lend any insight, we can have a general sense of the economic impact.

01:12 By and large, overnight visitors in Minnesota

01:15 spend between $140 and $150 per person per day.

01:20 And typically hotels, restaurants and bars, gas stations,

01:25 outfitters and rental businesses and attractions

01:28 generally benefit the most from visitors' direct spending.

01:32 And so fewer visitors do have a direct economic impact

01:37 on tourism businesses and communities that feature winter activities prominently.

01:42 You know, and I think you have to go back.

01:44 I'm not sure how long you've been at the University of Minnesota,

01:47 but in your experience, have you ever seen a winter like this one?

01:52 And are there any winter events or festivals that were canceled or scaled back?

01:57 Yes, so clearly I am a transplant, and in my 13 years living in Minnesota,

02:04 I have not seen a winter season like this one.

02:06 And the folks who have lived in Minnesota for way longer have also attested

02:11 that they have not seen a winter season like this one either.

02:15 And yes, there are a large number of canceled or scaled back winter events.

02:20 For example, the John Bear Gry's sled dog marathon,

02:24 the Minnesota Ice Festival, Maple Lake Ice Fishing Derby,

02:28 they were all canceled.

02:29 And these were just three out of a much longer list across the state.

02:33 And the U.S. Pond Hockey Championship, it did have its opening weekend.

02:39 However, above average temperatures led the organizers to cancel

02:43 the second weekend.

02:45 And the Art Shanty project on Lake Harriett in the Twin Cities area,

02:49 it was postponed for a week, and that was a lost week.

02:53 Oh, wow. I hate to hear all those events having to be canceled.

02:56 Now, look, in terms of helping out these businesses and communities,

03:00 what kind of help does everyone need, especially as temperatures

03:03 stay pretty warm?

03:04 And how is the University Tourism Center working with those businesses?

03:07 Yes, really important questions.

03:11 So great timing in the sense that we are attending

03:14 the state's annual tourism industry conference this afternoon and all day

03:18 tomorrow. So we definitely are going to have lots of conversations

03:22 with conference attendees who cover a broad range of the industry.

03:27 And so we can learn more about their needs and their ideas

03:30 about how they are going to adapt going forward and figure out

03:33 how the tourism center can help.

03:35 And we are also working with the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership

03:40 to co-host a webinar on climate adaptation and outdoor recreation in mid-March.

03:45 So we'll have a moderated conversation with outdoor recreation leaders

03:49 across the region about how these businesses and events can plan for

03:53 and adapt to the changing climate.

03:55 But if you have one more minute, I can share more ideas.

03:59 But if my time is up, I appreciate having me here today.

04:04 I appreciate that so much.

04:06 Thank you for being so considerate of timing.

04:08 We do have about 45 seconds or so if you do have a quick idea or two.

04:11 Yes, of course.

04:13 I would say one possibility is a greater need for near real time

04:18 awareness campaigns.

04:20 And that means leveraging your marketing channels and networks

04:24 to increase awareness among past and potential customers

04:28 about current ice and snow conditions when they are great.

04:32 However, if ice or snow conditions

04:35 is lacking like this year, then it is all the more important

04:40 to share tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities

04:43 that do not rely on snow or ice.

04:46 Excellent information this morning.

04:49 Shinichi, and thank you so much for joining us.

04:51 Director of the University of Minnesota Tourism Center.

04:53 We really appreciate your insight and best of luck going forward.

04:56 Hopefully there are ways to turn everything around.

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