Minnesota Index: Tourism by the numbers

Top 10 Minnesota attractions, by number of visitors in 2010: Mall of America, National Sports Center, Target Field, Grand Casino Hinckley, Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota Zoo, Target Center, Fort Snelling State Park

Number of visitors to Mall of America     42.5 million

Number of visitors to other nine top attractions combined           19.6 million

Number of rooms currently available statewide for visitor lodging            74,882

In Bloomington 10,174

Visitors to state from Canada in 2014, in millions  2

            On overnight trips          633,000

            On day trips      1.38 million

Number of international visitors from other countries       258,000

Leisure and hospitality sector full- and part-time jobs in Minnesota in 2014           254,400 

                Percent of total private sector employment        11

                Total wages, in billions        $4.7

Total sales, in billions, generated by leisure and hospitality industry in 2014          $13.6

State sales tax collected, in millions         $878

                Percent of total state sales tax revenue 17

                Rank among all 50 states in travel-generated tax receipts              10

Annual visitors to Minnesota’s oldest state park, Lake Itasca       500,000

Year the park was established    1891

                Number of Minnesota state parks and recreation areas established since then  74

Estimated number of privately owned cabins and other seasonal properties in Minnesota            120,000

Sources: Explore Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Lakes & Rivers Advocates