Experience Rochester Destination Master Plan

As Experience Rochester advances a long-range Destination Master Plan for the City of Rochester, it partnered with the University of Minnesota Extension and Tourism Center to support the initial baseline research. This phase focused on assessing resident and business sentiment, evaluating Rochester’s image across key geographic target markets, and laying the groundwork to inform future tourism strategies and priorities.

Here’s the Executive Summary.

Here’s a Video Recap from Xinyi Qian, Ph.D., Director, University of Minnesota Tourism Center:

Study: Tourism Generates $1.1 Billion in Economic Activity in Rochester

Tourism-related businesses generated more than $1.1 billion in economic activity in Rochester, Minnesota, in 2025, supported 7,670 jobs and generated $323 million in labor income, according to a new report from University of Minnesota Extension.

The report, Tourism in the Economy: Rochester, was commissioned by Experience Rochester and prepared by University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality and examines the economic contributions of tourism-related industries, including restaurants, hotels, recreation, retail, entertainment and cultural attractions.

View the full study here.