Tourism is the third largest industry in North Dakota, leaders call for more legislative support

BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) —  North Dakota often gets a bad reputation for being one of the most forgettable states… but recent statistics from the North Dakota Department of Commerce show that there is a growing interest in our state from around the world. In fact, tourism is currently the top-third industry in North Dakota — and leaders are looking to take tourism from the third spot to the very top.

“It’s definitely a worthy investment,” says Les Thomas, the vice president of the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance.

Tourism is booming in North Dakota right now. This year, the state’s Department of Commerce found that a whopping 25.6 million people visited our state. On Wednesday, October 9th, industry leaders met at Bismarck’s Heritage Center for the annual Travel Industry and Marketing Summit to discuss ways this number can increase in the future.

“There’s so much opportunity for growth,” says Thomas.

According to the summit, many touristsare drawn to North Dakota’s rural beauty, along with its rich cultural history. Most of our international visitors are coming from the Nordic countries and Germany, and these tourists have already spent more than $3 billion this year alone. The tourism industry has been a great revenue source for North Dakota, and a way to support local businesses, thus driving the economy forward.

“Partnerships are where it’s at,” continues Thomas, “and then communication.”

While there’s a lot to celebrate, tourism leaders are saying that legislators need to make more of an effort to invest in a lucrative industry.

“It takes resources and money,” Thomas states, “and right now, North Dakota doesn’t get enough money from the state legislators like Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota. If the North Dakota legislators would come across with some extra money for North Dakota tourism, they could tap into some of the huge markets.”

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