The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1920-01-07
MINNESOTA TO
Be The MECCA
0FTH0USANDS -.
NEXT SUMNER ] IN | r.
Ten Thousand Lakes Associa-
ton Predicts 100000
Will Come
ESTIMATED SIX MILLIONS
WERE SPENT LAST YEAR
Extensive Advertising in Lead
ing Magazines Responsible
for Tourist Cutters
ESTIMATED SIX MILLIONS
WERE SPENT LAST YEAR
Especial to PiOneer)

St. Paul, Jan. 7.-Minnesota will
be one of the greatest Fairgrounds,
if not the greatest, in the United
States next year.
Information just collected justifies
the Ten Thousand Lakes of Mime
sofa association in making the pre-
diction that more than 100000 tour
lists will visit the state next summer.
This last summer nearly 100000
from outside the borders of the state
vacationed at the ESQ Minnesota
summer resorts. There were 14,987
motor parties among them, each par
ty averaging four persons. Besides
the motorists there were nearly as
many who entered the state by rail.
Each person stayed on an average of
10 days.
Ivan A. Cope, secretary, Ten
Thousand Lakes association, esti-
mates that $6,000,00O was spent IN
Minnesota this year by tourists. His
estimate is based on figures obtained
from proprietors of summer resorts.
Ten Million Next Year.
Mr.. Cope predicts that more than
$10,00O,O0O will be spent in the
state next year by tourists. He has
obtained the names of every person
who visited a resort this year from
outside Minnesota. Each visitor will
be invited to return next summer.
The large tourist travel this year
is concrete evidence of the results
of an advertising campaign, as prior
to 1918 practically no organized ef-
fort was made to capitalize one of
Minnesota's greatest assets-its ad-
vantages and attractions for sum-
mer-time recreation. This year
travel was three times greater than
it was in 1918.
Slogan Adopted.
Sell America TO Americans and
Sell the Americans to America" is
the slogan adopted at the recent con-
ference of Northwest Tourist asso-
citation secretaries held in St. Paul.
The conference, which was attended
by representatives of travel associa-
tions in Michigan, North and South
Dakota, Iowa, Montana, Washington,
Oregon, Colorado. British Columbia,
California and Ontario, resulted in
the formation of a permanent organ
ization, to be known as the American
Travel Development association, to
encourage travel in America through
an educational campaign setting
forth the vast resources, scenic at
fractions, advantages and possibili-
ties, and urging Americans to "See
America First" before travelling
abroad. The perfection OF this ma
tional organization and the inaugu-
ration of definite campaign will
take place at a meeting to be called
in February.
State Advantages.
Considerable emphasis was lad to
the necessity for informing Americans
of the inconvenience to he encOunt-
cred in travelling abroad, the lack of
accommodations and food, and call
ing attention to the advantages Of
fered for travel in the United States.
Resolutions urging the government
to create permanent department
of publicity to disseminate informa-
ton on American attractions and re-
sources, larger Appropriations for de-
velopment of the national forests
and parks, better transportation
service, were adopted.
"The value of American travel to
Europe before the war was not less
than $60O,OOO,OOO per anuum, at the
prices people had to pay in those
days." Mr.. Cope said
The same volume Of travel now
would be worth at least double that
amount Travel is one of the great
est assets of all foreign countries,
and is looked upon as of the utmost
Importance Americans have just
begun to recognize it's value, and
every effort should be made to keep
this money, as far as possible, in this
country"