What we do...for you!

Visit Winona is a not-for-profit 501c6 destination marketing organization whose mission is to promote the Winona area as a year-round travel destination for leisure, business, and arts tourism, thereby generating greater economic impact for the city and other tourism stakeholders.

• Operate the Visitors Center on Huff Street to provide travel information about the Winona area and statewide (we are a state affiliate travel information center) that saw over 16,000 visitors in 2010.
• Print and distribute annually 35,000 copies of the official Winona Visitors' Guide
• Maintain a website that is upgraded annually and updated weekly that contains video, blog spot, podcasts and a YouTube channel.
• Print and distribute brochures including: Historic Downtown Walking Tour, Stained Glass, Canoeing/Kayaking, Fishing, Golfing, Birding, Bicycling/Hiking. Other printed materials include tear-off city maps, Group Tour Planner Guide, and Meeting Facilities Guide.
• Produce a monthly newsletter "Tourism Matters" that is inserted in the Winona Daily News.
• Produce a monthly e-newsletter sent to subscribers (over 3000 people). Also produce a seasonal e-newsletter focusing on a major event/festival.
• Place advertisements in various media: newspapers, leisure magazines, trade journals, radio, billboards, television, based on a yearly advertising schedule.
• Handle all inquiries for visitor information and mail our brochures as response piece.
• Administer a Facebook Page: 4,872 "likes" and Twitter account: 446 followers.
• Put together welcome bags of information and souvenirs that represent and are donated by local businesses that are given out to groups, VIPs, reunions, weddings, etc.
  
• Write, review, gather and submit articles, press releases, editorials, and other materials as needed for publicity and promotion of Winona as a travel destination.
  
• Host familiarization (FAM) tours for travel writers, meeting planners, group tour planners and event planners.
  
• Assist in gathering and distributing information from groups who want us to bid to host meetings and events in town.
  
• Act as the main contact/referral for individuals or groups wanting to plan events or activities in town that provide a huge economic impact on our community
  
• Attend travel/trade shows and sales mission trips to promote the Winona area as a destination for group tours, meetings/conferences, and corporate/leisure events.
  
• Work with the local lodging establishments, attractions, restaurants, retailers, and events organizers to gather your information, and help you promote your events.
  
• Provide itinerary planning assistance to group tour organizers to customize tours in town, and arrange for step-on guides where needed.
  
• Make presentations to local clubs and organizations to make them aware of tourism events, issues and collaborative opportunities within the community.
  
• Provide hospitality training to front line staff of local hospitality/tourism businesses.
  
• Host Hospitality Meetings to provide tourism updates and networking opportunities to local hospitality businesses.
  
• Partner with Red Wing, Wabasha, and Lanesboro for regional marketing as Explore Mississippi Bluffs.
  
• Work with Explore Minnesota Tourism to collect and disseminate general tourism information, partnership grants, and advertising opportunities.