Today’s guest on the Growing Destinations podcast brings a thoughtful, research-driven lens to the tourism landscape. Xinyi Qian is Director of the University of Minnesota Tourism Center, a statewide resource focused on supporting communities through tourism education, research, and strategic planning.
Xinyi’s work sits at the intersection of tourism, economic development, and community vitality. Under her leadership, the Tourism Center is helping destinations across Minnesota adapt to emerging trends, build sustainable strategies, and create meaningful visitor experiences.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Bill Von Bank (00:00):
The Growing Destinations podcast is brought
to you by Experience Rochester.
Learn more about Minnesota'sthird largest city, which is
home to Mayo Clinic and featureswonderful recreational and
entertainment opportunities, byvisiting
experiencerochestermncom.
Xinyi Qian (00:16):
Communities have perceptions about themselves,
and we all have history.
We all have assumptions and weall have history.
Bill Von Bank (00:26):
We all have assumptions and sometimes it is
fascinating to see whatoutsiders actually see and
perceive.
Welcome to the GrowingDestinations podcast, where we
take a deep dive intodestination development and
focus on a wide range of topics,from tourism and entertainment
to economic development andentrepreneurism and much more.
(00:46):
I'm your host, bill Vaughn Bank.
Today's guest on the GrowingDestinations podcast brings a
thoughtful, research-driven lensto the tourism landscape.
I'm joined by Xinyi Qian,director of the University of
Minnesota Tourism Center, astatewide resource focused on
supporting communities throughtourism, education, research and
(01:09):
strategic planning.
Shani's work sits at theintersection of tourism,
economic development andcommunity vitality.
Under her leadership, thetourism center is helping
destinations across Minnesotaadapt to emerging trends, build
sustainable strategies andcreate meaningful visitor
experiences.
(01:30):
Xinyi Qian, welcome to theGrowing Destinations podcast.
Xinyi Qian (01:35):
Thank you, Bill.
Thank you for having me heretoday.
Bill Von Bank (01:38):
Well, I've known you for several years and we've
talked about bringing you on thepodcast for a while, so here
you are, so thank you forjoining us.
And we've talked about bringingyou on the podcast for a while,
so here you are, so thank youfor joining us.
Can you share with us yourcareer journey and your path to
the University of MinnesotaTourism Center?
Xinyi Qian (01:50):
I went to graduate school at Penn State in the
Department of Recreation, Parkand Tourism Management.
Upon graduating with mydoctoral degree in 2012, I
landed a one-year researchassociate opportunity in the
Department of Forestry Resourceshere at the University of
Minnesota.
So that's really a greattransition year for me, and I
(02:13):
get my foot in the door, so tospeak, at the university.
While there, the tourism centerannounced that it would be
hiring for a statewidespecialist position at the time,
and so I applied, went throughthe hiring and interviewing
process and was offered aposition.
My husband and I put down ourroots here both kids born and
(02:33):
raised here and then, inDecember 2020, my immediate
predecessor retired, and so Iwas the interim director for
about a year, and then I wasoffered the director position in
December 2021.
Bill Von Bank (02:47):
What sparked your interest in tourism, research
and community development?
Xinyi Qian (02:51):
That's a really good question.
The sparks came to me in twowaves, if you will.
First off, I realized I had ananalytical mind and genuinely
enjoy doing research when I wasin college and I majored in
tourism management.
So the first wave was tourismresearch, especially visitor
(03:12):
experience in psychology, as Iam fascinated with human mind
and emotions.
The second wave connected thedots between tourism and
community development.
Tourism is not an isolatedphenomenon.
It is inherently intertwinedwith community economic
development.
So putting tourism in a biggercontext of community economic
(03:35):
development to me is aprerequisite for sustainable
tourism development andmanagement.
Bill Von Bank (03:40):
I always say that tourism is the purest form of
economic development, wouldn'tyou agree?
Xinyi Qian (03:46):
Yes, I would agree.
Yes, we are singing to thechoir.
Bill Von Bank (03:49):
That's true.
A visitor can become a resident, can become a business owner
and can hire people, and it'sjust that flywheel.
Xinyi Qian (03:59):
Yes, the halo effect , the effectiveness of using
tourism and also outdoorrecreation for resident
recruitment and retainment.
Bill Von Bank (04:08):
indeed, For listeners who may not be
familiar, can you give us asnapshot of the mission and work
of the University of MinnesotaTourism Center?
Xinyi Qian (04:16):
The mission of the Tourism Center is to empower,
prepare and support the tourismindustry and the communities
engaging in tourism for successand sustainability.
It is really important toemphasize that the tourism
center is housed in Extension'sDepartment of Community
Development and I will tell youwhy as I go on.
(04:38):
So the center has a fewpriority areas.
First, community tourismdevelopment has a few priority
areas.
First, community tourismdevelopment.
We have programs includingcommunity coaching work that we
do often with educators in thedepartment to help communities
engage in sustainable andthoughtful community tourism
development.
And a second priority area isoutdoor recreation.
(05:02):
So we are fortunate enough tohave a full-time statewide
specialist with the tourismcenter and a larger portion of
her work has been focused onoutdoor recreation, especially
nature-based outdoor tourism.
And a third priority area iscalled I call it consumer
intelligence.
Now that is a fancy way todescribe our on-demand applied
(05:25):
research service.
We collaborate especially withthe senior economic impact
analyst of Extension whenprojects have an economic impact
component tourism, which isbringing visitors onto farms.
It could be you pick berries,pumpkin patches, on-farm events,
(05:51):
on-farm stays and so thecollaborative nature of our work
means that we work withcolleagues across extension, the
university system, industry andcommunities.
Bill Von Bank (05:58):
Well, you've mentioned collaboration a few
times and you collaborate withcommunities across the state.
What are some of the mostcommon challenges they face in
tourism development?
Xinyi Qian (06:07):
No two communities are the same.
However, there are at least twocommon challenges that I have
observed over the years.
One is the role of tourism incommunity economic development,
especially how tourism interactswith other issues, For example
(06:27):
housing, transportation,workforce, so on and so forth.
And then the other challenge isthe coalition and the capacity
building.
It takes time and effort tobuild relationships with
stakeholders and partners, andin small rural communities
capacity is often limitedbecause oftentimes the same
individuals tend to have beentapped out for a variety of
(06:51):
roles and demands in thecommunity.
These are the two commonchallenges I have observed.
Bill Von Bank (06:57):
Maybe we take a little bit of a deeper dive.
So how does the tourism centerhelp communities build capacity
and create more sustainable andvibrant destinations?
Maybe some examples from someof your work.
Xinyi Qian (07:07):
The Tourism Center does this work through education
, applied research and communitycoaching.
For example, we are currentlycompletely redeveloping the
festival and event managementonline course because we want
the online course to be evenbetter able to serve the needs
(07:28):
of community festivals,especially the ones in smaller
rural communities.
Bill Von Bank (07:33):
Which are so important to drive visitation to
communities.
Xinyi Qian (07:37):
To communities and also it is a tool, an
opportunity for placemaking, forresidents' sense of place,
attachment, identity and qualityof life.
And also this summer I'm givingyou a lot of things in the
hopper right.
Bill Von Bank (07:53):
That's great.
Xinyi Qian (07:55):
Thank you, bill.
So this summer I will work witha faculty in applied economics
and also a graduate student tolook at how generative AI can be
leveraged and harnessed forcommunity tourism development.
We do not want communities tofeel like this is a threat or we
(08:15):
are already being left behindagain.
We want to coach and enablecommunities to harness
generative AI for communitytourism development.
Bill Von Bank (08:27):
Such a hot topic right now.
Xinyi Qian (08:29):
Yes, it is.
It may pass off the impressionI'm jumping on a bandwagon, but
my goal is not to write a paperor anything like that, but to be
able to produce easy to read,actionable, relevant tip sheets
or worksheets that communitiescan take and utilize in their
(08:51):
own context.
Bill Von Bank (08:52):
I think that's fantastic, because it does seem
somewhat overwhelming right nowto learn, understand and maybe
even there's some criticismaround using it.
Xinyi Qian (09:02):
Yes, it's a very complicated and nuanced topic
and at this year's ExploreMinnesota Tourism Conference
there were multiple sessions akeynote followed by two breakout
sessions on this exact topicgenerative AI and I would say
the speaker is experienced andrenowned on this topic.
(09:22):
It provided a very solidgrounding, a very strong
foundation upon which hopefullywe can build further build not
necessarily exactly, quote,unquote knowledge, but to be
able to again bring it tocommunities and coach them and
enable them you have a program.
Bill Von Bank (09:44):
it's a tourism assessment program for
communities and I know thatExperience Rochester has had
conversations with you aboutbringing that program to the
community.
Can you give us an overview ofwhat that program is all about?
Xinyi Qian (09:58):
I would say tourism assessment program.
In essence it is a communitycoaching process.
It is not exactly training oreducation, it is more than
applied research and it's a truepartnership and a collaborative
process between tourism center,a variety of partners and
(10:18):
colleagues and, of course, thedestination community right.
And so we always start out byhaving conversations with the
community in terms of theirneeds, goals, aspirations and
really set the tone and thescope for the tourism assessment
(10:39):
program, because no twoprograms, no two communities
look exactly the same right.
And then it is also importantagain, building coalitions.
In my initial conversationswith a community, it is always
really important to articulatereally the essential importance
(10:59):
of bringing all the partners andstakeholders to the table.
Bringing all the partners andstakeholders to the table it is
not like we need to have a20-person team to work with, but
in conversations, when weorganize community visits and
community meetings, it is trulyimportant that these folks are
mobilized and activated.
Bill Von Bank (11:18):
And bringing their perspective to the table.
Xinyi Qian (11:20):
Yes, yes, exactly Because communities have
perceptions about themselves.
Yes, yes, exactly Becausecommunities have perceptions
about themselves.
And we all have history, we allhave assumptions, and sometimes
it is fascinating to see whatoutsiders actually see and
perceive and what data tells usright.
And so residents have theirperspectives, businesses have
(11:42):
their opinions, so we want tobring all these pieces together.
Bill Von Bank (11:47):
You often work at the intersection of tourism and
economic development.
How do you see thatrelationship evolving,
especially in the context of apost-pandemic recovery?
Xinyi Qian (11:57):
So the intersection of tourism and economic
development.
Oftentimes I would see theirinteraction popping up in terms
of intersections betweendifferent issues.
So, for example, workforce andworkforce housing and then the
tourism, especially hospitalityindustry, not only in the Twin
(12:21):
Cities metro area, not only inthe Twin Cities metro area but
also in greater Minnesota, right.
So that is, I think,post-pandemic.
For whatever reasons, theseinteractions or say
intersections are being noticed,talked about, acknowledged and
more interest in addressingthese challenges or
(12:43):
intersections moreconscientiously, right, and also
hopefully also in a morecollaborative way.
For example, I've been workingwith the Center for Rural Policy
and a development on asmall-scale project that looks
at hospitality and a workforce,workforce housing in hospitality
industry, especially again inGreater Minnesota, in rural
(13:05):
communities.
And I've also seen, even withinthe university system, folks
paying more attention to theseintersections because some of
these areas or aspects arerather big, for example
transportation.
Historically they may or maynot really pay attention to
(13:25):
tourism or outdoor recreation.
However, post the pandemic I'veseen mind being opened up,
probably because of folks lostthe privilege to travel, and
they've all seen the travel,tourism and hospitality industry
being devastated by thepandemic.
So it really is stillrecovering.
(13:45):
Yes, still recovering.
So it really has jumped ontothe collective awareness and the
mentality of the general publicand certainly at a university.
So, for example, when a Centerfor Transportation Studies at a
university did a year oftransportation in rural
communities, I wrote a piece ontransportation and gateway
(14:09):
communities in rural areas tomajor outdoor tourism
destinations.
So I wouldn't say this, youknow, might be the most possible
20 years ago, but it certainlyhas already taken place right.
So I do see that as a reallygood, constructive and hopeful
trend that by all means I wantto see it continue.
Bill Von Bank (14:31):
What's one initiative or project you're
especially proud of during yourtime as director?
I see you're shaking your headwith a big smile, so you
obviously have one top of mind.
Xinyi Qian (14:40):
Yes, I do.
Actually, I start off wantingto say there are quite a few
things that I'm proud of, but Iwill name.
Maybe I'm cheating a little bithere, but I will name one
umbrella initiative, which ishow we tell the story of the
tourism center's work and itsimpact.
We now actively name andcommunicate our priority areas.
(15:04):
We restarted producing anannual report, but now using a
very visual format.
We overhauled our website andrefreshed our quarterly
newsletter.
We continue to engage ouraudience on LinkedIn and
thoughtfully leverage ourpartners' platforms, and we
consistently and strategicallymaintain relationships with
(15:25):
internal and we consistently andstrategically maintain
relationships with internalindustry and community partners,
and recently we just startedplanning for our 40th
anniversary celebrations in 2027.
Bill Von Bank (15:36):
So stay tuned.
Xinyi Qian (15:37):
Yes, we will have a lot more to share in the come
and hopefully do another podcastepisode two years from now.
Bill Von Bank (15:43):
What trends or shifts are you seeing in
Minnesota's tourism landscapethat communities should be
paying attention to?
Xinyi Qian (15:49):
That's a very important question and almost
feel like writing a miniatureopinion piece, but here is my
attempt to share my personalthoughts here.
So the first we alreadydiscussed, actually which is how
to harness the power ofgenerative AI ethically and
thoughtfully right.
So that's the first one, thefirst topic that is on my mind.
(16:14):
Second is the whole piecearound DMO.
What does the M stands for?
Right?
So I would say, yes, marketing,certainly, but I've also seen
more and more conscientious workin terms of I'm also standing
for management, and I do notthink that is either or it's not
(16:34):
a zero-sum game, and I think itcan be both.
Bill Von Bank (16:38):
And and the history behind that is
convention and visitor bureausused to be called CBBs.
That's right, and then thetransition came to destination
marketing organizations or DMOs,and now management comes into
play in terms of destinationdevelopment.
Xinyi Qian (16:55):
Yes, yes, and I would say COVID also brought it
more forefront, in a sense thatwhen we didn't have visitors
coming to our communities, werealized that the in-reach in
terms of relationships withresidents and how we proactively
(17:16):
partner with and manage theassets that we have in terms of
tourism in our communities, allthese have brought destination
management more to the forefront.
And I would say there are twoother trends I've seen.
One is they are actuallyintertwined if we really think
about it.
One is adaptation in responseto changing weather patterns,
(17:38):
and then the other is aplacemaking and a quality of
life, and so quality of life,placemaking you know, if the
weather patterns are trulyextreme, it will definitely
negatively impact the quality oflife.
Placemaking, you know, if theweather patterns are truly
extreme, it will definitelynegatively impact the quality of
life.
And we often use outdoorrecreation tourism as a part of
placemaking because itcontributes directly to quality
of life.
And part of the mentality alsois we build a community that has
(18:03):
great quality of life forresidents.
It's a great community and wellalong the way visitors will
arrive.
It doesn't always happenorganically that way exactly,
but if we take care of theresidents, it's a great
community with a greatinfrastructure and amenities.
They are inherently attractiveto visitors too.
Bill Von Bank (18:27):
And residents can be your best brand ambassadors
for your community.
Xinyi Qian (18:31):
Yes, because the old cliche was always you stopped
at a gas station and theattendant look at you and say
why are you here?
There's nothing that you shouldsee, you can see, enjoy
experience here.
That really was ratherunfortunate and rather we want
the waitstaff at a restaurantrattling off all the
(18:54):
entertainment, recreational, thekind of opportunity, cultural
heritage opportunities in thecommunity, right.
So that really is what we want.
Bill Von Bank (19:04):
What advice would you give to someone early in
their career who's interested inmaking an impact through
tourism?
Xinyi Qian (19:11):
First really is very general, high level, which is
the breadth and the depth ofyour knowledge.
What you know and both areimportant.
We can become, relativelyspeaking, specialized in one
area, but stay curious andalways keep the bigger picture
(19:32):
in mind, because you never knowhow that particular topic will
show up again later in yourcareer, in your work, and how it
is going to help you.
And then the second piece isrelationship in a coalition
building.
This is a people industry andwe have a lot of sectors.
It's a very diversifiedindustry in that way, and so
(19:56):
your relationships and be aconnector that will really be
beneficial not only toyourselves but also to all the
folks around you, whichultimately will also be helpful
for you, right?
And then the last piece is thattourism is a part of a broader
community economic developmentpicture.
Never lost sight of that.
Bill Von Bank (20:17):
Great insights.
Xinyi Qian AppreciateAppreciate all the University of
Minnesota Tourism Center doesfor the community, the broader
sector in economic development.
Congratulations on yourupcoming 40th anniversary and
thank you for being our guest onthe Growing Destinations
podcast.
Xinyi Qian (20:36):
Thank you so much, Bill.
Thank you for giving me theopportunity to communicate with
the audience, the industry andour communities.
It is my pleasure and lookforward to our continuous
partnership.
Bill Von Bank (20:49):
Thank you for tuning in to the Growing
Destinations podcast and don'tforget to subscribe.
This podcast is brought to youby Experience Rochester.
Find out more about Rochester,Minnesota, and its growing arts
and culture scene, itsinternational culinary flavors
and award-winning craft beer byvisiting
experiencerochestermncom.
The Growing Destinations podcast is brought
to you by Experience Rochester.
Learn more about Minnesota'sthird largest city, which is
home to Mayo Clinic and featureswonderful recreational and
entertainment opportunities, byvisiting
experiencerochestermncom.
Xinyi Qian (00:16):
Communities have perceptions about themselves,
and we all have history.
We all have assumptions and weall have history.
Bill Von Bank (00:26):
We all have assumptions and sometimes it is
fascinating to see whatoutsiders actually see and
perceive.
Welcome to the GrowingDestinations podcast, where we
take a deep dive intodestination development and
focus on a wide range of topics,from tourism and entertainment
to economic development andentrepreneurism and much more.
(00:46):
I'm your host, bill Vaughn Bank.
Today's guest on the GrowingDestinations podcast brings a
thoughtful, research-driven lensto the tourism landscape.
I'm joined by Xinyi Qian,director of the University of
Minnesota Tourism Center, astatewide resource focused on
supporting communities throughtourism, education, research and
(01:09):
strategic planning.
Shani's work sits at theintersection of tourism,
economic development andcommunity vitality.
Under her leadership, thetourism center is helping
destinations across Minnesotaadapt to emerging trends, build
sustainable strategies andcreate meaningful visitor
experiences.
(01:30):
Xinyi Qian, welcome to theGrowing Destinations podcast.
Xinyi Qian (01:35):
Thank you, Bill.
Thank you for having me heretoday.
Bill Von Bank (01:38):
Well, I've known you for several years and we've
talked about bringing you on thepodcast for a while, so here
you are, so thank you forjoining us.
And we've talked about bringingyou on the podcast for a while,
so here you are, so thank youfor joining us.
Can you share with us yourcareer journey and your path to
the University of MinnesotaTourism Center?
Xinyi Qian (01:50):
I went to graduate school at Penn State in the
Department of Recreation, Parkand Tourism Management.
Upon graduating with mydoctoral degree in 2012, I
landed a one-year researchassociate opportunity in the
Department of Forestry Resourceshere at the University of
Minnesota.
So that's really a greattransition year for me, and I
(02:13):
get my foot in the door, so tospeak, at the university.
While there, the tourism centerannounced that it would be
hiring for a statewidespecialist position at the time,
and so I applied, went throughthe hiring and interviewing
process and was offered aposition.
My husband and I put down ourroots here both kids born and
(02:33):
raised here and then, inDecember 2020, my immediate
predecessor retired, and so Iwas the interim director for
about a year, and then I wasoffered the director position in
December 2021.
Bill Von Bank (02:47):
What sparked your interest in tourism, research
and community development?
Xinyi Qian (02:51):
That's a really good question.
The sparks came to me in twowaves, if you will.
First off, I realized I had ananalytical mind and genuinely
enjoy doing research when I wasin college and I majored in
tourism management.
So the first wave was tourismresearch, especially visitor
(03:12):
experience in psychology, as Iam fascinated with human mind
and emotions.
The second wave connected thedots between tourism and
community development.
Tourism is not an isolatedphenomenon.
It is inherently intertwinedwith community economic
development.
So putting tourism in a biggercontext of community economic
(03:35):
development to me is aprerequisite for sustainable
tourism development andmanagement.
Bill Von Bank (03:40):
I always say that tourism is the purest form of
economic development, wouldn'tyou agree?
Xinyi Qian (03:46):
Yes, I would agree.
Yes, we are singing to thechoir.
Bill Von Bank (03:49):
That's true.
A visitor can become a resident, can become a business owner
and can hire people, and it'sjust that flywheel.
Xinyi Qian (03:59):
Yes, the halo effect , the effectiveness of using
tourism and also outdoorrecreation for resident
recruitment and retainment.
Bill Von Bank (04:08):
indeed, For listeners who may not be
familiar, can you give us asnapshot of the mission and work
of the University of MinnesotaTourism Center?
Xinyi Qian (04:16):
The mission of the Tourism Center is to empower,
prepare and support the tourismindustry and the communities
engaging in tourism for successand sustainability.
It is really important toemphasize that the tourism
center is housed in Extension'sDepartment of Community
Development and I will tell youwhy as I go on.
(04:38):
So the center has a fewpriority areas.
First, community tourismdevelopment has a few priority
areas.
First, community tourismdevelopment.
We have programs includingcommunity coaching work that we
do often with educators in thedepartment to help communities
engage in sustainable andthoughtful community tourism
development.
And a second priority area isoutdoor recreation.
(05:02):
So we are fortunate enough tohave a full-time statewide
specialist with the tourismcenter and a larger portion of
her work has been focused onoutdoor recreation, especially
nature-based outdoor tourism.
And a third priority area iscalled I call it consumer
intelligence.
Now that is a fancy way todescribe our on-demand applied
(05:25):
research service.
We collaborate especially withthe senior economic impact
analyst of Extension whenprojects have an economic impact
component tourism, which isbringing visitors onto farms.
It could be you pick berries,pumpkin patches, on-farm events,
(05:51):
on-farm stays and so thecollaborative nature of our work
means that we work withcolleagues across extension, the
university system, industry andcommunities.
Bill Von Bank (05:58):
Well, you've mentioned collaboration a few
times and you collaborate withcommunities across the state.
What are some of the mostcommon challenges they face in
tourism development?
Xinyi Qian (06:07):
No two communities are the same.
However, there are at least twocommon challenges that I have
observed over the years.
One is the role of tourism incommunity economic development,
especially how tourism interactswith other issues, For example
(06:27):
housing, transportation,workforce, so on and so forth.
And then the other challenge isthe coalition and the capacity
building.
It takes time and effort tobuild relationships with
stakeholders and partners, andin small rural communities
capacity is often limitedbecause oftentimes the same
individuals tend to have beentapped out for a variety of
(06:51):
roles and demands in thecommunity.
These are the two commonchallenges I have observed.
Bill Von Bank (06:57):
Maybe we take a little bit of a deeper dive.
So how does the tourism centerhelp communities build capacity
and create more sustainable andvibrant destinations?
Maybe some examples from someof your work.
Xinyi Qian (07:07):
The Tourism Center does this work through education
, applied research and communitycoaching.
For example, we are currentlycompletely redeveloping the
festival and event managementonline course because we want
the online course to be evenbetter able to serve the needs
(07:28):
of community festivals,especially the ones in smaller
rural communities.
Bill Von Bank (07:33):
Which are so important to drive visitation to
communities.
Xinyi Qian (07:37):
To communities and also it is a tool, an
opportunity for placemaking, forresidents' sense of place,
attachment, identity and qualityof life.
And also this summer I'm givingyou a lot of things in the
hopper right.
Bill Von Bank (07:53):
That's great.
Xinyi Qian (07:55):
Thank you, bill.
So this summer I will work witha faculty in applied economics
and also a graduate student tolook at how generative AI can be
leveraged and harnessed forcommunity tourism development.
We do not want communities tofeel like this is a threat or we
(08:15):
are already being left behindagain.
We want to coach and enablecommunities to harness
generative AI for communitytourism development.
Bill Von Bank (08:27):
Such a hot topic right now.
Xinyi Qian (08:29):
Yes, it is.
It may pass off the impressionI'm jumping on a bandwagon, but
my goal is not to write a paperor anything like that, but to be
able to produce easy to read,actionable, relevant tip sheets
or worksheets that communitiescan take and utilize in their
(08:51):
own context.
Bill Von Bank (08:52):
I think that's fantastic, because it does seem
somewhat overwhelming right nowto learn, understand and maybe
even there's some criticismaround using it.
Xinyi Qian (09:02):
Yes, it's a very complicated and nuanced topic
and at this year's ExploreMinnesota Tourism Conference
there were multiple sessions akeynote followed by two breakout
sessions on this exact topicgenerative AI and I would say
the speaker is experienced andrenowned on this topic.
(09:22):
It provided a very solidgrounding, a very strong
foundation upon which hopefullywe can build further build not
necessarily exactly, quote,unquote knowledge, but to be
able to again bring it tocommunities and coach them and
enable them you have a program.
Bill Von Bank (09:44):
it's a tourism assessment program for
communities and I know thatExperience Rochester has had
conversations with you aboutbringing that program to the
community.
Can you give us an overview ofwhat that program is all about?
Xinyi Qian (09:58):
I would say tourism assessment program.
In essence it is a communitycoaching process.
It is not exactly training oreducation, it is more than
applied research and it's a truepartnership and a collaborative
process between tourism center,a variety of partners and
(10:18):
colleagues and, of course, thedestination community right.
And so we always start out byhaving conversations with the
community in terms of theirneeds, goals, aspirations and
really set the tone and thescope for the tourism assessment
(10:39):
program, because no twoprograms, no two communities
look exactly the same right.
And then it is also importantagain, building coalitions.
In my initial conversationswith a community, it is always
really important to articulatereally the essential importance
(10:59):
of bringing all the partners andstakeholders to the table.
Bringing all the partners andstakeholders to the table it is
not like we need to have a20-person team to work with, but
in conversations, when weorganize community visits and
community meetings, it is trulyimportant that these folks are
mobilized and activated.
Bill Von Bank (11:18):
And bringing their perspective to the table.
Xinyi Qian (11:20):
Yes, yes, exactly Because communities have
perceptions about themselves.
Yes, yes, exactly Becausecommunities have perceptions
about themselves.
And we all have history, we allhave assumptions, and sometimes
it is fascinating to see whatoutsiders actually see and
perceive and what data tells usright.
And so residents have theirperspectives, businesses have
(11:42):
their opinions, so we want tobring all these pieces together.
Bill Von Bank (11:47):
You often work at the intersection of tourism and
economic development.
How do you see thatrelationship evolving,
especially in the context of apost-pandemic recovery?
Xinyi Qian (11:57):
So the intersection of tourism and economic
development.
Oftentimes I would see theirinteraction popping up in terms
of intersections betweendifferent issues.
So, for example, workforce andworkforce housing and then the
tourism, especially hospitalityindustry, not only in the Twin
(12:21):
Cities metro area, not only inthe Twin Cities metro area but
also in greater Minnesota, right.
So that is, I think,post-pandemic.
For whatever reasons, theseinteractions or say
intersections are being noticed,talked about, acknowledged and
more interest in addressingthese challenges or
(12:43):
intersections moreconscientiously, right, and also
hopefully also in a morecollaborative way.
For example, I've been workingwith the Center for Rural Policy
and a development on asmall-scale project that looks
at hospitality and a workforce,workforce housing in hospitality
industry, especially again inGreater Minnesota, in rural
(13:05):
communities.
And I've also seen, even withinthe university system, folks
paying more attention to theseintersections because some of
these areas or aspects arerather big, for example
transportation.
Historically they may or maynot really pay attention to
(13:25):
tourism or outdoor recreation.
However, post the pandemic I'veseen mind being opened up,
probably because of folks lostthe privilege to travel, and
they've all seen the travel,tourism and hospitality industry
being devastated by thepandemic.
So it really is stillrecovering.
(13:45):
Yes, still recovering.
So it really has jumped ontothe collective awareness and the
mentality of the general publicand certainly at a university.
So, for example, when a Centerfor Transportation Studies at a
university did a year oftransportation in rural
communities, I wrote a piece ontransportation and gateway
(14:09):
communities in rural areas tomajor outdoor tourism
destinations.
So I wouldn't say this, youknow, might be the most possible
20 years ago, but it certainlyhas already taken place right.
So I do see that as a reallygood, constructive and hopeful
trend that by all means I wantto see it continue.
Bill Von Bank (14:31):
What's one initiative or project you're
especially proud of during yourtime as director?
I see you're shaking your headwith a big smile, so you
obviously have one top of mind.
Xinyi Qian (14:40):
Yes, I do.
Actually, I start off wantingto say there are quite a few
things that I'm proud of, but Iwill name.
Maybe I'm cheating a little bithere, but I will name one
umbrella initiative, which ishow we tell the story of the
tourism center's work and itsimpact.
We now actively name andcommunicate our priority areas.
(15:04):
We restarted producing anannual report, but now using a
very visual format.
We overhauled our website andrefreshed our quarterly
newsletter.
We continue to engage ouraudience on LinkedIn and
thoughtfully leverage ourpartners' platforms, and we
consistently and strategicallymaintain relationships with
(15:25):
internal and we consistently andstrategically maintain
relationships with internalindustry and community partners,
and recently we just startedplanning for our 40th
anniversary celebrations in 2027.
Bill Von Bank (15:36):
So stay tuned.
Xinyi Qian (15:37):
Yes, we will have a lot more to share in the come
and hopefully do another podcastepisode two years from now.
Bill Von Bank (15:43):
What trends or shifts are you seeing in
Minnesota's tourism landscapethat communities should be
paying attention to?
Xinyi Qian (15:49):
That's a very important question and almost
feel like writing a miniatureopinion piece, but here is my
attempt to share my personalthoughts here.
So the first we alreadydiscussed, actually which is how
to harness the power ofgenerative AI ethically and
thoughtfully right.
So that's the first one, thefirst topic that is on my mind.
(16:14):
Second is the whole piecearound DMO.
What does the M stands for?
Right?
So I would say, yes, marketing,certainly, but I've also seen
more and more conscientious workin terms of I'm also standing
for management, and I do notthink that is either or it's not
(16:34):
a zero-sum game, and I think itcan be both.
Bill Von Bank (16:38):
And and the history behind that is
convention and visitor bureausused to be called CBBs.
That's right, and then thetransition came to destination
marketing organizations or DMOs,and now management comes into
play in terms of destinationdevelopment.
Xinyi Qian (16:55):
Yes, yes, and I would say COVID also brought it
more forefront, in a sense thatwhen we didn't have visitors
coming to our communities, werealized that the in-reach in
terms of relationships withresidents and how we proactively
(17:16):
partner with and manage theassets that we have in terms of
tourism in our communities, allthese have brought destination
management more to the forefront.
And I would say there are twoother trends I've seen.
One is they are actuallyintertwined if we really think
about it.
One is adaptation in responseto changing weather patterns,
(17:38):
and then the other is aplacemaking and a quality of
life, and so quality of life,placemaking you know, if the
weather patterns are trulyextreme, it will definitely
negatively impact the quality oflife.
Placemaking, you know, if theweather patterns are truly
extreme, it will definitelynegatively impact the quality of
life.
And we often use outdoorrecreation tourism as a part of
placemaking because itcontributes directly to quality
of life.
And part of the mentality alsois we build a community that has
(18:03):
great quality of life forresidents.
It's a great community and wellalong the way visitors will
arrive.
It doesn't always happenorganically that way exactly,
but if we take care of theresidents, it's a great
community with a greatinfrastructure and amenities.
They are inherently attractiveto visitors too.
Bill Von Bank (18:27):
And residents can be your best brand ambassadors
for your community.
Xinyi Qian (18:31):
Yes, because the old cliche was always you stopped
at a gas station and theattendant look at you and say
why are you here?
There's nothing that you shouldsee, you can see, enjoy
experience here.
That really was ratherunfortunate and rather we want
the waitstaff at a restaurantrattling off all the
(18:54):
entertainment, recreational, thekind of opportunity, cultural
heritage opportunities in thecommunity, right.
So that really is what we want.
Bill Von Bank (19:04):
What advice would you give to someone early in
their career who's interested inmaking an impact through
tourism?
Xinyi Qian (19:11):
First really is very general, high level, which is
the breadth and the depth ofyour knowledge.
What you know and both areimportant.
We can become, relativelyspeaking, specialized in one
area, but stay curious andalways keep the bigger picture
(19:32):
in mind, because you never knowhow that particular topic will
show up again later in yourcareer, in your work, and how it
is going to help you.
And then the second piece isrelationship in a coalition
building.
This is a people industry andwe have a lot of sectors.
It's a very diversifiedindustry in that way, and so
(19:56):
your relationships and be aconnector that will really be
beneficial not only toyourselves but also to all the
folks around you, whichultimately will also be helpful
for you, right?
And then the last piece is thattourism is a part of a broader
community economic developmentpicture.
Never lost sight of that.
Bill Von Bank (20:17):
Great insights.
Xinyi Qian AppreciateAppreciate all the University of
Minnesota Tourism Center doesfor the community, the broader
sector in economic development.
Congratulations on yourupcoming 40th anniversary and
thank you for being our guest onthe Growing Destinations
podcast.
Xinyi Qian (20:36):
Thank you so much, Bill.
Thank you for giving me theopportunity to communicate with
the audience, the industry andour communities.
It is my pleasure and lookforward to our continuous
partnership.
Bill Von Bank (20:49):
Thank you for tuning in to the Growing
Destinations podcast and don'tforget to subscribe.
This podcast is brought to youby Experience Rochester.
Find out more about Rochester,Minnesota, and its growing arts
and culture scene, itsinternational culinary flavors
and award-winning craft beer byvisiting
experiencerochestermncom.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.