Morris Area Tourism Board

The Morris Area Tourism Board is established for the purpose of advising and assisting the City Council on the promotion of the Morris Area as a tourist destination and in the allocation and utilization of the lodging tax proceeds collected by the city to further that purpose.

One of the goals of the Tourism Board is to support organizations and businesses that are organizing and holding events that attract visitors from outside the immediate Morris Area. Furthermore, we encourage events in which tourists will be utilizing other local Morris Area amenities such as restaurants, hotels, and retail stores.  

Support of a local event may include:

• Listing of event on the Tourism Calendar.
• Promotion from the Tourism Board’s contracted marketing agency through the use of the Morris Area Tourism branded template(s) for radio, print and social media advertising. All ads will be tagged with “Supported by Morris Area Tourism”.
• Inclusion of event in current Morris Tourism marketing campaign.

Qualifications

In order for your organization or business to be considered for support from the Tourism Board, the following must be met:

1. Both profit and non-profit organizations located in the Morris Area are eligible. Non-profit organizations must be formally organized, registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State, and in good standing.  
2. Event is projected to draw tourists from outside Stevens County.
3. Event must draw participants that will most likely utilize other Morris Area amenities.

Examples of events that meet these criteria are the Stevens County Fair, art fairs, and performing arts. Examples of events that are not be eligible for funding including industry specific conferences and retail events geared toward local consumers. The Tourism Board will not fund local advertising efforts since our goal is to bring in tourists from outside Stevens County.

The Tourism Board cannot administer funds directly to any individual, organization, or business. All forms of marketing, promotion and/or advertising are handled by the Tourism Board’s contracted marketing agency.

The Tourism Board reserves the right to reject any request that does not meet the above criteria, for budgetary reasons, or requests that are not consistent with the purposes, goals, and legally acceptable uses of tourism funds.