What to know about Shrpa’s partnership with Explore Minnesota:
- Shrpa, the Rochester-based experience curator startup, has paired with Explore Minnesota and the organization’s Co-Op Marketing Partnership to reach new communities and increase tourism, “to and within Minnesota”
- The partnership was sparked by the cutting of tourism budgets and staff (ostensibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
- Explore Minnesota will provide discounts to local tourism bureaus when they purchase subscriptions to Shrpa
- With the subscription, the tourism bureaus will be able to take advantage of the startup’s content platform and create multi-stop adventures that highlight the must-sees of each community
The Quote: Chris Lukenbill, Co-founder of Shrpa
“We are very excited to be partnering with Explore Minnesota so Shrpa can help communities across Minnesota stretch their marketing dollars even further. Our goal is to show people all the adventures they can find in their own backyard.”
Shrpa was the winner of 2020 E1 Ignite Cup. To learn more about Shrpa, Explore Minnesota, and the partnership, read the full release below.
ROCHESTER, MINN — FEBRUARY 11, 2021 — With tourism budgets being cut, a reduced number of staff, and overall limited bandwidth, it’s a challenging time for destination marketing organizations and tourism bureaus. Shrpa, a Minnesota-based startup, along with the help of Explore Minnesota’s Co-Op Marketing Partnership, is working with communities across the state to combat these lack of resources and inspire more people to explore locally.
Explore Minnesota has aided Shrpa in reaching new communities to increase tourism to and within Minnesota. Through a subscription to Shrpa, local tourism bureaus can engage their residents and incoming travelers via their content platform. Explore Minnesota’s Co-Op Marketing Program provides a discount to these Minnesota communities, allowing them to do more with less.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Explore Minnesota so Shrpa can help communities across Minnesota stretch their marketing dollars even further,” Shrpa co-founder Chris Lukenbill said. “Our goal is to show people all the adventures they can find in their own backyard.”
Shrpa promotes these communities throughout Minnesota by highlighting personalized, multi-stop adventures that feature the best in every community. A subscription to Shrpa ensures communities have great adventures featuring their area and provides guidance to improve their community engagement. Shrpa’s mission is to inspire more travelers to discover new places and experiences in communities throughout Minnesota and beyond.
About Shrpa
Created in 2019, Shrpa’s platform enables locals to share what makes their communities unique through multi stop itineraries, or adventures, that highlight the best ways to experience their community. From local businesses to outdoor recreation opportunities, Shrpa adventures promote what makes each town worth exploring. Travelers can browse and discover adventures and be inspired to explore someplace new. Visit shrpa.com, or check out @shrpa.explore.local on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
About Explore Minnesota
As the state’s tourism promotion office, Explore Minnesota works to inspire consumers and facilitate travel to and within Minnesota while pursuing an entrepreneurial approach and leveraging the state’s tourism investment with increased involvement by the private sector. A council of tourism industry representatives connects Explore Minnesota with tourism businesses and organizations throughout the state. Tourism is a key sector of the state’s economy, historically generating $1.0 billion in state sales tax on $16.0 billion in leisure and hospitality sales and employing nearly 273,000 workers in Minnesota’s leisure and hospitality businesses. Visit exploreminnesota.com, and share your sights with @exploreminn on Twitter, or @exploreminnesota on Instagram and Facebook, using #OnlyinMN.
