1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; appropriating money 
  1.3             to fund certain projects of the University of 
  1.4             Minnesota tourism center. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TOURISM CENTER; 
  1.7   APPROPRIATION.] 
  1.8      $875,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 1998 from the 
  1.9   general fund to the department of trade and economic development 
  1.10  for the office of tourism to make grants to the University of 
  1.11  Minnesota tourism center to research the needs of the tourism 
  1.12  and travel industry in Minnesota.  Of this appropriation: 
  1.13     (a) $235,000 is to fund a research project studying 
  1.14  consumer behavior and how visitors make travel decisions in 
  1.15  order to identify ways to increase visitors to the state; 
  1.16     (b) $65,000 is to fund a research project to assess 
  1.17  community capacity to deliver tourism products and services; 
  1.18     (c) $60,000 is to fund a research project to identify and 
  1.19  study laws, rules, and regulations that may burden tourism and 
  1.20  travel business operation and growth; 
  1.21     (d) $80,000 is to fund a research project to study 
  1.22  technology and its impact and role in tourism; 
  1.23     (e) $325,000 is to fund a research project to study 
  1.24  marketing techniques for the tourism and travel industry; and 
  1.25     (f) $110,000 is to fund a research project to study 
  2.1   environmentally oriented, nature-based tourism. 
  2.2      This appropriation is available until June 30, 1999.