The Albert Lea Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomed visitors with refreshments at the Minnesota Travel Information Center on Wednesday celebrating the 27th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week. Visitors were given information on area attractions and places to see and eat.

The Travel Information Center is the second largest in Minnesota with 500,000 visitors yearly and 200,000 brochures including the Albert Lea Visitors Guide and Minnesota maps are distributed yearly to visitors.

Minnesota generates $11.2 billion in annual sales with more that $679 million generated in state sales taxes. Locally in Freeborn County, the economic impact is $2.6 million in state sales tax and 1,001 jobs created by the leisure and hospitality industry.

According to the Minnesota Office of Tourism Advertising, tourism provides a measurable return on investment. Every $1 invested in tourism marketing returns an estimated $4.60 in new state and local taxes, $20.40 in wages and $53 in gross sales.