Otter Tail Lakes Country Association Wins Explore Minnesota Tourism Award
March 13, 2024 – Otter Tail County, MN – Otter Tail Lakes Country Association (OTLCA) was recognized by Explore Minnesota Tourism (EMT) for their innovative and cutting-edge efforts. The organization was honored with the Explore Minnesota Tourism Marketing Innovation Award. Only six awards were given out at the event. This is the fourth EMT award won by OTLCA in the past eight years.
The winning marketing campaign involved a partnership with the University of Minnesota Athletics and Dinkytown Athletes. In 2023, OTLCA entered Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements with Gopher Athletes and brought them to Otter Tail County, MN, to experience what life can be like in lakes country. Four Gopher Football players and two Gopher Volleyball players made the trip last summer. Their experiences were documented, and the highlights were shared across multiple digital platforms and social media. In addition, OTLCA brought their popular Inner Otter mascot to life and introduced it to Goldy the Gopher. These lake life moments were captured and distributed to encourage Gopher students, fans and alumni to vacation in Otter Tail County.
“At its core, Lake Life is a marketing campaign,” said Erik Osberg, Otter Tail County’s Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator. “However, it also serves as a way for us to expose student athletes to the livability of the area. These NIL visits are a way for us to actively extend the recruitment continuum. Our goal is to help these students envision what life in a rural area could be like after college. We also want to give them a break from the grind of being a Division I athlete.”
Attendees included current Gopher volleyball players Melani Shaffmaster and Lauren Crowl, as well as Gopher running back Darius Taylor and wide receiver Daniel Jackson. While they were here, the Gopher athletes enjoyed activities including fishing, golfing, hiking, shopping, and dining.
This Explore Minnesota award recognizes an organization that displays a cutting-edge approach to marketing. Through emerging technology or a creative initiative, nominees will have provided their destination or business with results attributable to an innovative campaign. Explore Minnesota’s 2024 Tourism Conference, the state’s annual event designed specifically for the Minnesota tourism industry, took place Tuesday, February 26 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, MN, attracting more than 500 hospitality and tourism professionals from around the state and region.
About Otter Tail Lakes Country Association
Otter Tail Lakes Country Association has been promoting the Otter Tail County region since 1976. Otter Tail Lakes Country is in West Central Minnesota. Otter Tail County is a two-hour and 30-minute drive from Minneapolis, MN and a 45-minute drive from Fargo, ND. The area is made up of twenty-four charming communities sprinkled among wooded hills and 1,048 crystal-clear lakes. The association relies on the collaboration and collective action of its members to promote the region as a premier destination to play, stay, dine, live and work.
