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Welcome to our one-stop hub for all Commerce highlights! In an ever-evolving business landscape, staying ahead of the curve is paramount. This is your go-to source for the latest news, trends, insights, and highlights from your Commerce team. Whether you're a local business, tourism partner, community leader, or simply someone intrigued by the dynamics of global trade, we've got you covered. Your journey to staying up to date starts here.
January 16, 2024
Commerce Leadership Briefs Legislature on Key Priorities
Commerce staff shared updates with the North Dakota Legislature during the 2025 session, highlighting recent agency accomplishments, outlining budget needs, and detailing primary objectives.
Shape the Future of Rural North Dakota at the Rural Planning Symposium
Join us February 11–12, 2025, at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck for the inaugural North Dakota Rural Planning Symposium. This dynamic event brings together rural leaders, advocates, and developers to share innovative strategies and forge impactful partnerships.
The symposium kicks off February 11 with an exclusive Opening Social, offering networking opportunities with state legislators and peers. On February 12, dive into expert-led sessions with keynote speakers Kristina Cannon and Becky McCray, focusing on actionable solutions for building vibrant and thriving rural communities.
Don’t miss this chance to connect, collaborate, and drive transformation in rural North Dakota.
Learn more about Community Services
North Dakota Tourism Results - 2024
Record Numbers and National Recognition
Visitor Numbers Show Growth: Airport arrivals were up 8.3%, National Park visits showed the strongest months on record ending up 27.2%, and border crossings increased by 10.9%.
Revenue: Hotel occupancy rose slightly, but total hotel revenue climbed 6.5%. Taxable sales and purchases in key sectors like accommodations and food services also saw a healthy increase.
Marketing & Earned Media Success: Our targeted paid marketing campaigns reached over 438 million people, with website traffic to NDtourism.com surging by 30% to 3.6 million. Additionally, we secured over 3,400 positive media mentions, reaching 6.1 billion people globally. See more communications stats in the latest Travel View.
To learn more about the tourism industry’s impact across the state, visit tourism partners on January 22, 2025, from 9:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST in Memorial Hall at the state capitol.
Learn more about Tourism & Marketing
Workforce Team Engages Legislators at Job Service North Dakota’s (JSND)
The Commerce Workforce team took part in Job Service North Dakota’s (JSND) open house, where they had the opportunity to connect with legislators and share valuable insights about the workforce programs and initiatives available through Commerce. This event provided a platform to highlight the collaborative efforts between agencies to address workforce challenges, support job seekers, and drive economic growth across the state.
By engaging in meaningful conversations, the team was able to emphasize the importance of these programs in building a stronger, more resilient workforce for North Dakota’s future.
Learn more about Workforce Development
Deadline Approaching for Automation Tax Credit Applications
Primary sector businesses looking to utilize the Automation Tax Credit must submit completed applications for 2024 automation equipment purchases by January 31, 2025.
This program offers North Dakota businesses a tax credit of up to 15% for equipment purchased or leased to automate manual processes. Eligible businesses must be certified as primary sector businesses and have taken ownership of the equipment in 2024. Applications are reviewed and approved by Commerce's Economic Development and Finance Division.
Learn more about Economic Development & Finance
2025 Tribal Econ Summit in Bismarck
The Inaugural Tribal Econ Summit to tackle financial growth will be January 22-24, 2025 in Bismarck. The event will bring together leaders, professionals and community members from across the Northern Plains to talk to discuss economic development and other issues. Commerce Economic Development and Finance Director Rich Garman will be presenting at the event.
Early Bird Registration is Open for the 2025 North Dakota Travel Industry Conference!
This event, hosted by the Commerce Tourism & Marketing Division, Destination Marketing Association of North Dakota, and Visit Minot, will feature inspiring national keynote speakers, valuable educational sessions, networking opportunities, and the prestigious Governor’s Awards for Travel and Tourism.
Register by February 28, 2025, for just $200. After March 1, 2025, the registration fee increases to $250. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of North Dakota’s travel and tourism industry!
Archived Highlights
Commerce Newsletter is the bi-monthly e-newsletter from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.
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