Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau Receives National Shop America SASI-ONE GOLD Award

Eagan, MN – The Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau was presented with Shop America’s SASI-ONE Gold Award, the organization’s highest honor, during the ONE Travel Conference for Shopping, Dining and Cultural Tourism on January 27-30. The conference took place at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in Washington D.C.

Shop America’s SASI-One Awards recognize prominent leaders and organizations within the tourism industry for their vision and commitment to develop shopping and cultural tourism. It is produced annually by the Shop America Alliance and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council in a premier travel destination. Past recipients of the Shop America SASI One Gold Award have included the likes of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau, Visit California and Visit Orlando.

The Eagan CVB was honored for their 2014 Twin Cities Premium Outlets Grand Opening Countdown Giveaway which was designed by the Bureau to increase awareness for the opening of Twin Cities Premium Outlets which in turn would help increase traffic to the Eagan CVB website as well as their social media channels. The campaign proved to entice leisure travelers and avid shoppers all over the U.S. as well as Canada and ten other countries to enter the giveaway to win a stay in an Eagan hotel and a shopping gift card. The campaign creatively utilized the Eagan CVB’s social media channels and website as the main call-to-action for the giveaway. Along with the implementation of a microsite, EaganOutletMall.com, the campaign generated over 100,000 visitors online as well as a 12% increase in Twitter presence and 101% increase on Facebook. 6,000 plus entries from 12 different countries were calculated from the Twin Cities Premium Outlets Grand Opening Countdown Giveaway leaving a lasting impression on Eagan and the entire community.

“We’re very honored to win such a prestigious award,” said Eagan CVB President and CEO Brent Cory. “Our marketing team worked very hard to create awareness for our destination and Twin Cities Premium Outlets during the grand opening campaign, and it’s nice to be recognized by Shop America on a national level for our efforts.

After opening in August of 2014, Eagan’s Twin Cities Premium Outlets has proven to become a huge draw for shoppers from the Twin Cities as well as the Upper Midwest and Canada. As part of Eagan’s Cedar Grove redevelopment district, Twin Cities Premium Outlets sets the stage for an amazing renaissance of redevelopment along the city’s northwest border. Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire feels the mall and entire Cedar Grove district will help Eagan attract even more travelers to an already dynamic destination and cited the Shop America award as a great example of the increased exposure Eagan has and will continue to receive resulting from the redevelopment project.

“The Eagan CVB was already the gold standard in professionalism, but being recognized by its peers with the SASI One Gold Award is a tremendous accomplishment,” said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire. “Good things continue to happen in Eagan,” the Mayor added, “because of Brent’s team at the CVB and the great hospitality partnerships they’ve established not just at the premium outlet mall, but with all the amenities that attract visitors to the Eagan area.”

About the Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau:
The Eagan CVB is the official marketing organization for the City of Eagan and works to aggressively promote Eagan as a
year-round business and leisure travel destination to domestic and international travel markets in an effort to generate a
greater economic impact for the community. For more information about the Eagan CVB, please visit eaganmn.com or
call 651-675-5546.