Minnesota tourism exec added to Brand USA board

John Edman, the CEO of the tourism promotion group Explore Minnesota, has been added to the board of Brand USA, the national public-private partnership that promotes America as a tourist destination to foreigners. The Secretary of Commerce appointed Edman to the 10-member board. He is one of two state travel directors on the board. Edman, who also chairs the National Council of Travel Directors, hopes to use his position to make sure that smaller tourism markets like Minnesota get a fair shake as Brand USA uses its $200 million budget to attract foreign tourists to various U.S. venues. Edman said he hopes to make Minnesota and other smaller markets "authentic, real destinations" in promotional campaigns."I want to make sure Minnesota is not just a stop-over," he said.