The Winona Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the Winona Visitor Center and the Visit Winona staff by presenting the 2024 Excellence in Customer Service Award to the team at the Chamber’s annual award ceremony on January 31, 2025 at Visions Event Center.
The Winona Visitor Center is a unique example of partnership and collaboration; one that most Winonans don’t see or recognize daily. The building on the corner of Huff Street and Highway 61 is owned by the City of Winona, maintained by Park Maintenance staff, and operated by Visit Winona, the convention and visitors’ bureau of our region.
Visit Winona markets the Winona area to potential visitors as a year-round travel destination. The goal of our organization is to provide a positive economic impact for Winona and an enjoyable, unique experience for all who visit, and the operations of our Visitor Center is one way in which we connect with guests and residents alike.
Our three part-time, paid staff members at the Winona Visitor Center greeted 12,174 guests in 2024, and individually assist visitors by providing tourism-related information, maps, brochures and more. The Visitor Center staff are dedicated to meet and exceed the needs of all guests, and the passion for their work is evident through their warm greetings and knowledgeable regional answers to questions. Visitor Center staff members need to be nimble and to be able to think on their toes; the queries posed to them vary widely, guest to guest. Their continued positive and welcoming attitudes leave a lasting impact on visitors stopping to learn more about our city, as well as residents dropping in for a quick water or restroom break.
The Winona Visitor Center receives 5-Star ratings almost weekly on both Google Reviews and TripAdvisor, showcasing the attention to detail and care that each staff member gives to our guests.
The Winona Visitor Center has undergone a revitalization over the past eight years, from cosmetic updates; to fresh, local merchandise; to a more structured training program focusing on increased customer service and satisfaction. Comfortable furniture, free coffee and tea, warm paint colors and an ADA-accessible front desk add to the friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
In today’s digital landscape, some wonder whether physical Visitor Centers are a thing of the past, but our staff have seen the opposite effect. More and more guests are stopping into the Winona Visitor Center yearning for human engagement; we see our staff as destination brand ambassadors, offering insider tips and informative interactions while providing a personalized touch to make visitors feel welcome.
We believe the passionate staff at the Winona Visitor Center—Bob Conover, Vickie Roy, and Joanne Riska—are our true Winona cheerleaders, and their dedication to customer service is the deciding factor for many out-of-town guests to dine in our restaurants, shop in our stores, visit our attractions and stay overnight in Winona.