The North Dakota Tourism Department is kicking its "Legendary" campaign up a notch, attempting to advertise a trip here as not just a vacation, but a life-changing experience.

Last week, the department showed off its new shiny ads - featuring rodeos, the Badlands and downtown Fargo - to a conference of tourism workers from across the state.

But with drivers expected to face truly legendary gas prices this summer, will they still make a trip to North Dakota?

That is the big question facing an industry that has settled in as North Dakota's second largest behind agriculture. With prices approaching $3.50 a gallon, and an economic slowdown pinching consumers' wallets from the other side, it could be both economically and psychologically prohibitive to make the trip.

On the other side of the coin, tourism officials say this will encourage the state's vacationers - many from nearby Midwestern regions - to stay closer to home and travel here instead of taking a vacation to another part of the country.

"I don't think people will ever stop traveling," said Wendy Howe, executive director of the Minot Convention and Visitors Bureau. "They'll just travel more economically."

At stake is the health of an industry that employs about 8 percent of North Dakotans and brought more than $204 million in out-of-state money in 2007.

The state is basing its hopes on an expanded advertising campaign, a strong Canadian dollar luring shoppers from across the border, and regional travelers who may look at high gas prices and forgo a trip to Florida or Arizona, but instead choose nearby North Dakota.

One branding strategy is to bill the state as a premiere outdoors adventure destination. For example, on the skyway in Minneapolis - an elaborate set of above-the-street windowed tunnels between the downtown skyscrapers - there's a display pitching North Dakota as an ideal mountain biking destination.

Tourism director Sara Otte Coleman said their focus is on birding, mountain biking, hunting and fishing.

"That's where we have products that can compete on the national level," she said.

Another is general appeal to regional travelers.

Pat Finken, president of Odney Advertising, which runs the state's tourism advertising campaigns, said higher gas prices won't have any effect on targeting because the advertising is already aimed at regional consumers.

The state will continue to target South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, he said.

The tourism department is spending about $1.8 million on advertising this year, which is about the same as it spent on the 2007 campaign.

Despite the continued advertising push to lure vacation travelers, North Dakota's people are its biggest tourism pull. Fully 53 percent of those who travel here come to visit family and friends, while 31 percent come for vacation and 16 percent come on business trips.

Some of these numbers include North Dakotans traveling in their own state. The tourism department defines a traveler as anybody who drives more than 50 miles or stays overnight.

One part of the state that's likely to get a boost this year is areas near Canada. That's because the Canadian dollar is at a historical high against the U.S. dollar, meaning Canadian shoppers will have an easier time finding bargains here.

Howe said her convention and visitor's bureau saw a 70 percent increase in Canadian travelers between 2006 and 2007 and is expecting another big bump this year.

There is scant evidence as to how the state as a whole will fare this summer, and the few anecdotal clues point in opposite directions.

In Michigan - another Midwest state the relies on regional vacationers and outdoor themes - an economic forecast just released by Michigan State University calls for a 2 percent tourism decline.

However, here at the Capitol in Bismarck, there's been a spike in travelers, especially those from faraway places like New York and California.

"This is the best first quarter for out-of-state visitors that I've ever seen" said Mary Cameron, who's worked as the Capitol tour guide for four years.

(Reach reporter Jonathan Rivoli at 223-8482 or jonathan.rivoli@bismarcktribune.com.)