Leisure Studies Commons^™

Itrr Annual Report - 35 Years - 1987-2022, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Within the pages of this report, you will discover a comprehensive overview of our past and future research projects, travel, and outdoor recreation information and data, as well as who we are and how we collect data. By transparently sharing our experiences and growth, we aim to foster an environment of continuous improvement and shared understanding. Reflecting on the milestones achieved, ITRR has continued to evolve and flourish over the past 35 years, with our journey marked by innovation, collaboration, and unwavering pursuit of our mission to serve Montanans.

Resident Participation In Outdoor Recreation: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted to better understand resident participation in outdoor recreation, specifically on public lands managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Respondents were asked about their participation in outdoor recreation, the importance of outdoor recreation to their quality of life, and their satisfaction with the investment of outdoor recreation facilities in their local area, among other topics. The report also includes demographic information as well as analysis conducted at the regional level.

Montana Folk Festival 2023, Butte, Montana, Ava Worbets, Hunter Tillman, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the non-profit Mainstreet Uptown Butte to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2023 Montana Folk Festival. Paper surveys were completed by 860 attendees of the event. Results show that 82% of respondents were residents of Montana, and of those Montana residents, 45% were from Butte-Silver Bow County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 3.43 nights in Butte-Silver Bow County and more people spent money on restaurants/bars and hotel/motel while visiting the area than any other spending categories. Respondents to the survey reported a total spending of $199,074.00 in the Butte-Silver Bow County …

Gardiner Rodeo 2023, Gardiner, Montana, Ava Worbets, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the Gardiner Chamber of Commerce to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2023 Gardiner Annual National Rodeo Association (NRA) Rodeo. Paper surveys were completed by 50 attendees of the event. Results show that 66% of respondents were residents of Montana, and of those Montana residents, 42% were from Park County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 6.14 nights in Gardiner and more people spent money on gasoline and restaurants/bars while visiting the area than any other spending categories. Respondents to the survey reported a total spending of $14,045 in the Gardiner area. …

Montana Travel Region & Counties - Economic Contribution Of 2021/2022 Averaged Nonresident Travel Spending, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Nonresidents now spend over $5 billion in Montana each year. This report looks at the distribution of spending across Montana's six travel regions, as well as 18 of the 56 counties with the highest spending based on an average of 2021 and 2022 spending data.

Snowmobile Recreation In Western Montana, Liam Harry, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report is a summary of recreation snowmobilers in Western Montana regarding their visitor characteristics and demographics. The Institute forTourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) conducted surveys of snowmobilers to understand the profile and general characteristics of this user group.

2022 Resident Visitation: Yellowstone National Park & Glacier National Park, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew, Glenna Brown

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This particular study was conducted to better understand resident visitation to the national parks in the state, and to also understand some of the obstacles that may have prevented residents from visiting the parks in 2022. This report includes information on monthly visitation to both Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, as well as the number of respondents who were deterred by the flooding in Yellowstone and the ticketed-entry system in Glacier.

Perceptions Of Tourism And Quality Of Life: A Case Study In Savannah, Georgia, Marissa J. Renee

Honors College Theses

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that Travel and Tourism accounted for 10.3% of the world economy in 2019 and ¼ of all net new jobs over the past five years. Savannah, Georgia has experienced huge growth in the last decade due to tourism, with visitor spending on lodging alone increasing from $466 million in 2009 to $1 billion in 2019. The current study examined differences in perceived impact of tourism on quality of life using established predictors of tourism sentiments. An online community survey was conducted in Chatham County, Georgia (N = 94) using the Tourism Quality of …

Applications Of Travel And Tourism Research - 2023 Montana Governor's Conference, Melissa Weddell, Jim Auer, Matthew Pettigrew, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

2023 Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism and Recreation jointly presented session, with ITRR and MT Department of Commerce staff.

2022 Estimates - Nonresident Visitation, Expenditures, And Economic Contribution, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report is a collection of estimates of 2022 nonresident visitation to Montana, expenditures by nonresident travelers in the state, and the contribution to Montana's economy of that traveler spending. Included are estimates by full year, quarter, trip purposed, and other visitor segments.

The Montana Travel Industry - 2022 Summary, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

2022 summary infographic of the Montana travel and recreation industry.

Montana Travel Regions & Counties - Economic Contribution Of 2019/2021 Averaged Nonresident Travel Spending, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Money spent by those traveling in Montana has a direct effect on businesses where spending occurs, and it ripples throughout the state's economy from there. Statewide, spending by nonresident visitors (averaged over two years - 2019 and 2021) totaled $4.48 billion. This report details the methods and results of the economic impact analyses for each of Montana's six travel regions, as well as analyses for counties in which nonresident travelers spent approximately $50 million or more.

Montana Residents: Attitudes Towards Tourism 2022 & Resident Perceptions Of Community Disaster Preparedness, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew, Glenna Brown

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report is a summary of Montana residents' attitudes towards tourism within the state. Since 1992, ITRR has asked residents questions specific to their attitudes towards tourism. This study was conducted to continue tracking the perception of the tourism industry in Montana, as well as expanding the original survey to include topics such as the perceived economic benefit tourism provides to local communities, crowding at the local community level, as well as questions focused on amenities to support tourism, and disaster preparedness.

Montana Travel Experience Survey - Final Summary Report, Glenna Brown, Kara Grau, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This summary report highlights select findings from the nonresident 2021-2022 Montana Travel Experience Survey. Nonresident travelers who were interviewed by a surveyor in the state were given this survey along with the Nonresident Travel Survey after completing an in-person “Front End” survey at a gas station, rest area, or airport. Through June, 2022, 1,327 surveys were collected. Questions included topics related to visitors’ use of public lands, trip planning, and questions for first time and repeat visitors.

Synergies Between Residents: Evaluating Support And Concerns Of Recreation And Tourism Economic Development Within The Monongahela National Forest Region, Morgan R. Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tourism has continually been presented as a growing economic sector around the world. Having become an area of increased interest for diversifying rural economies, tourism is an attractive alternative to the declining traditional economic engines of rural communities like agriculture, forestry, and mining. Rural destinations have become increasingly attractive to outside visitors who seek to pursue activities embedded within the local culture and distinctive attractive assets available in rural regions. The USDA has recognized the increasing importance of recreation and tourism economies as an emerging or priority area of national need and an effective means for rural development. Even with …

Understanding Visitor Recreation Experiences On Montana's Public Lands, Kara Grau, Megan Schultz, Glenna Brown, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The grandeur of Montana’s public lands attracts visitors from all over the world who want to experience the beautiful parks, wilderness, wildlife, and waters. Montana is ranked 10th in the nation in federal land ownership, with about 30% or 27 million acres, followed by state agencies that manage a little over 5 million acres. Moreover, Montana is the gateway to the iconic Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

Assessing The Impact Of The Yellowstone Tv Series On Montana's Tourism Economy, Patrick Barkey, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The hugely successful and popular dramatic television show Yellowstone, which portrays the fictional Dutton family ranch in Montana, has sparked the interest of a worldwide audience in our state. In addition to its critical and commercial success, the show has emerged as a significant factor in the marketing of Montana, with its more than 10 million viewers treated to storylines, characters and scenery of the mountain west. How has the show’s success affected the arrival and subsequent spending of visitors to the state? A new study jointly produced by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) and the Institute …

The Montana Travel Industry 2021, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

2021 summary of the Montana travel and recreation industry.

Cross-Cultural Examination Of Vacation Policy On Employee Satisfaction And Happiness, Ketan D. Parekh

CMC Senior Theses

With the advent of technological advancement, entrepreneurship, and a higher emphasis on meritocracy, societies across the globe have experienced intense competition to outdo one another. This has pushed companies to place increased importance on worker productivity; large and small companies want to see their employees work harder, longer, and faster. With this increased demand for work, companies today are making sure they have suitable reward systems to ensure worker satisfaction and quality work production. However, what these reward systems look like and how they function contrast significantly across cultures, especially as it pertains to corporate leave policies. This thesis examines …

Advances In Global Services And Retail Management: Volume 2, Cihan Cobanoglu, Valentina Della Corte

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the second volume of the Advances in Global Services and Retail Management Book Series. This volume has the following parts:

• Part 1: Hospitality and Tourism
• Part 2: Marketing, E-marketing, and Consumer Behavior
• Part 3: Management
• Part 4: Human Resources Management
• Part 5: Retail Management
• Part 6: Economics
• Part 7: Accounting and Finance
• Part 8: Sustainability and Environmental Issues
• Part 9: Information Technology

ISBN: 978-1-955833-03-5

Hospitality and Tourism

• Significance of VR in the spa: A spatial analysis
  • Irini Lai Fun Tang, Schultz Zhi Bin Xu, and Eric Chan
• Social media marketing in rural hospitality and tourism destination research
  • Samuel …

Understanding And Contextualizing Foraging Among Recreational Opportunities In The North Central United States, Iris I. Mcfarlin

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Over the past few decades, there has been a resurgence in popularity and recognition of foraging for wild products and foods. Despite the cultural importance and ubiquity of foraging, there have been relatively few scientific investigations (as compared to other consumptive outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing) of the social factors influencing foraging behavior, landscape preferences, and the types of materials foraged in the United States. As such, there is a fundamental need to understand more about the practice and about those who participate. We conducted two surveys to gather information on foragers’ motivations and demographic characteristics and to …

The Montana Expression 2021: Resident Employment, Relocation, And Outdoor Recreation During Covid-19, Megan Schultz, Carter Bermingham

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report is a summary of Montana residents and their self-reported use of public lands and waterways during 2020 compared to previous years. Data were collected from January 1st to March 31st of 2021. As a result of the pandemic, the number of people participating in outdoor recreation in certain parts of the country increased significantly – Montana being one of those places. Public lands and waterways, like state and federally managed parks, reported record visitation numbers for some months of 2020. In addition, anecdotal reports from public land managers and tourism partners also suggests that the level of use …

The Economic Impact Of Paradise Cove Aquatic Center In Richmond, Kentucky, Lauren Kilburn, Michael Bradley, James Maples

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

One of the most effective ways for rural communities to improve the local economy is by exploring opportunities related to tourism. When communities focus their resources on expanding and improving the tourism industry, it leads to additional opportunities for these communities to increase their revenue, provide jobs and revitalize the local economy. Like many other agencies, the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department has gradually expanded the tourism industry within the City of Richmond in Madison County, Kentucky. To help continue the expansion of this industry, Paradise Cove Aquatic Center opened in 2008. This decision was made because waterparks were becoming …

Using Tourism To Recruit New Business: Tourism’S Role In Economic Development, Jeremy L. Sage

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this study is to unveil the additional benefits that tourism brings to the state beyond the direct spending of the visitor. To achieve this purpose, we draw on two separate survey efforts. The first, and primary, effort is an online survey of business owners and managers in Montana. The second survey is a random intercept of Montanans asking some similar questions regarding their perceived importance ratings of a variety of factors related to living in Montana and, if they own a business, to their decision to operate in the state. Quality of life, and in particular outdoor …

Canadian Travelers - Why They Visit Montana, Carter Bermingham, Glenna Hartman, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

In the past five years, the number of Canadian visitors to Montana and their expenditure totals have decreased. This report highlights the characteristics of Canadian travelers to Montana, along with accompanying analysis of recent literature and statistics that attempt to provide some explanation for these observed trends. Results confirm that that the exchange rate is the largest contributing factor to decreases in Canadian visitors to the state.

How Two Sunken Ships Caused A War: The Legal And Cultural Battle Between Great Britain, Canada, And The Inuit Over The Franklin Expedition Shipwrecks, Christina Labarge

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

No abstract provided.

Synopsis: Tourism In Utah As An Economic Development Tool, Jhana Aristondo

Marriott Student Review

Tourism in Utah is largely driven by seasonal recreation at its variety of natural-heritage resources all year round. Traditionally, in order to measure the impact that tourism has had on economic growth, income variables such as the nominal and real GDP have been used, but these only give a one-sided economic approach. If we look at the distinct concept of economic development instead of economic growth, what can be said about the impact that tourism has on the former?

This study will use and test variables that explain economic development and tourism behavior in the state of Utah. To measure …

Tourism In Utah As An Economic Development Tool, Jhana Aristondo

Marriott Student Review

Tourism in Utah is largely driven by seasonal recreation at its variety of natural-heritage resources through all its seasons. This study uses empirical evidence and empirical testing to explain different variables to examine if there is a long run relationship between economic development and tourism in the state of Utah. Traditionally, in order to measure the impact that tourism has had over economic growth, variables such as the nominal and real GDP among other income variables have been used and just give one-sided economic approach. However, what can be said about tourism as an economic development tool?

This study will …

The Impacts Of Supra-Regional Multi-Resort Season Passes: A Hedonic Pricing Model Of Single-Day Lift Tickets For Us Ski Areas, Sijia Lai

CMC Senior Theses

Numerous media analyses claim that supra-regional multi-resort season passes (mega passes) are negatively impacting skiing, snowboarding, and winter-sport communities. In particular, media claims that ski areas on these season passes are charging higher single-day lift ticket prices to nudge people to buy their season pass products. To test this claim, I use a hedonic pricing model to estimate the impact of season passes on adult single-day lift ticket prices. By applying OLS regressions to a dataset of 302 US ski areas for the winter of 2018-19, I find that the ski areas on the leading season passes (Ikon and Epic …

A Short Note On Longevity, Lewis Karstensson

Molasky Family Department of Economics and Real Estate Faculty Research

Certainly man will not become immortal, but will not the interval between the first breath that he draws and the time when in the natural course of events, without disease or accident, he expires, increase indefinitely?

Marquis de Condorcet Sketch for a Historical Picture Of the Human Mind (1795)