Leisure Studies Commons^™

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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.

Montana's Outfitting Industry - 2017 Economic Contribution And Industry-Client Analysis, Jeremy L. Sage, Carter Bermingham, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

In recent years, nonresident visitor spending on outfitters and guides has surpassed that of spending on retail goods, making it the fourth highest spending category behind only fuel, lodging, and dining out. This rise comes despite only five to six percent of the visiting population taking part in these activities. This observation reiterates findings from the 2007 Montana Outfitter and Guide study characterizing the outfitting industry as high value, low impact.

Though a small percent of visiting groups take part in some type of guided or outfitted experience, those who do stay longer and spend more per day. In 2017, …

The Montana Expression 2018: Mt Residents’ Use Of Fishing Access Sites & Public Lands And Waterways Values, Kara Grau, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report presents information gathered via surveys of Montana residents regarding their use of Fishing Access Sites in the state and their values related to public lands and waterways.

Trail Usage And Value - A Helena, Mt Case Study, Jeremy L. Sage, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The Mt. Ascension and Mt. Helena trail network provide a valuable outdoor recreation amenity to residents of, and visitors to, Helena. This report identifies the use and value of the trail system. Though 78 percent of trail use is by local residents, visitors to the region who used the trail system for hiking or biking spent over $4 million in the local area in the summer of 2017 (May-September).

The Montana Expression 2017: 2017’S Costly Fire Season, Jeremy L. Sage, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Montana, along with many western states, experienced a severe fire season in the summer of 2017. According to the Northern Rockies Coordination Center (NRCC), fires consumed 1,276,456 acres of Montana lands. Nearly half of these lands are U.S. Forest Service owned (Table 1). The severity of the fire season led Montana’s Governor, Steve Bullock, to declare a state of emergency at the beginning of September. At this time, the state had already exceeded the $30 million in its firefighting fund by $14.5 million.1 The NRCC estimates the total costs of fighting Montana’s wildfires topped $390 million.2 The combination of extreme …

Thinking Outside The Park - National Park Fee Increase Effects On Gateway Communities, Jeremy L. Sage, Norma P. Nickerson, Zachary D. Miller, Alex Ocanas, Jennifer Thomsen

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

In 2017, the National Park Service proposed an entrance fee increase across 17 park units, including Yellowstone National Park. The fee increase is proposed to help offset substantial deferred maintenance costs currently experienced across park units. This paper assesses the potential effects felt by gateway communities surrounding the parks. We identify, using Yellowstone as a case study, that even though revenue to the park may increase, spending in local communities can be expected to decrease, all else being equal.

Focus On Activities - Montana Visitors' Key Niche Activities, Norma P. Nickerson, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

For 12 months, nonresidents were intercepted at gas stations, rest areas, and airports and completed a questionnaire about the activities they participated in while visiting Montana. Results were compared to activities promoted by CVBs and travel regions in Montana. Visitor’s primary and favorite activity were highlighted by quarter. Results showed that while scenic driving was a top activity in all four quarters (mass tourism type activity), more niche-type activities became their favorite: skiing/snowboarding, day hiking, car/RV camping, watching wildlife, fly fishing, hunting, river rafting/floating, snowmobiling, and visiting breweries. Marketing and policy suggestions were provided.

2016 Nonresident Visitation, Expenditures & Economic Impact Estimates, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

A collection of 2016 full year and quarterly estimates of nonresident visitation, expenditures by nonresident travelers, and economic impact estimates, including expenditures by purpose of trip, airport of arrival, and international visitors.

Age Defining Life Stage Traveling: Montana Nonresident Travel Groups, Kara Grau, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

In this analysis of the 2015 full year nonresident data set, respondents were segmented by age, or life stage, according to the age groups represented within the groups. These discrete groups were then analyzed so that differences and similarities among travel groups of differing life stages could be observed.

Visitor Characteristics And Economic Analysis Of Northeast Montana, Jeremy L. Sage

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The northeast region of Montana receives by far the least amount of nonresident visitation to the state and is slowly losing population. While the oil boom related to the Bakken Shale improved the economic outlook for a few counties between 2010 and 2014, its sustainability as a consistent economic driver is questionable as demonstrated by the substantial drop in production since 2015 when oil prices globally declined. This paper reviews the current socioeconomic trends in northeast Montana - Montana’s Missouri River Country - in comparison to the state as a whole and identifies the current state of the counties in …

Montana Dragon Boat Festival 2016, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the Kalispell Conventions and Visitor Bureau, to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2016 Montana Dragon Boat Festival. Paper surveys on site and a post-event web survey were completed by 479 attendees and/or participants of the event. Results show that 58% of respondents were residents of Montana and of those Montana residents, 69% were from Flathead County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 3.72 nights away from home. Of those nights, an average of 2.42 of those nights were in the city of Kalispell and 2.89 nights in other Flathead Valley locations …

An Assessment Of The Resort Tax: Collections And Usage In Montana Communities, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report focuses on ten Montana communities that have been designated resort areas by the Montana Department of Commerce and voters in those communities have approved a local Resort Tax. The Resort Tax, according to state statute, cannot exceed three percent, and can be collected on luxury items and on goods and services sold at establishments that cater to travelers, such as hotels and restaurants. The intent of the Resort Tax is to provide revenue to aid the communities in maintenance or improvements to infrastructure as well as having the potential to fund other community improvements or programs. Resort tax …

Economic Contributions Of The Yellowstone River To Park County, Montana, Jeremy L. Sage

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

On August 19, 2016, Montana’s Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) instituted a temporary emergency closure on a large extent of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries between the northern Yellowstone National Park boundary near Gardiner, MT and Laurel, MT, about 183 miles downriver. The closure applied to all water based recreation uses on the affected rivers and streams. FWP’s actions followed the identification of the presence of an invasive parasite known to cause proliferative kidney disease in mountain whitefish. FWP’s decision to institute the temporary closure was based not only on the observed presence of the parasite, but …

The Montana Expression 2016: Vacation Planning, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The Montana Tourism Advisory Council, Office of Tourism and Business Development, and individuals in the tourism industry are interested in learning more about visitor behavior for a Montana vacation, namely their use of Montana airports and their advanced reservations and purchasing. This “snapshot” of Montana residents and visitors highlight these behaviors.

What We Know About Crowding And Visitor Experiences, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Questions and concerns have been raised about the crowding issues in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, as well as the perception of crowding on Montana’s rivers, trails, and other public resources. Crowding, or the perception of crowding, is both an individual evaluation and a cultural conditioning not easily understood from the psychological perspective. This white paper provides a summary of crowding research to help clarify perceptions of, reactions to, and solutions for crowding in natural areas.

2016 Spartan Race Survey Kit Visitor Study, Megan Tanner Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce/Convention and Visitor Bureau to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2016 Spartan Race. Paper surveys on site were completed by 432 attendees and/or participants of the event. Results show that 49% of respondents were registered participants of the event while 51% were spectators. Residents of Montana made up 47% of the respondents and of those Montana residents, 33% were from Flathead County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 3.73 nights away from home. Of those nights, an average of 3.70 nights were in Montana and 1.40 nights …