Last Call for Tourism Grant Applications!
The Tourism Grant Program awards funds to projects that strengthen Montana’s economy through the development and enhancement of the State’s tourism and recreation industry. Funds are awarded annually to projects that develop and enhance tourism and recreation products that have the potential to increase non-resident visitation.
For an overview of the program including guidelines, timelines, updates, and an outline of the application, you can watch a video of the webinar training workshop that was recently hosted by the Tourism Grant Program by visiting the Tools & Resources webpage.
If you represent an eligible entity and have questions about an upcoming project, please contact Michele Cushman, Tourism Grant Program Manager at 406.841.2796 or by email at TourismGrants@mt.gov. The annual application window closes at 5:00 PM MST on Monday, September 30 so don’t delay and submit your application today!
Made in Montana Tradeshow
The Made in Montana Tradeshow will be held March 13-14, 2020 at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena, Montana. We will begin accepting exhibitor applications for the show on Tuesday, October 15 at 8 a.m. Applications are open to all active Made in Montana Members. Wholesale Buyer registration will open in December.
Taste our Place
We are eager to continue moving the needle on the Taste our Place program. In October, we will visit businesses in Glacier Country including the Bitterroot Valley, Missoula and Whitefish.
If you would like to develop Taste our Place in your city, town or region, please call Made in Montana at 406.841.2757 or email madeinmontana@mt.gov.
Agritourism
Join Lockhorn Cider House in Bozeman for their Bozeman Backyard Blend event. From September 15 – October 3, all are encouraged drop off their apples or crabapples at the downtown cider house in exchange for free cider. Additionally, Lockhorn will accept donations at their orchard on October 4 during a community BBQ and apple pressing event with fresh pressed and hard cider available.
Lockhorn will press these donations into a special blend that captures the majestic flavor and spirit of the Big Sky. Over the last few years, Lockhorn Hard Cider has planted over 3,000 apple trees at their local orchard in the Gallatin Valley. This year marks the second annual press from their local fruit. Learn more about the event here.
Let's Celebrate World Tourism Day
Every year on September 27, countries across the globe celebrate World Tourism Day – an event created by the United Nations World Tourism Organization to create awareness for the social, cultural, and economic benefits brought by international travel.
The theme of this year’s celebration is 'Tourism and Jobs: A Better Future for All,' which highlights tourism's role in creating jobs across the globe. Tourism generates 10 percent of the world's jobs and helped to create better jobs, particularly for women and youth. Brand USA is proud to help support job creation by promoting international visitation to the U.S. – just last year Brand USA’s efforts created 52,305 incremental jobs and had a total economic impact of $8.9 billion dollars.
We invite you to join the conversation around World Tourism Day on social media by using the hashtag #WTD2019 and tagging @BrandUSA. We look forward to following along; let's help get #WTD2019 trending! For some copy to pull from, feel free to use data from Brand USA's Fiscal Year 2018 ROI Study by Oxford Economics found here. Additionally, make sure to follow @UNWTO for updates on the WTD celebrations in New Delhi, India. Learn more about this year's World Tourism Day here.
Winter Guidebook
In partnership with the Montana Ski Areas Association (MSAA), this year’s winter guide was produced by SKI. The guidebook is themed around a winter glossary. Words are powerful conveyors, and this winter guidebook offers a dramatic visual format that marries emotive words to evocative photos that work together to help tell Montana’s winter ski story. At its heart, Montana epitomizes all of the things that makes skiing a true passion for those who love the sport, and by using simple yet effective combinations, SKI brings this to light.
The winter guidebook will be polybagged in SKI Magazine’s November – Resorts of the Year issue.
On-sale date: 10/29/19
Circulation: 190,000
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Social Media Influencers
This shoulder season, Montana is inviting influential social media personalities to experience our warm season product. Each influencer or influencer team will travel a part of the state and experience Montana’s spectacular and unspoiled nature, hospitality and small town charm.
They will be cataloging their experience on their social channels both in real time and up to a month after their trip. NOTE: Last minute adjustments to this itinerary may happen if there are weather issues. Information on each influencer is below.
- Nate Luebbe – @nateinthewild – 84.8k followers
Guest: Autumn Schrock – @autpops – 22.2k
Nate started with photography as a way to catalog his experiences outdoors. For him it was a way to live in the moment. Standing on a summit watching the sun fade beyond the horizon, and the stars slowly emerge from the inky blackness consumes you on a level that's nearly indescribable. Taking those feelings and attempting to freeze them into a single still frame is an incredible challenge, and a way that he found truly motivates him to get out and experience the world.
- Itinerary Highlights (Traveling September 25 – October 3, 2019)
- Bigfork
- Kalispell
- East Glacier
- Glacier National Park
- West Glacier
This group of influencers set out to explore The Beaten Path in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The group hiked the trail September 16 – 19, 2019.
- Andy Austin – @andyaustinphoto – 23.6k followers (trip lead)
Andy Austin is an award-winning landscape and adventure photographer based in Montana. He has photographed on four different continents and 25 different countries. Andy has been published in magazines such as, World Wildlife Fund, Nat Geo Traveler, Sky Magazine, Cowboys and Indians, and more. His clients include Reebok, Kelty Backpacks, Montana Office of Tourism, Atlas Snowshoes, Kammok, Garmin, and FotoPro Tripods.
- Colton Stiffler – @coltonstiffler – 12.1k followers
Colton currently resides in Bozeman, MT where it is easy to feed an addiction of adrenaline, endless adventure, and diverse landscapes through a perpetually changing climate. Photography for Colton started as a way to document and journal his life and personal experiences and has developed into an absolute passion
- James Greig – @au5um – 9.3k followers
James is an Oscar winning film, TV, sports and special event professional, with a unique combination of technical expertise, project management and creative skills, James pours his experience into every project. Now residing in Calgary, Alberta as a Flight Dispatcher by day, James continues to work on various projects and spends his time off creating visuals for brand outlets across the globe.
- Michael Graef – @mikeygraef – 31.8k followers
Michael (Mickey) is a traveling photographer & videographer based in Missoula. He is a visual storyteller on YouTube and Instagram.
Governor Bullock Recognizes Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day
Governor Steve Bullock joins the nation in recognizing Native Women’s Equal Pay Day, a day to symbolize how far into the year an American Indian woman must work to earn what a man earned in the previous year.
“American Indian women in Montana, and across the country, should not have to put in nine extra months of work just to break even with what a man earns,” Governor Bullock said. “Recognizing Native Women’s Equal Pay Day is a reminder that while we’ve made progress when it comes to pay equity, we still haven’t closed the gender wage gap. Closing the wage gap is good for our economy, good for hardworking families, good for our Native communities, and it’s the right thing to do.”
Nationally, Native women earn approximately $0.58 for every dollar a White, non-Hispanic man earns. Here in Montana, the gap is slightly narrower. A Native woman earns $0.59 for every dollar a man earns. This is nearly a 14 percent improvement from 2013 when Native women were earning just $0.52 for every dollar men earned.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 7 percent of the people living in Montana identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. That’s Montana’s largest minority population. Among those is Gwen Lankford, Gros Ventre Tribal Member, and president and owner of Sapphire Strategies, Inc., a small business specializing in strategic communications. Read more here.
Outdoor Recreation
Montana Based Manufacturer Builds Bikes for the Backcountry
Esker Cycles is just a year old but it’s already leaving its mark on the local mountain biking scene. The Columbia Falls-based mountain biking company was established in 2018 and set up a small warehouse just north of Glacier Park International Airport this summer.
The company was started by a group of cyclists interested in building bikes specifically for the mountains of Montana as well as supporting organizations protecting and maintaining trail access on public lands. As part of that secondary mission, the company is raffling off a brand new bike to raise money for three different mountain bike trail groups in the state. Read more here.
Public Invited to Comment on Draft 2020-2024 Statewide Recreation Plan
Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on the Montana Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). Comments will be accepted through Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 5:00 PM.
The new SCORP, titled “Sustaining Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy 2020-2024”, is a planning document which offers a 5-year strategic framework to identify trends, issues, and challenges facing the state’s outdoor recreation and natural resources, and provides recommendations for outdoor recreation priorities across the state.
The 2020-2024 SCORP identified 6 goals and recommendations:
- Promote outdoor recreation opportunities for all Montanans
- Enhance public access to outdoor recreation resources and facilities
- Support the economic vitality of communities and the state
- Improve quality of life through outdoor recreation experiences
- Adapt outdoor recreation for a changing environment
- Honor Montana’s outdoor legacy
Click here to view the complete 2020-2024 SCORP and make your comments online. The public may also send comments by mail to: Montana State Parks, Draft 2020-2024 SCORP Public Comment, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.
For more information about “Sustaining Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy 2020-2024” contact Kyan Bishop at 406.444.3364 or kyan.bishop@mt.gov.
Visit Montana State Parks to enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, boating and more to discover some of the greatest natural and cultural treasures on earth.
Montana in the News
Tourism Partner Shout-Outs, Recognition and News
Butte—'Can Do:' Headframe Spirits Unearths New Opportunities In Butte
Early in the 20th century, the bustling mining town of Butte, Montana was one of the largest cities in the West. Hardrock miners lowered themselves 5,000 feet underground to tap out the abundant copper ore, working in mines with names like Orphan Girl, Neversweat, and Destroying Angel. In the hundred years since Butte’s heyday, most of the mines have closed, but new opportunities have been unearthed.
Using the same determination, innovation, and passion that underscored Butte’s early success, John and Courtney McKee founded Headframe Spirits distillery in 2010. Each spirit is named after a storied mine claim, weaving Butte’s mining history into unique products. Read more or listen to this program on MTPR's "Can Do: Lessons from Savvy Montana Entrepreneurs" series here.
Lincoln—Sculpture in the Wild Art Park Continues to Grow
What started as an experiment in outdoor art is turning into one of the most popular tourist destinations in Western Montana. Now with new additions being added this month, the Sculpture in the Wild art park in Lincoln continues to fill a unique niche and boost the economy.
If you've never stopped east of Lincoln on Highway 200 and wandered among Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild , you're missing one of the hidden treasures in Western Montana. Read more here.
ITRR has released a new report: Repeat Visitors - Assessing Motivations for Return Visits and the Influence of Previous Visits to Montana
Repeat visitors are more than 3/4 of all nonresident visitors to Montana. This report highlights the characteristics of Montana’s repeat visitors attempting to understand what brings them back to Montana, where they travel, and if they might explore more parts of Montana on future trips.
Highlights:
- Montana’s repeat visitor loves mountain-type vacations over any other type of experience for a vacation.
- Repeat visitors want both the familiar and variety while visiting Montana.
- Most repeat visitors who spent time visiting or living in Montana as a child have a high degree of love for the scenery, people, and recreation opportunities. Those childhood experiences sre credited for their return trips.
- Montana is unique and brings visitors back. According to repeat visitors, the scenery, access to public lands and water, and wildlife is why they come here over other destinations.
Read the full report here.
Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant
The Indian Equity Fund (IEF) Small Business Grant is accepting applications for fiscal year 2020. Enrolled members of federally or state-recognized tribes residing in Montana may apply for funds to help start or expand their business. Up to $320,000 in funding is available, with individual awards up to $14,000. The deadline to apply is September 30. For more information, visit MARKETMT.COM/ICP/IEF.
Big Sky Trust Fund (BSTF) Economic Development Grants
The next BSTF Job Creation and Planning Grant deadline is December 18, 2019.
Planning funds are awarded to eligible applicants to assist with economic development planning efforts that promote long-term, stable economic growth in Montana. Applications which support a critical activity to move an economic development project forward and directly assist a basic sector company are the highest priority for the Department. For more information, click MARKETMT.COM/BSTF.
October 9-10, 2019—Sustainable Destinations Workshop (Bridger Bowl Ski Area)—The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) offers practical insights and effective steps to help improve sustainability practices. To learn more or register for the workshop, click here.
October 10-11, 2019—2019 Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit: Recreation Innovation Lab (Whitefish)—Recreation Innovation Lab addresses on-the-ground challenges and shares innovative community-driven approaches to creating, protecting and enhancing “frontcountry” outdoor recreation access close to home. Attendees will tour three unique projects around Whitefish, MT and reconvene for in-depth workshop with experts. Click here for more information.
October 14-16, 2019—2019 Innovate Montana Symposium (Butte)—Innovate Montana Symposium offers tangible value to companies and entrepreneurs looking to gain investment, grow their companies, and reach new markets. Keynote speakers and panelists will focus on actionable steps to recruit the best team members, build company cultures that retain employees, design more efficient operation systems, and deploy marketing tactics that engage the right consumers. Click here to register.
October 21-23, 2019—Montana Lodging & Hospitality Association (MLHA) Fall Tourism Conference & Trade Show (Missoula)—Click here for more information.
April 26-29, 2020—International Roundup (Casper, WY)—Early bird discount for registration opens on October 1, 2019. The 2020 International Roundup tradeshow event will host over 80 regional organizations from Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Idaho. Each organization has the chance to meet with nearly 50 international domestic buyers from more than 10 countries to conduct business negotiations that would otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips. Registration fills up quickly, so don't miss this opportunity to get your business in front of an international audience! To receive notification, contact info@internationalroundup.com. To learn more about the International Travel Trade Program at MOTBD contact Marlee Iverson or Kim Birrell.
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