The Oregon Agritourism Handbook was created for a wide range of people with a common interest in the intersection of agriculture and tourism.
Montana also has an Agritourism Handbook! To request a printed copy, reach out to Susan Joy.
Made in Montana Tradeshow
Exhibitor registration for the 2020 Made in Montana Tradeshow opened Tuesday, October 15. Current Made in Montana Members may apply and booths will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Information for the Made in Montana Tradeshow can be found here.
Taste our Place
October 21-October 25, Taste our Place will travel to Missoula and throughout Glacier Country. Follow our Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Mickey and the Bear
Camila Morrone is poised for stardom at the center of EW’s exclusive trailer for Annabelle Attanasio’s SXSW breakout drama Mickey and the Bear. Watch the full trailer now.
TAC Presentation Slides
See October TAC presentation decks on Webdam: https://visitmt.webdamdb.com/cloud/#folder/6795488
First-Touch, Retargeting Banner Ads
As part of the FY20 winter media plan, the national digital campaign launched with strategic messages targeted to the winter enthusiast, winter enthusiast family and avid skier audiences. All banners are animated. URLs for banner ads:
First Touch/Standard (WE + FAM) | Things to Do | https://www.visitmt.com/things-to-do/winter-activities.html
Retargeting Phase 1 | Trip Ideas | https://www.visitmt.com/places-to-go/trip-ideas.html
Retargeting Phase 2 | Plan Your Trip | https://www.visitmt.com/plan-your-trip.html
Montana Relies on Outdoor Recreation, New Report Says
Montana's economy is propped up on local and tourist outdoor recreational activities, according to a recent report from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis that shows the industry accounted for 5.1% of the state's gross domestic product in 2017.
Montana came in second behind Hawaii, where 5.4% of the state's GDP in 2017 came from outdoor recreation activities. Third is Maine at 4.8%, followed closely by Vermont at 4.5%. Read more here.
Daines Seeks Increased Visitation at Smaller Montana National Parks
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) this week urged the bosses at two national parks in Montana to help improve visitation at some of the state’s smaller parks. “As we continue to see record-breaking visitation numbers, encouraging visitation to smaller parks in Montana is imperative to both reduce stress on larger parks and promote healthy gateway economies in other regions,” Sen. Daines wrote in an Oct. 9 letter sent to Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cameron Sholly and Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow.
“Tourism is one of Montana’s leading economic drivers, which is why I am committed to increasing visitation to all of Montana’s national parks, battlefields, historic sites and more,” added the senator. Read more here.
Put your money where their ears are!
The Gardiner CVB combined the marketing methods of radio advertising with an event in the late spring, early summer of FY19. With a small investment of just $500, they were able to reach an audience of 50,000 during the one-week (twice per day) run of an ad campaign that promoted the local rodeo and brewfest. The ads ran on the Yellowstone Public Radio which has 30 translators in Montana and Wyoming. The 36-word ad invited visitors to the local events and directed them to the visitgardinermt.com site. Neala Siegle, Executive Director of the Gardiner CVB, reported positive website traffic and that the events were well attended. In addition, the ad served as both informational and promotional to Gardiner residents, who reported hearing the ad.
Montana in the News Tourism Partner Shout-Outs, Recognition and News
Belgrade—Belgrade’s Kostas Heads to Nashville for Induction into Songwriters Hall of Fame Kostas Lazarides has at least 50 guitars scattered around the historic three-story building he owns in downtown Belgrade. It’s not surprising the prolific songwriter has an abundance of instruments, but it’s a bit abnormal that he lives a quiet life in a sleepy town.
Lazarides, known professionally as Kostas, has written chart-topping songs for several artists, including Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt and George Strait. On Monday, the 70-year-old joined the likes of Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Chuck Berry when he’s inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’ll stand alongside other inductees Dwight Yoakam, Larry Gatlin, Rivers Rutherford, Marcus Hummon and Sharon Vaughn for a formal ceremony in Nashville’s Music City Hall. Read more here.
Butte—Organizers Raise Money to Bring More Flights to Butte Organizers for the Fly Butte initiative are continuing to raise money for more flights in and out of Butte’s airport. “A flight to Denver is the next step. So we’re in the process of raising funds for a minimum revenue guarantee to secure a new flight,” said Joe Willauer, executive director of the Butte Local Development Corporation.
Organizers are trying to secure $385,000 through the campaign. So far, they’ve raised over $100,000. The Tourism and Business Improvement District is also committed to making a $200,000 matching investment. Read more here.
Gardiner Yellowstone Bridge Project
The Montana Department of Transportation's (MDT) Gardiner Yellowstone Bridge Project is now underway. The bridge is located in Gardiner on U.S. Highway 89 spanning the Yellowstone River that runs through the middle of town. Phase 1 will entail rehabilitation of one lane of the bridge and its approaches starting in early September 2019, continuing through mid-November 2019. There will be alternating single-lane traffic with temporary signals on the north and south ends of the bridge. Text "YRB" to 555-888 for updates.
New Flights Announced
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport introduces new flights to Seattle. See more.
Winter Weather in Glacier Country
The unusually early, and severe turn to winter weather means Glacier National Park likely won't break its visitation record. However, September visits made up some of the difference. Nearly 500,000 people went through the gates last month, a jump of 21% over last year. See more.
Montana Main Street Program FY20 Application Cycle Opens November 15
The Department of Commerce Community Development Division will begin accepting Montana Main Street Program grant applications for the FY20 application cycle on November 15, 2019.
The Montana Main Street Program awards grant funding to member communities on a competitive basis and as funding allows. Applications are evaluated by the Department of Commerce in the order that they are received and grants will be awarded on a continual basis until all funds are allocated. Funding can be used to address long range community planning and revitalization needs as well as more specific prioritized projects. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate the implementation of larger community vision and goals or as they relate to previous or concurrent larger planning efforts (such as a downtown revitalization plan, growth policy, historic preservation plan, etc.). For more information or to apply, click here.
If you have questions regarding the application process or guidelines, please contact our office to work with a Montana Main Street team member at 406.841.2770 or by email at DOCCDD@mt.gov
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.
Explore Montana Housing’s New Website Now is a great time to explore the new website and update any links to HOUSING.MT.GOV your organization may be sharing through your own websites, social media channels or newsletters.
October 23-25, 2019 - Montana Downtown & Main Street Conference
Designed for cities and towns large and small, this conference is a great professional development opportunity for civic leaders, elected officials, business and property owners, non-profit directors, tourism advocates, municipal staff and preservationists. The multi-day conference will offer presentations, panel discussions, and tours centered on the topics of community planning, economics, tourism, arts & culture, development, public/private partnerships, funding, redevelopment, and historical preservation and interpretation. Presenters include professional planners, historians, state agencies, and more.
Registration for the Montana Downtown & Main Street Conference is open online at https://www.missouladowntown.com/events/montana-downtown-main-street-conference/. Additional questions can be directed to the Downtown Missoula Partnership via email (info@missouladowntown.com) or phone (406-543-4238).
April 26-29, 2020—International Roundup (Casper, WY)—Early bird discount for registration opened 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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