We are excited to announce Stacey Zyliak as the new Project Incentives Coordinator for the Montana Film Office! Stacey has served the people of Montana via the Department of Commerce for 5 years – most recently as the Marketing Coordinator for the Office of Tourism & Business Development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and is a member of the National Communication Association Honor Society. With seven years’ experience in government and non-profit public relations, she has a proven track record in communicating with diverse audiences and developing relationships.
As a self-professed cinephile, film consumes much of her free time. However, nature is equally as consuming - and road trips, hiking, Flathead Lake, and summer nights are why she makes Montana, The Last Best Place, her home.
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Join us April 26-28 for the 2020 Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation in Billings!
The 2020 conference will feature two nationally recognized keynote speakers, guest luncheon speakers, breakout sessions and the annual tourism awards ceremony. Experience inspiration, education and connection at the annual gathering of the state’s tourism industry professionals.
Please visit MTGOVERNORSCONFERENCE.COM for registration, lodging and other information. You can subscribe for email updates regarding the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation by clicking here.
Destination Development Webinars
The Destination Development Association has a plethora of resources to inspire and empower local stakeholders and local organizations with their efforts to becoming vibrant, sustainable, and thriving destinations that will attract new investment, are fantastic places to live, and that visitors will gravitate to every chance they get. One of the resources is easy to watch and digest how-to videos and accompanying guides on every place-making, tourism, downtown, and economic development topic you can imagine. As a courtesy to our tourism partners, the Tourism Grant Program is happy to host a Wednesday Webinar Series on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
Here is the upcoming schedule:
- February 12—Business & Community Signage
- March 11—The Art of Wayfinding
- April 8—Economic Impact: Downtown & Tourism
- May 13—Visitor Information Centers in the Digital Age
- June 10—Getting Everyone on the Same Page, Pulling in the Same Direction
- July 8—Breaking Down the Silos: Creating Winning Partnerships
- August 12—Community Marketing on a Minuscule Budget
- September 9—Turning Your Shoulder Seasons into Peak Seasons
- October 14—Making the Most of Social Media
- November 11—Great Ideas that Will Make You a Fantastic Holiday Destination
- December 9—Seven Deadly Sins of Destination Marketing
Please register here if your entity or organization is interested in community efforts to become a vibrant, sustainable, and thriving destination.
Made in Montana Tradeshow
Join us for the 2020 Made in Montana Tradeshow for Food & Gifts on March 13-14, 2020 at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena.
The 2020 show will feature 150 Made in Montana producers including more than 40 new exhibitors and our Native American Made in Montana Pavilion.
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Kim Birrell recently attended NTA’s Travel Exchange in Fort Worth, Texas. At this annual appointment-based show for the domestic motor coach and packaged tour industry, Kim met with about 35 tour operators to discuss Montana’s attractions and lodging facilities. She also presented a “Sales Mission” with more detailed information about Montana’s attractions to two groups of tour operators.
This new feature at Travel Exchange was an opportunity to give more in-depth presentations about destinations than are available in the one-on-one meetings. Leads from this show are now available and can be obtained by contacting Kim at kbirrell@mt.gov.
Governor Bullock Announces $320,000 in Grants to Native American Businesses
Governor Steve Bullock has awarded $320,000 in funding to support the growth of 25 Native American-owned businesses across Montana through the Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant program. “Encouraging the growth of Native American-owned and operated businesses boosts not only the businesses themselves, but also helps strengthen local economies in the communities they operate in,” Governor Bullock said. “Indian Equity Fund dollars are an important investment in the future of businesses and tribal communities across Montana.” Each business will receive between $7,000 and $14,000 to help with costs related to land purchases, building, equipment, assets, technology, operational costs, and working capital. See the full list of grant recipients here.
New Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program Now Open
The Montana Department of Commerce is now accepting applications for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program. The new grant program is designed to support the preservation of historical sites, societies and museums in Montana. With awards of up to $500,000 for each eligible grant recipient, the funding will be used to improve historical sites, historical societies or history museums in Montana. Applications are due by Feb. 28, 2020. Grant recipients will be determined by the Montana Legislature during the 2021 legislative session. Apply here.
Glacier Park Outfitter to Offer E-Bike Rentals on Going-to-the-Sun Road
A Montana outfitter has announced plans to purchase multiple electric bikes for rental use on a scenic mountain road in Glacier National Park. Glacier Guide and Montana Raft Company is already taking reservations for bike rentals and guided tours on Going-to-the-Sun Road in spring 2020, The Flathead Beacon reports. The decision comes months after the U.S. Secretary of the Interior ruled to allow powered bikes to be used in national parks, officials said.
Montana's New Outdoor Recreation Plan Calls for Access for all Abilities, Ages
Those who worked on a new plan guiding Montana’s goals for outdoor recreation hope it goes beyond a simple checking of the box to secure federal funding. The recently released Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP, offers strategies and goals for the outdoor industry over the next five years with six goals:
- Promote outdoor recreation opportunities for all Montanans.
- Enhance public access to outdoor recreation resources and facilities.
- Support 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.
To read the full report, click here.
Re-launched Census 2020 Website!
Visit the re-launched Montana Census 2020 website at CENSUS.MT.GOV featuring easy-to-find resources, social media graphics, talking points, and an interactive map of "Be Counted" locations.
Recently, 11 new fact sheets and flyers were added in the “Resources” section. They include flyers geared toward complete count committees, group housing, military, college students, rural healthcare, children, and security. Additional flyers will continue to be added on a regular basis in the following weeks. Coming soon: Video and radio public service announcements!
Conference for Beer Drinkers is Something to Cheer About!
Visit Great Falls brewed up success by hosting their first ever national conference last year. The 2019 Beer Now conference was held in the electric city last June during Craft Beer Week. The conference included more than 100 beer bloggers and writers who tasted beer and blogged about it live as well as posting photos, videos and podcasts about their experience. According to Rebecca Engum, Executive Director of Visit Great Falls, “the conference provided a chance to develop local content on the community, our local beer and the business side of how beer works.”
Overall, Engum was pleased at the outcome and lessons learned recruiting and hosting the conference that brought in 70 media professionals generating 266 social posts, 33 blogs and one industry article. Online and digital advertising following the established campaign that identifies Great Falls as “your basecamp for Montana culture” among other attractions was employed to encourage conference attendees to indulge in the local art, culture, history, outdoor recreation and of course, beer.
According to the Montana Brewers Association, Montana’s craft brew industry now includes more than 90 breweries, putting it 25th in the nation for the number of craft breweries and 27th for barrels of beer produced. The total economic impact in 2018 was $496 million, or a contribution of $626 per capita for adults age 21 or older. Visit montanabrewers.org for more information on this bubbling industry.
Montana in the News
Tourism Partner Shout-Outs, Recognition and News
Bozeman—Bozeman Airport to add Larger Flights to Seattle, Daily Flights to Atlanta
The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is gearing up for more seats in 2020. Airport officials announced Monday, Alaska Airlines is adding a few bigger planes on flights from Bozeman to Seattle next year. "We're about a 50 percent increase in seats to the Seattle market over last year," said airport director Brian Sprenger. Read more here.
Eastern Montana—For a third time, Cape Air Secures Contract to Continue Rural Air Service in Eastern Montana
Cape Air will be around for another four years and just about everyone in Eastern Montana is happy about it. "We're ecstatic that Cape Air got (the contract) again," said Shane Ketterling, assistant director of the Billings Logan International Airport. The federally subsidized Essential Air Service contract is awarded to air carriers servicing rural parts of the country where air travel without the subsidy would be prohibitively expensive. Read more here.
Glacier National Park—Ten Great Destinations to Consider in 2020
Glacier was named in the LA Times as one of the top ten destinations to consider for 2020. As if the 1,583 square miles of Rocky Mountains, valleys and lakes in Glacier National Park in Montana weren’t enough to merit a trip, that park shares its northern border with Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park, another gem. Together, they are known as Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, and they are a wonder, despite the dwindling of the glaciers themselves (which the National Park Service expects to be gone by 2030). Read more here.
Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
Come experience the national parks! On five days in 2020, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. For more information, click here.
Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2020:
- January 20: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- April 18: First day of National Park Week
- August 25: National Park Service Birthday
- September 26: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
Many Glacier Road Construction Scheduled for 2020-21
A two-year road construction project on Many Glacier Road will begin April 1, 2020. Visitors to the park in 2020 through 2021 are encouraged to plan accordingly.
April 1 through May 17, 2020 and September 21 through December 16, 2020, the Many Glacier Road will be closed to visitor traffic at the park boundary due to large-scale road construction projects.
May 18 through September 20, 2020, large-scale road construction projects will significantly increase travel times to the Many Glacier area. Visitors should expect travel delays up to 40 minutes each way from Babb, MT, to the Many Glacier Hotel. Visitors are encouraged to explore other areas of the park if they wish to avoid significant delays. Visitors traveling through construction zones Monday through Friday between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. may experience up to a 3-hour delay.
Due to the need to reduce congestion during construction, the entire Many Glacier Campground will transfer to “reservation only” for the duration of the project. All Many Glacier campsites will be available by reservation only for $23 per night on Recreation.gov. Half of the campsites were available for reservations beginning December 13, 2019. The remaining sites will be released for reservation in March 2020. Once construction is complete, a portion of Many Glacier campsites will revert back to “first-come, first-served” per usual.
In anticipation of long delays and congestion in the Many Glacier Valley in 2020 and 2021, backcountry campers are encouraged to select alternative hiking routes that do not begin or end in Many Glacier. Similarly, backcountry campers are encouraged to pick up their permits (advance reservations or walk-in permits) at one of four other permit issuing stations in the park including Apgar, St. Mary, Two Medicine, and Polebridge. For more information on backcountry camping, click here.
Boaters are encouraged to boat on park waters other than waters around Many Glacier to avoid congestion due to construction. For information on boating, click here.
All commercial visitor services at Many Glacier, including lodging, food & beverage, retail, boat tours, and horseback rides, will be operating as normal during construction. Visitors are encouraged to check the Glacier National Park road status webpage to find out the current conditions of park roads.
Recreational Trails Program Grants Available
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant applications for the 2020 cycle. These grants provide funds to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities in Montana. The application deadline is Friday, January 31, 2020 at 3:00 PM. Application information and guidelines can be found here.
DNRC Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program (RRGL) is Accepting Planning Grant Applications
This program provides financial assistance to governmental entities preparing quality Renewable Resource Grant RRGL grant applications for projects that that will conserve, manage, develop, or protect Montana’s renewable resources. Grants for the preparation of Capital Improvement Plans or other management tools are also eligible for funding.
Eligible applicants include any division of state government, tribal government, or other county, city, or local political subdivision. These governmental entities have included cities, towns, counties, conservation districts, irrigation districts, joint boards of control, and state agencies.
For more information visit the website or contract program staff at 406.444.9766 or via email at lmvolpe@mt.gov.
Agriculture Innovation Center (AIC) Program
The AIC Program awards grants to Agriculture Innovation Centers that provide technical and business development assistance to agricultural producers seeking to engage in making or producing value-added agricultural products. The maximum award amount is $1 million. Matching funds are required for a minimum of one-third of the project’s total budget. For more information, click here.
SBDC Training Workshops—The Montana SBDC Network offers a wide variety of training and workshops for small businesses in all phases of business development, from start-ups to those looking at growth and expansion. Click here for a list of popular training offered in the SBDC Network.
January 30-February 20, 2020—The Role of the Board Chair Webinar Series—Board Members, incoming Board Chairs, other committee chairs, and Executive Directors are encouraged to attend. Things you will come away with from attending this webinar series include:
- A better understanding of the board chair's responsibility in strengthening the work of the board as a whole.
- Strategies that can help you lead more effectively as a board chair.
- Ways to more effectively structure board meetings and engage individual board members at meetings.
Webinars will take place from 1:00—2:00 PM MTN on the following days:
- January 30—What Kind of Leader are You?
- February 6—What's Your Job as Board Chair?
- February 13—Meetings that Matter
- February 20—Presiding vs Facilitating
Montana Nonprofit Association Members with Discount Code: $80 | Series
Non-Montana Nonprofit Association Members: $160 | Series
To learn more or register, click here.
January 28-March 19, 2020—Economic Outlook Seminars—The University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) will be host ten seminars and one live webcast to highlight the latest economic trends for local economies and the state of Montana. Seminars will run from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM in each location. To register or learn more, click here.
- January 28—Helena (Great Northern Hotel)
- January 29—Great Falls (Hilton Garden Inn)
- January 31—Missoula (Hilton Garden Inn)
- February 4—Billings (Northern Hotel)
- February 5—Bozeman (The Commons or Live webcast available)
- February 6—Butte (NorthWestern Energy General Office)
- February 11—Kalispell (Hilton Garden Inn)
- March 17—Havre (MSU Northern)
- March 18—Lewistown (Central Montana Education Center)
- March 19—Big Sky (Lone Peak Cinema)
January 31-February 1, 2020—Montana's Next Generation Conference—Hosted by the Glacier and Toole County Farm Service Agency, local MSU Extension, Marias River Livestock Association, Native American Community Development Corporation and the Front Range Counties Farm Bureau, this comprehensive conference of succession planning and production workshops is one not to miss. To register or learn more, click here.
April 28-30, 2020—Montana's Healthy Communities Conference (Helena)—Montana Healthy Communities is a collaboration of various organizations committed to raising awareness in Montana about the relationship between the physical and mental health of its citizens and the economic vitality of the community. This includes the coordinated discussion, planning and funding for quality jobs, transportation, research, broadband, schools, safe walking, biking and recreational options, early child care, housing, infrastructure, revitalization and historic preservation. Click here for more information.
May 3-5, 2020—Northwest USA Spotlight Tourism Conference (Helena)—This is a casual and intimate tourism conference that combines educational seminars, networking functions, site-seeing tours and a supplier trade show. If your Region or CVB is looking to get face time with qualified tour operators from all over the US and Canada, there are sponsorship and exhibit opportunities for you at Spotlight. For more information, please contact Erinn Donnell with Visit Helena at 406.443.2117 or edonnell@helenamt.com.
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