COVID-19 Special Presentation by the Destination Development Association (DDA)
Due to the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19, the coronavirus is now sweeping countries around the world and the industry we all love - tourism and downtowns - is being severely impacted.
In this special presentation by the DDA available on youtube, the DDA offers a dozen ideas for helping to mitigate the effects the pandemic is having on us: destination marketing organizations, downtown associations, downtown retail shops and eateries.
We want to make it perfectly clear that the DDA is not suggesting anything that would fly in the face of what local and national leadership is advocating or mandating. This is a fluid situation and there is no one size fits all solution. Presentation materials are available on the Tools & Resources section of the Tourism Grant Program page at MARKETMT.com.
Several of our Made in Montana/Taste our Place distilleries are re-purposing their operations to make hand sanitizers for hospitals, health care workers and first responders. Here are some local headlines highlighting their efforts to fight COVID-19:
- Bozeman Spirits (Bozeman)—Read more from Explore Big Sky here.
- Headframe Spirits (Butte)—Read more from the Montana Standard here.
- Montgomery Distillery (Missoula)—Read more from KPAX here.
- Trailhead Spirits (Billings)—Read more from the Billings Gazette here.
- Wildrye Distilling (Bozeman)—Read more from KBZK here.
As we continue to practice social distancing, supporting local businesses is now more important than ever. Support your local Taste or Place establishments by ordering takeout or delivery. Purchase gift cards from your favorite retailer or shop directly from your favorite Made in Montana producer online. Visit MADEINMONTANAUSA.com to find Made in Montana producers and retailers near you.
Follow along on our Facebook and Instagram as we share highlights from the 2020 Made in Montana Tradeshow Wholesale Buyer Day!
International Wildlife Film Festival Will Be Online This Year
The International Wildlife Film Festival is one of the biggest film events of the year in Missoula, and for the last several years, it's been hosted by the Roxy Theater. The Roxy is still set to host... but of course, because of the Coronavirus-related closures, they can't exactly have crowds of people coming into the theater for a full week. Read more from 107.5 ZOO FM here.
Explore Whitefish COVID-19 Messaging for Travelers
Tourism partner, Explore Whitefish, has successfully implemented messaging and communications in the past to visitors and residents alike during times of crisis such as wildfires and other natural- or human-caused events impacting travel and everyday life in the Flathead.
Again, this thoughtful planning is behind the current creative and meaningful content being delivered through the organization’s website explorewhitefish.com and social media channels such as YouTube. According to Dylan Boyle, Executive Director of Explore Whitefish, their organization, along with leaders throughout the community have crafted videos and web content that instead of asking visitors to come, directs them that now is not the time to travel and visit Whitefish and Glacier National Park.
The messaging also includes resources to aid businesses and residents in the community, such as updates, grant-writing and business assistance, along with ways to help support the community during the crisis…and of course, to plan trips once “the air clears”.
Checkpoints Set up on Crow Reservation to Prevent Spread of COVID-19
Tribal officials opened a series of checkpoints Sunday to limit travel on the Crow Reservation and the spread of COVID-19 in tribal communities.
One checkpoint was to stop out-of-state residents from entering tribal lands, and another checkpoint was to determine the nature of business someone might have coming onto Crow Tribe land, Tribal Chairman Alvin "A.J." Not Afraid said Sunday afternoon.
"If the business isn't recreational, we are kindly asking them to either carry on or turn around," Not Afraid said. For now, the plan is to maintain the checkpoints until April 10. Read more from the Billings Gazette here.
Montana FWP Adjusts Facility Management in Response to COVID-19; State Lands Remain Open for Day Use
Montanans are lucky to have so many opportunities to get outdoors and recreate, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. And while Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks encourages recreation outside, we also encourage careful planning and prudence. The safety of the public and FWP staff is of utmost concern.
As a reminder, social distancing guidelines should be followed at all FWP sites. Keep your distance from fellow recreators. If a parking lot at a fishing access site or state park is full, consider another place to recreate. Also, in keeping with Gov. Steve Bullock’s directive, FWP asks that all people stay close to home and recreate in their local community.
State parks, fishing access sites and wildlife management areas remain open for day use only.
- Overnight camping will not be allowed. Campgrounds will be systematically closed, giving current campers 72-hour notice
- Group use sites will be closed, including playgrounds
- Visitor center closures will be extended at least through April 10
- Bathrooms at many locations will be limited due to public and employee safety concerns, because of the current lack of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies. Sites will be regularly patrolled by enforcement staff.
- Specific sites may close to address groups gathering, public health and safety, FWP employee safety or resource damage.
At this time, regularly scheduled hunting seasons are not cancelled. This includes spring turkey season, which starts April 11, and spring bear season, which starts April 15. However, hunters should practice social distancing and all COVID-19 response directives from the governor, including limiting group gatherings and keeping six feet away from people.
Hunters should also keep this in mind when planning for their hunts. If hunting on private land, landowner permission is required, but should be sought by email or phone, not in person.
“These are trying times for everyone, and we all know that going outside is one important way to stay healthy,” said FWP director Martha Williams. “Like the governor, I trust Montanans to understand the importance of social distancing while recreating outside. Stay close to home when looking for a place to recreate, and please follow the governor’s directives.”
As a reminder, the deer and elk application deadline is April 1. FWP offices are closed to public access, but anglers and hunters can purchase licenses or apply online. For those who need assistance with their purchase, please call the FWP licensing center at 406-444-2950. Visitor centers and public meeting spaces at offices, state parks and fish hatcheries are also temporarily closed. For up to date information, click here.
Please help FWP protect the resources that are so valuable to all Montanans.
National Parks in Montana, Utah Join Growing List of Closures to Prevent Coronavirus Spread
Three more of America's most popular national parks have closed their gates as pressure mounts on superintendents to prevent crowded trails that could lead to more spread of the coronavirus, even as the Trump administration sticks to its decision to waive entrance fees at the parks.
Glacier in Montana and Arches and Canyonlands in Utah announced their decisions to close Friday night, just days after several other well-known parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton and the Great Smoky Mountains did the same. Read more from USA Today here.
Self-Responding to the 2020 Census is More Important than Ever for Montana
All Montanans can now fill out their 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail – even without receiving an official invitation to participate. The 2020 Census is available to fill out now online at my2020census.gov, by phone at 1.844.330.2020, or via mail if a household has received a paper questionnaire.
With the U.S. Census Bureau suspending all field operations across the nation due to COVID-19, it is critical that Montanans self-respond to the 2020 Census questionnaire, even if the household has not received their 12-digit Census ID code.
In Montana, more than 35 percent of homes do not receive mail at a traditional household address, which leaves many Montanans at risk of being undercounted because the U.S. Census Bureau does not mail to post office boxes or rural route addresses. The U.S. Census Bureau will not be in contact with these households until they restart their door-to-door operations. This means a large portion of Montana will not receive U.S. Census Bureau communication or reminders to fill out their form until much later than planned.
Montanans who have not received their Census ID can simply start the online questionnaire and then select the option “If you do not have a Census ID, click here” or call in their response. This option will ask one additional question about where a respondent will be on April 1, 2020 and then participants will be able to fill out the remainder of their form.
The live self-response rate map, which the U.S. Census Bureau updates daily, shows Montana as one of the states with the lowest self-response rates. This is due in-part to the large share of P.O. boxes and rural route addresses in Montana.
Counting everyone in Montana is critical because it determines the state’s share of federal funding over the next decade, it shapes local voting districts, and it determines whether Montana will get another representative in Congress.
Montana receives an estimated $2 billion in federal funds each year based on Census data. For every Montana resident counted, a Census study estimates the state will receive $20,000 over the decade for things like schools, healthcare and highways.
Learn more at CENSUS.MT.GOV.
REAL ID Deadline Extension
The deadline for obtaining a voluntary REAL ID is being postponed due to COVID-19. The new deadline will be October 1, 2021.
September 14-16, 2020—The 2020 Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit (Great Falls)—Led by the Montana Office of Outdoor Recreation and co-hosted by the Crown of the Continent Geotourism Council and Montana Trails Coalition, this summit is an enhanced follow-up to the 2018 inaugural full Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit.
This year's summit is capped at 350 participants from Montana, The Greater Crown of the Continent Region and beyond, ranging from industry, community and conservation. The summit will offer tools that will help facilitate interaction between attendees and create concrete opportunities to utilize and integrate into future work. Registration opens on May 4, 2020. To learn more, click here.
October 4-6, 2020—Northwest USA Spotlight Tourism Conference (Helena)—Previously scheduled for May, this tourism conference which is attended by qualified tour operators and suppliers, has been rescheduled for October 4-6, 2020. For more information, click here.
October 6-8, 2020—The 2020 NAISMA Annual Conference is the organization’s 27th Annual Conference (Whitefish)—Co-Sponsored with the Montana Invasive Species Council, the conference will include field trips to visit Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, and surrounding natural areas. Concurrent sessions will present new techniques and technologies, standards, climate change impacts and adaptation strategies, biocontrol updates, forest pests, feral hogs, new invasive species on the horizon, aquatic invasive species management, education and awareness brands, Cooperative Weed Management Area successes, cross-jurisdictional strategies, and much more. To learn more, click here.
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