Big Sky Value : Montana tourism & recreation strategic plan 2003-2007

4 Pages·2002·0.14 MB·English

by  Hingston Roach Group, Inc

Table of Contents

Executive Summary........................................................ES-1 Chapter 5: Priority Objectives & Actions........................81
Managing Information...........................................................82
Chapter 1: Introduction.........................................................1 Managing (Use of) Assets......................................................99
Project Context & Purpose......................................................1 Creating Teams.....................................................................116
Planning Process.......................................................................2
Chapter 6: Implementation..............................................129
Chapter 2: Existing Conditions...........................................5 Implementation Process & Steps........................................130
Statewide Socio-Economic Trends.........................................5 Organization, Roles & Resources.......................................132
Tourism Trends.........................................................................8 Priority Projects & Action Table.........................................133
Tourism & Recreation Assets and Opportunities..............18
Tourism & Recreation Challenges and Threats..................26 Appendices..........................................................................137
A. Acronyms.........................................................................139
Chapter 3: Markets...............................................................35 B. Montana Code Annotated..............................................141
Potential Markets: National Tourism Trends....................36 C. Resources
Resident Visitors: Travel Habits of Montanans.................46 D. Reference Materials
Nonresident Visitors: Current Traveler Profile.................49
Montana’s Competitive Niche..............................................64
Top Priority Target Markets.................................................67 Figures
Fig. 1.1: Info-Gathering Process.........................................................................1
Chapter 4: Strategy...............................................................71
Fig. 1.2: Information Flow for Tourism Strategy.............................................2
Strategic Vision.......................................................................72 Fig. 2.1: Full-Time & Part-Time Employment, 2000........................................6
Guiding Principles..................................................................73 Fig. 2.2: Personal Income & Earnings by Industry, 2000................................6
Fig. 2.3: Montana Industry Sector Trends 1990-1999......................................7
Market-Driven Approach......................................................74
Fig. 2.4: Nonresident Visitors 1990-2000...........................................................8
Strategic Goals.........................................................................75
Fig. 2.5: Lodging Sales Trends...........................................................................8
Strategic Framework..............................................................76 Fig. 2.6: Average Room Rate, 1991-2001...........................................................9
Organization & Roles.............................................................77 Fig. 2.7: Hotel Occupancy, 2001.........................................................................9
Figures (cont’d) Tables
Fig. 2.8: Lodging Tax Collections by Quarter – Statewide.............................9 Table 1.1: Strategic Planning Process Steps & Timeline, 2001-2002.............3
Fig. 2.9: Lodging Tax Collections by Region..................................................10 Table 2.1: 1990-2000 Regional Lodging Revenue Growth by Quarter.......10
Fig. 2.10: Quarterly Lodging Trends by Region.................................... ..........11 Table 2.2: Sportsmen Spending in Montana, 2000........................................17
Fig. 2.11: Visitation/Traffic Trends at Key Destinations/Gateways...............12 Table 2.3: Commercial Air Service Enplanement Trends by City..............24
Fig. 2.12: Visitation at Major Destinations, 1999.................................... ..........13 Table 2.4: Commercial Air & Car Rental Service by City............................24
Fig. 2.13: State/National Park Visitation Comparison.......................... ..........14 Table 2.5: 2001 Uses of Montana Lodging Tax..............................................25
Fig. 2.14: State Park Visitors 1992-2000.............................................................14 Table 3.1: Reasons for Montanans’ Leisure Travel (in Rank Order)..........47
Fig. 2.15: State Park & Fishing Access Site Visitation .......................... ..........14 Table 3.2: Origin of 2001 Nonresident Visitors.............................................49
Fig. 2.16: Montana Ski Area Trends........................................................ ..........15 Table 3.3: Top 10 States of Origin...................................................................50
Fig. 2.17: Big Game Resident License Sales Trends............................... ..........16 Table 3.4: Primary Trip Purpose of Nonresident Visitors...........................56
Fig. 2.18: Resident & Nonresident Hunting Licenses Sold................... ..........16 Table 3.5: Nonresident Tourist Length of Stay Comparison ......................62
Fig. 2.19: Nonresident Big Game & Deer Combo Licenses............................16 Table 3.6: 2001 Nonresident Tourist Repeat Visitation Rate Comparison 62
Fig. 2.20: Resident vs. Nonresident Fishing Licenses......................................17 Table 3.7: Montana’s 2001-2002 Nonresident Target Markets....................67
Fig. 2.21: Land Ownership in Montana............................................................18 Table 3.8: Top U.S. Metro Market Sources of Inquiries to Call Center......69
Fig. 2.22: Land Ownership Map........................................................................18 Table 6.1: Strategic Plan Objectives & Actions............................................133
Fig. 2.23: Key Heritage & Cultural Assets........................................................19
Fig. 2.24: Accommodations by Region..............................................................20 Sidebars
Fig. 2.25: Montana Transportation Gateways..................................................21
Fig. 2.26: Rest Areas & Highway Improvements............................................23 Sidebar 3.1: National Retail Trends................................................................44
Fig. 2.27: Airline Routes To/From Montana.....................................................23 Sidebar 3.2: Destination Travelers to Montana from 4 Key States ............51
Fig. 2.28: Amtrak Ridership in Montana 1992-2000........................................24 Sidebar 3.3: Winter Trends: 2001 vs. 1993/1998............................................52
Fig. 2.29: Montana Lodging Tax Uses...............................................................25 Sidebar 3.4: Spring Travelers in 2001.............................................................53
Fig. 2.30: Hot Spots Map.....................................................................................29 Sidebar 3.5: Summer Trends: 2001 vs. 1996...................................................54
Fig. 2.31: Motorized Recreation Trends in Montana.......................................29 Sidebar 3.6: What the Research Doesn’t Tell Us...........................................55
Fig. 3.1: Montanans’ Activity on Most Recent Leisure Trip by Season......46 Sidebar 3.7: Vacationer Characteristics by Season.......................................57
Fig. 3.2: Leisure Trip Activities of Montanans by Trip Type.......................47 Sidebar 3.8: Pass-Through Traveler Characteristics.....................................58
Fig. 3.3: Accommodations Used for Montanans’ Overnight Trips.............48 Sidebar 3.9: VFR Traveler Characteristics.....................................................59
Fig. 3.4: Top Priority Target Markets Map.....................................................68 Sidebar 3.10: Business Traveler Characteristics..............................................60
Fig. 3.5: Montana’s 2000-2001 Nonresident Tourist Markets Map..............69 Sidebar 3.11: Destination Traveler Characteristics.........................................61
Fig. 4.1: Market-Driven Approach...................................................................74 Sidebar 3.12: Montana’s Top Competitor States.............................................64
Fig. 4.2: State Level Team.................................................................................77 Sidebar 3.13: National Image of Montana.......................................................65
Fig. 4.3: Regional Level Team..........................................................................77 Sidebar 3.14 Top Priority Target Markets......................................................68
Fig. 4.4: Statewide Tourism Management Network.....................................78 Sidebar 4.1: Montana Tourism & Recreation Stakeholders.........................80
Fig. 4.5: Statewide Tourism Management Network Benefits......................79
Fig. 5.1: Rest Areas & Highway Improvements..........................................104
Fig. 5.2: State-Funded Gateway VICs............................................................109
Fig. 5.3: Symbol Signs......................................................................................112
Fig. 6.1: Existing System of Tourism & Recreation Communication........130
Fig. 6.2: Refined System of Tourism & Recreation Communication.........131
Acknowledgements

Montana Dept. of Commerce, & Promotion Division Montana Tourism & Recreation Initiative & Working Group
Mark Simonich, Department Director Keith Thurkill (Chair), Tom Clifford & Amy Teegarden, USFS
Betsy Baumgart, Division Administrator Clint Blackwood, Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission
Victor Bjornberg, Tourism Development Coordinator Scott Eckberg, NPS
Pam Gosink, Group & Overseas Marketing Manager Shannon Heath, USFWS
Carol Crocket, MTRI Coordinator Cinda Holt, Montana Arts Council
Anna Marie Moe, Industry & Operations Administrator Darin McMurry, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Corrie Hahn, Information Systems Manager Arnie Olsen & Ellen Baumler, MHS
Sarah Lawlor, Consumer Marketing Manager George Peternel, BLM
Mary Boyle, Publicity Coordinator Clive Rooney, DNRC
Deb Williams, Photography Pat Saindon, MDT
Sten Iversen, Montana Film Office Dave Sharpe, MSU Extension
Chris Smith & Chas Van Genderen, FWP
Tourism Advisory Council (TAC) Jeff Tiberi, Montana Heritage & Preservation Development Commission
Kathy Brown, Chair, Nicholson Inc., Helena
Scott Asche, Holiday Inn, Bozeman Tourism Region & CVB Contacts
Maureen Averill, Flathead Lake Lodge, Bigfork Delores Tanglen, Joe Eckhardt, Linda Wolff & Jim Schaefer, Custer Country
Kim Champney, Big Sky Airlines, Billings Linda Anderson & Ramona Holt, Glacier Country
Debbie Donovan, Larslan Sarah Bannon & Connie Kenney, Gold West Country
Ed Henrich, Fairmont Hot Springs, Anaconda Kim Lacey, Carla Hunsley & Doug Smith, Missouri River Country
Ramona Holt, H Bar R Ranches, Lolo Gayle Fisher & Clark Whitehead, Russell Country
Donna Madson, Yellowstone Tour & Travel, West Yellowstone Susan Albrecht, Scott Johnson & Terry Abelin, Yellowstone Country
Sharon Rau, Sidney Chamber of Commerce, Sidney Marne Hayes & David O’Connor, Big Sky Chamber
Michele Reese, The Big Mountain, Whitefish Rhonda Harms & Butch Ott, Billings CVB & Chamber of Commerce
Mike Scholz, Bucks T-4 Lodge, Big Sky Cyndy Andrus, Bozeman CVB, & David Smith, Bozeman Chamber
Homer Staves, Staves Consulting, Billings Connie Kenney & Eddie Steward, Butte-Silver Bow Chamber
Carolyn Valacich, Great Falls Symphony, Great Falls Kelly Shaffer & Rick Evans, Great Falls CVB & Chamber of Commerce
Clark Whitehead, BLM, Lewistown Jennifer Bingham & Cathy Burwell, Helena CVB & Chamber of Commerce
George Willett, Showdown Montana, Neihart Carol Edgar, Kalispell/Flathead CVB & Joe Unterreiner, Kalispell Chamber
Richard (RJ) Young, Fort Peck, Poplar Kim Latrielle, Missoula Chamber & Mary Lou Wilton & Mike Dickey, Missoula CVB
Lynda Bourke-Moss, Billings (thru June 2002) Marysue Costello & Jeff Kurtz, West Yellowstone CVB
Bob Dompier, Best Western Heritage Inn, Great Falls (thru June 2002) Rhonda Fitzgerald & Chris Carter, Whitefish CVB
Kelly Flynn, Hidden Hollow Hideaway, Townsend (thru June 2002)
Rick McCamley, The Pine Lodge, Whitefish (thru June 2002)

Univ. of Montana Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research
Norma Nickerson, Director
Thale Dillon, Research Associate
Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance Steve Golnar, City of Livingston
R.J. Young, President, Fort Peck Jill Hamilton, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
Darrell Martin, Vice President, Fort Belknap Jean Johnson, Montana Outfitters & Guides Association (MOGA)
Yvonneda Henri Thompson, Sec/Treas, Dull Knife Memorial College Extension Carl Kochman, Don Serido & Brenda Peterson, Wendt-Kochman
Luanne Belcourt, Rocky Boys Kris Komar, Double K Outfit
Richard Hopkins, BLM Tribal Coordinator Nancy Korizek-Hines & Shawn Crum, H2O Advertising
Mardell Plainfeather, Little Bighorn College Faye Lestmeister & Bill Howell, Montana Snowmobile Association
Kaneeta Red Star Harris, Crow Tribe Main Street Uptown Butte, Inc.
Major Robinson, Northern Cheyenne Mark Martin, Missoula Cultural Council
Lucy Vanderburg, The People’s Center, Salish-Kootenai Jim McGowan, MARS STOUT
Feral Wagner, Blackfeet Tribe Joy McGrath, Montana Shares
Gordon Belcourt, Montana/Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council Larry Mires & Duane Sibley, Fort Peck Interpretive Center
Montana Economic Developers Association
Other Agency Contacts Montana Rural Development Partners
Kurt Alme & Connie Deady, Montana Dept. of Revenue Lisa Perry, Northwest Airlines, Billings
Rebecca Baumann, Made in Montana, Montana Dept. of Commerce Irene Peterson, Best Inn, Missoula
Rita Cortwright, Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission Carol Place, Great Falls Historic Tour Trolley
David Gibson, Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity Kimberly Roth, Southgate Mall, Missoula
Margaret Gorski, USFS L&C Bicentennial Coordinator, Missoula Charlene Schuster, Montana Beef Council
Jerry Kaiser, Bureau of Indian Affairs Craig Sharpe, Montana Wildlife Federation
Marsha Karle & Tammy Wert, Yellowstone National Park Dori Skrukrud & Jon Sesso, Butte-Silver Bow Planning Dept.
Tod Kasten, Regional Development Officer, Montana Dept. of Commerce Smith Travel Research
Nancy Kraft, FWP Hunting & Fishing Licensing Division Betty Stone, Cottonwood Inn, Glasgow
Ken Lewis, Fort Belknap Tourism Director Amy Sullivan, Montana Tourism Coalition (MTC)
David Martin, Research Specialist, Montana Department of Commerce Steve Thompson, National Parks Conservation Association
Shelley McKamey, Museum of the Rockies Robin Urban, World Museum of Mining, Butte
Jerry Nelson, Glacier National Park Joan Vetter Ehrenberg, Grouse Mountain Lodge
Mike Oliver, L&C Bicentennial Congressional Caucus Field Liaison Diane Wolfe, Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce
Ralph Peck & Lee Boyer, Dept. of Agriculture
Jeri Mae Rowley, Montana Superhost!, Flathead Valley Cmty College
Ken Soderberg & Marty Watkins, Montana Dept. of FWP The Planning Team
Roy Snyder, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Peck
Dick Turner, Jan Vogel & Mike Bousliman, MDT The Hingston Roach Group, Inc. [phone]
Jane Weber, L&C Nat’l Historic Trail Interpretive Center, Great Falls
Lorraine Roach, Principal [email protected]

Business/Organization Contacts Ruth Mohr, Research Analyst [email protected]
Gene Blackwell, Montana Recreation & Parks Association (MRPA) Amanda Crosby, Exec. Assistant [email protected]
Glenn Bodish, Arts Chateau Museum, Uptown Butte PO Box 400, 416 W. Main, Ste. 2, Grangeville, ID 83530
Rosalie Cates, Missoula Community Development Corporation
Robin Cunningham, Fishing Outfitters Assn. of Montana (FOAM) Premier Planning [phone]
Stuart Doggett, Montana Innkeepers Association (MIKA) Gail Brockbank, Principal [email protected]
Dan Engstrom, Chief On-Board Services, AMTRAK PO Box 217, Helena, MT 59624
Bruce Farling, Montana Trout Unlimited
Howard Feiertag, Virginia Tech Dept. of Hospitality & Tourism Management Amy Hays [phone]
Loren Flynn, Traveler’s Rest Preservation & Heritage Association 103 Quail Court, Kalispell, MT 59901 [email protected]
John Gatchell, Conservation Director, & Margaret Webster, Eastern Wildlands
Chapter, Montana Wilderness Association