is one of Montana’s leading industries!! In 2014*, 10.9 million visitors: Ø  spent $3.9 billion (é7.6% over 2013)

Ø  directly supported 38,220 jobs statewide (é13.5% over 2013)

Ø  generated $218 million in state & local taxes (ê7.8% over 2013)

Ø  Lowered taxes on each Montana household by over $530 (ê2.2% over 2013)

Voices of Montana Tourism serves as a united voice for Montana's tourism stakeholders. Since its creation in 2011, Voices has led the effort to increase support and appreciation among elected state & federal leaders, policy influencers, and the general public by educating, communicating, and shaping perceptions of tourism.

Want to support Voices? Contact Mike Garcia, mike@voicesoftourism.com, at 406-431-7814

* Data based on final annual report published May 2015 by Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research

 

Source: Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research

Since 2010: -  Total non-resident spending has increased

by over 59% -  Total visitors have increased by less than 5%

Total non-resident spending will likely exceed $4 billion in 2015

Source: Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research

Since 2005, Gas, Retail and Restaurants & Bars: - Have been the Top 3 non-resident expenses - Together account for almost 68% of all non-resident

spending annually Hotels, B&B and similar accommodations: - Accounted for less than one-tenth of all non-

resident spending in 2014 - May be matched by Groceries & Snacks as the #4

expense for non-residents in 2015

 

- These 24 counties accounted for 95% of all non-resident spending

- The top 3 counties alone account for nearly 45%

(19.21%)

(14.93%) (10.77%)

(7.16%)

(6.81%) (5.86%)

(3.28%) (2.83%)

(2.80%) (2.47%)

(2.22%) (2.11%)

(1.83%) (1.80%) (1.76%) (1.62%)

(1.51%) (1.27%)

(1.05%) (1.00%) (0.77%)

(0.74%) (0.69%) (0.58%)

(% of total non-resident spending)

This graph reproduced with permission from the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research

-  The SIX counties highlighted account for nearly 30% of total spending statewide

Many of the most common expenses for non-residents, when measured as a % of total non-resident spending, can range widely based on the county or region where the visitor purchases goods and services. In these 24 counties alone, the range of spending on just the Top 5 Expenses is significant (% of total spending): 1. Gas (16% - 80%) 2. Restaurants & Bars (6% - 23%) 3. Retail (2% - 33%) 4. Hotel, Motel, etc. (2% - 16%) 5. Groceries (4% - 14%)

Lodging Facilities Use Tax (4%) -  Created in 1987 as Montana’s sole source of tourism promotion funding -  Since creating it, the legislature has made almost 30 attempts to divert funds to other state agencies…five were

successful -  (FY 2016): nearly $4 million is distributed annually to non-marketing programs

Hist. Society signage, 1% ITRR, 2.5% DoC & Regions/CVBs, 96.5% (3:1)

State Parks, 6.5% Heritage Comm, $400k

3% Bed Tax Rental Veh Tax

SB-284 (vetoed) Heritage Comm. Permanent Hist. Soc. Interp., 2.6%

Voices of MT Tourism

Heritage Comm. extended