Montana plays host to 11 million visitors a year and Southwest Montana is one of six tourism regions that welcomes and entertains these guests.
Southwest Montana receives accommodations tax dollars from the state of Montana. This tax generates approximately $360,000 to promote the region through advertising and public relations efforts each year. These dollars are supplemented by membership funds. Collectively, the monies help the region promote itself as a whole on a national level; which can be difficult for individual businesses or communities to do on their own.
Southwest Montana promotes the region nationally through a number of efforts:
- A website that averages over 10,000 visitors per month.
- A travel guide distributed to over 130,000 people per year through our advertising programs, online efforts and on the ground in Montana.
- A number of cooperative advertising programs for members including:
- An exclusive advertising program with TripAdvisor.
- Advertising opportunities in the Southwest Montana Travel Planner.
- Direct email campaigns targeting people who have expressed interest in visiting the Mountain West or Montana, specifically.
- Multiple free website listing opportunities on southwestmt.com and the region’s social media channels.
- Booth space and staff at regional travel shows.
- Publicity programs to solicit and assist travel writers.
- A call center that annually fields over 10,000 requests from people interested in visiting our area.
- Cooperative funding for tourism related projects within the nine counties in Southwest Montana.