Tourism-trade mission to Canada planned

U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., visited Whitefish on Friday to talk about an upcoming tourism and trade mission to Canada. He met with local tourism and business leaders as part of his Flathead jobs tour and encouraged networking across the border as a way to help boost job growth in Northwest Montana.

“Anybody in business knows you’ve got to go out and look for things — they don’t just fall in your lap,” Baucus said during the conference held at The Wave. “You’ve got to find opportunities and network with people — find people that you can work with.”

The tourism-focused trade mission is designed to build on business relationships established from a trade mission to Canada last year. On that mission, 20 Montanans from 14 different groups networked with businesses from the manufacturing, agriculture and tourism industries. The upcoming mission to Canada is slated for sometime in September.

Baucus has led eight previous trade missions for Montana around the world, in places like Mexico, Asia and South America, and calls them successful and worthwhile.

“The more we get out and see people, the more likely we can do deals,” he said.

Baucus said he would personally reach out to the business contacts made during the trade mission.

“I’ll call up the CEO,” he said. “I like doing that and it usually works. I love promoting Montana. I want to be part of this process here.”

He noted Flathead County’s high unemployment rate — 10.7 percent in March — and said it’s time to bring that number down.

“The Flathead has been hit hard by job losses in recent years and it’s critical we take advantage of every opportunity to support jobs,” Buacus said.

Jan Metzmaker, of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the tourism-trade mission will lead to more customers at Montana businesses which will support more local jobs.

“Canadian tourists are already a pillar of our local economy and now is the perfect time to bring more here," Metzmaker said.

Nick Polumbus, marketing director at Whitefish Mountain Resort, said Whitefish is a popular vacation destination because there is a genuine feel to the city.

“We’re a town built on people who live here,” Polumbus said. “It’s authentic. That’s why jobs are so important — good paying jobs to create a community that is attractive.”

Montana businesses interested in participating in the September trade mission should contact Rory Murphy of the Senate Finance Committee at 202-224-4515.