Tourism outlook is optimistic

A survey of tourism businesses across Montana indicates a general feeling of optimism about the industry this year, a feeling shared by the director of the state’s tourism research institute.

About 61 percent of surveyed businesses reported an increase in visitation last year over 2011, and 64 percent expect increased visitation again this year.

In Glacier Country, which includes Flathead, Glacier, Lake, Lincoln, Sanders, Mineral, Missoula and Ravalli counties, about 66 percent of surveyed businesses reported an increase in visitation last year over 2011, and 61 percent expect increased visitation again this year.

The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana conducts the survey each fall to assess the change in visitation and to project visitation for the coming year. The institute e-mailed 2,539 tourism-related businesses and organizations in November and received completed surveys from 424 respondents.

“There is obvious optimism for tourism businesses in 2013,” ITRR director Norma Nickerson said. “The large majority of businesses expect an increase in 2013. Only 8 percent of retail, restaurant and bar owners indicated they expected a decrease, and that was the largest percent of all businesses.”

Three categories of businesses expected no decrease at all in 2013 — private and public campgrounds; ski areas, museums and other attractions; and tourism promotion and ad agencies. Attraction owners were the most optimistic, with 86 percent saying they expect increased visitation.

In the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research’s “2013 Economic Outlook,” Nickerson explained some economic factors behind the optimism in the tourism industry.

Americans spend about 3 percent of their income on travel-related expenses, she said, citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“This spending is brought to Montana by nonresidents because of Montana’s open space, clean waters for fishing and wildlife habitat, clean air and a chance to escape from everyday stresses,” she said, adding that Montanans spend about 2.7 percent of their income on travel-related expenses.

“This spending on travel in Montana is expected to continue and actually increase in 2013,” she said.

Nickerson also pointed to the continual growth in international travelers to the U.S., with a projection of 65 million for 2012 and more in 2013. The growing numbers of international travelers is expected to offset slow growth in the number of domestic travelers, she said.

“Yellowstone National Park is the largest international draw in our region,” she said, “and with three of the five gateways accessed through Montana, our state serves to benefit from this increased international traffic.”

Resident and nonresident travelers spent an estimated $3.6 billion in Montana in 2011, directly and indirectly supporting 50,670 jobs. Preliminary numbers for 2012 show a total impact by resident and nonresident travelers at more than $4 billion.