Tourism assessment was created to promote Whitefish during off-season

In 2006, many local businesses got together to discuss a way to promote and market Whitefish during the lean off season months. It is extremely difficult to run a business when all your customers show up in July and August. Perhaps you remember those days when stores and restaurants would close in April and November and lay off their employees. Getting employees to return after an unpaid vacation was tough.

The Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau was created to promote Whitefish in the fall, winter and spring seasons through the Tourism Promotion Assessment (TPA). Many funding ideas were suggested, however, local businesses agreed upon this optional method to generate revenue to help stabilize our economy in the slower months.

It is important to note that the WCVB does NOT promote summer travel nor does it encourage out-of-state visitors to relocate in ANY way. There is no need to promote summer due to our proximity to Glacier National Park. Millions come to the area to see the park and not necessarily Whitefish. For many reasons, people are flocking to Montana and areas around national parks. This is not peculiar to Whitefish — it is occurring all over the West.

I applaud the WCVB for all the great work they have done during this difficult COVID pandemic to inform guests on how to recreate safely and responsibly. People are traveling and we will have to deal with the influx a bit longer. The WCVB is trying to spread out the big spike in summer visitors by encouraging them to come any other time of the year so we can keep our local stores, hotels, restaurants and businesses open and viable.

Jan Metzmaker is the retired former director of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau.