Department Of Commerce

Findings & Resources of Metrics

  • The Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research (ITRR) conducts travel and recreation research in Montana, with a primary focus on the nonresident travel survey conducted throughout the state. ITRR is perhaps best known for producing the widely used statewide estimates of total nonresident visitation and travel expenditures, as well as visitor characteristics, in the state each year, along with the annual estimate of the economic contribution of nonresident travel to Montana’s economy.
  • The purpose of the Analysis of Touring Cyclists: Impacts, Needs and Opportunities for Montana study by ITRR in 2013 was to understand the niche market of touring cyclists and to examine the potential for cycle tourism in the state of Montana.
  • The Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation study, commissioned by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in 2011, seeks to identify a finite number of indicators that can be used to regularly, consistently, meaningfully, and credibly measure the economic impact of historic preservation over time.
  • The American Alliance of Museums partnered with Oxford Economics in 2017 to study   Museums as Economic Engines  which ties into the   Museums and Public Opinion  finding of the museum sector's significant contribution to the US economy.
  • The 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report shows 7.1 million more American participated in outdoor recreation in 2020 than in the year prior as outdoor spaces became places of refuge to safely socialize, improve physical and mental health, connect with family, and recover from screen fatigue.
  • Destination MT relies on data to drive Montana's tourism marketing strategy. Utilizing multiple tourism data partners, Destination MT is committed to giving our tourism partners access to cutting edge data resources. Our first step towards achieving that goal is to provide an active view of  Montana's Tourism data .

A Few Complementary Programs

  • The Montana Main Street Program helps communities strengthen and preserve their historic downtown commercial districts by focusing on economic development, urban revitalization, and historic preservation through long-range planning, organization, design, and promotion.
  • The Montana Historic Preservation Grant (MHPG) Program is a state-funded program to support the preservation of historic sites, historical societies, or history museums.
  • The Indian Country Economic Development Programs page provide all of the resources available to Native American businesses, Native American non-profit organizations, and tribal governments in Montana under one office.
  • The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) provides a variety of grant funds for communities to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities in Montana, to enhance fishing opportunities by constructing or improving public fishing ponds, and trail stewardship grants.
  • The Montana History Foundation (MHF) is a charitable foundation that raises money and provides funding for history and preservation projects across Montana.
  • The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program helps local governments fund construction or rehabilitation of infrastructure and facilities that primarily benefit low-income to moderate-income Montanans.
  • The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded non-profit organization that works to save imperiled buildings, revitalize downtowns, and tell stories that help all people see themselves in our nation's diverse history.
  • The State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants (STLPG) Division of the National Park Service manages several grant programs to assist with a variety of historic preservation and community projects focused on heritage preservation.