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"Montana's economy and future depends on our outdoor assets"

Montana’s mountains, rivers, plains, and lakes offer ample recreation opportunities for residents and visitors. Whether people camp, hike, ski, hunt, fish, float, or bike, they contribute to the “outdoor economy” by spending money and interacting with businesses. This month’s article explores Montana’s outdoor recreation economy: the activities people pursue, the places they recreate, and how recreation has changed over the past two years since the COVID pandemic.

The grandeur of Montana’s public lands attracts visitors from all over the world who want to experience the beautiful parks, wilderness, wildlife, and waters. Montana is ranked 10th in the nation in federal land ownership, with about 30% or 27 million acres, followed by state agencies that manage a little over 5 million acres. Moreover, Montana is the gateway to the iconic Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

ITRR conducted surveys of snowmobilers in Western Montana to understand the profile and general characteristics of this user group.

This report is a summary of Montana residents and their self-reported level of confidence in the outdoors as well as their perception of others' abilities while recreating. In 2021, there was a collaborative effort amongst tourism partners and public land agencies to reach out to the public with an initiative designed to provide resources to residents and non-residents on how to properly behave while recreating on Montana's public lands. The Recreate Responsibly campaign aimed to provide guidelines for responsible action, incorporating such topics as aquatic invasive species, leave no trace principles, and physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The outdoor recreation economy is a significant and growing contributor to the U.S. economy, as measured by the  (ORSA), produced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

The  2023 Annual Report highlights the group's efforts to support and grow the outdoor recreation economy nationwide. 

More than ever, people are visiting and moving to places with inspiring natural amenities: forests, lakes, beaches, trails, and wildlife. A new report from Headwaters Economics explores the unique challenges facing amenity communities, and some of the solutions underway across the country.

We know that outdoor recreation is a large and growing part of our economy, as described by the  and evidenced by the many . But what we don’t know is: How much recreation is happening, and where is it happening?

In , we examine the potential of novel data sources—fitness tracking apps, social media, and web browser data—to estimate how much recreation is happening. We developed a new, highly accurate statistical model to estimate and predict trail use through novel data. This information can help land agencies better manage outdoor recreation and help local communities better capitalize on its economic potential.

Outdoor activities are increasingly popular across the United States, and so many communities are seeking to grow their outdoor recreation economy and tourism, while investing in their main streets and conserving forests and natural lands. Encouraging growth on main streets while promoting outdoor recreation can help foster community revitalization, protect air and water quality, create jobs and support economic diversification, and offer new opportunities for people to connect with the natural world. 

Do Utahns actually support state investments in outdoor recreation? And is outdoor recreation an important component of Utahns’ lifestyle? The 2023 Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP) gathered data to answer these questions and provide insight into which outdoor recreation investments would be most supported by Utahns.

The Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program (Office of Tourism – Montana Department of Commerce)

The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) is proud to support Montana communities participating in the state-funded Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program (PCTGP), an initiative created by the 2023 Montana Legislature through Senate Bill 540. This program provides a unique opportunity for communities to enhance their economic vibrancy, foster sustainability, and celebrate the unique qualities that make them special destinations.