A strong start to the tourism season and an increase in commercial construction have local business owners looking forward to the second half of 2014.

In the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce midyear survey of 205 Northwest Montana business owners, 30 percent expect to add employees during the second half of the year and 73 percent expect the business climate to improve through the end of the year.

“This is a very positive result. It’s very encouraging and I think it reinforces the trends we have been seeing,” Kalispell Chamber of Commerce President Joe Unterreiner said. “These results will provide a positive environment as we head into the second half of the year.”

Unterreiner said that commercial construction activity and tourism are major factors behind the optimism.

“The commercial construction is definitely stronger than last year. We’re seeing the best commercial construction activity since ’06 and ’07,” Unterreiner said.

The chamber is tracking 40 commercial construction projects in the valley totaling 553,000 square feet and a combined value of $168.3 million. These projects are expected to create at least 140 new jobs.

“We’re experiencing a strong tourism season. We’re seeing good hotel occupancies and advance bookings,” Unterreiner said.

Unterreiner expects the tourism numbers to increase with the Mountain Madness Air Show in Kalispell at the end of August and the Montana Dragon Boat Festival in September. 

He estimates the air show will generate $4 million and the festival $1 million.

The chamber is planning to launch several initiatives to benefit the manufacturing and timber industry. 

According to the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research, manufacturing contributed 35 percent of Flathead County’s basic industry earnings in 2011-13 with wood product manufacturing accounting for 18 percent of this total. 

The chamber plans to hold Manufacturing Day and its Timber Tour in October. 

“We’re planning a big push this year to support our manufacturers and we want to bring awareness to all the products made in Flathead County. We want people to recognize what a valuable contribution they make to the economy,” Unterreiner said.

There will be a statewide economic update today at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell. The Ninth Annual Mid-Year Economic Outlook Series hosted by the University of Montana and the Montana Chamber Foundation will start at noon and is open to the public.

Reporter Aaric Bryan may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at abryan@dailyinterlake.com.