Whitefish among tourism organizations promoting safe travel practices
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 11 months AGO
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | August 12, 2020 1:00 AM
The Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau is among several tourism organizations joining the state in a “Montana Aware” campaign to promote safe and responsible behavior among those who are traveling in the state.
The public health initiative aims to educate residents and visitors on best practices to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to a release from the Montana Department of Commerce’s Office of Tourism and Business Development.
“Our top priority is to keep those who live, work and travel in Montana safe,” said Commerce Director Tara Rice. “It’s important that we put safety first and adventure second because we all have a shared responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The Kalispell Convention and Visitors Bureau is also among the nearly 20 visitors bureaus that have signed onto the campaign. The Glacier Country tourism region is also part of the initiative.
The “Montana Aware” initiative is an effort encouraging Montana’s tourism partners and local businesses to use flyers, posters, social media messages, customer emails and business websites to help inform guests about public health guidelines and best practices. The Montana Department of Commerce’s Office of Tourism and Business Montana’s convention and visitors bureaus and six tourism regions that are participating will share $5 million to promote the initiative, according to a release.
The safe travel guidelines focus on what travelers should know before getting here and what to expect once they arrive.
The campaign lets travelers know that before they hit the road, they should, know the local public health guidelines before arriving to their destination, understand some services and destinations may be limited, and stay home if they’re sick.
Once they get on the road, they should wear a mask as face coverings are required in certain indoor spaces and for certain organized outdoor activities in counties currently experiencing four or more active cases of COVID-19, maintain social distancing of 6 feet, wash their hands and use hand sanitizer, avoid touching their face, cover coughs and sneezes.
For more information about the Montana Aware program go to VISITMT.COM.
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