In a tourism-powered region where many residents report feeling weary of increased visitation, leaders from tourism bureau Discover Kalispell say they are looking for a balanced approach of stewardship while looking to increase off-season visitation. 

“An interesting study by Leisure Trends Group found that each dollar spent on advertising Montana results in $146 in visitor spending,” Discover Kalispell Executive Director Diane Medler said. “So, while promoting Kalispell will continue to be the cornerstone for our organization, we will also equally focus on the challenges posed by that growth of visitation.”

Twelve million visitors coming to Montana spent $5.45 billion in 2022-2023, according to data from the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. In Flathead County, 3.46 million visitors spent $819 million, with 58% of that spending happening between the months of July and September. 

Speaking before at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday, Medler said compared to other areas in Montana, Flathead County saw a larger percentage of dollars spent on restaurants and outfitters/guide services. She said in Kalispell, 43% of visitor spending is on restaurants and 23% goes toward retail establishments. A large portion (87%) goes toward accommodations like lodging, while the remaining 45% was spent on attractions. 

Results from a survey conducted by the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau last fall indicate that only 22% of respondents agreed with the statement that tourism makes Whitefish a good place to live. That compares to 54% who disagreed with the sentiment. 

Though some may be feeling fatigue, Medler said there are times of the year when more visitors are needed from an economic standpoint. 

“(In Bigfork) I would surmise to say that they could welcome a few more visitors outside of July 4 and outside of those peak summer times, say with some of our other communities,” Medler said. “And other times and in other communities, there's just been a feeling of ‘too much’ and we recognize that.” 

Kalispell’s average annual occupancy rate for 2023 was 58%, meaning that percentage of rooms at hotels and lodges that are occupied. 

“Between October and April there's definitely increased capacity and room to grow. The average annual I can see for that period is about 45%,” Medler said.

She also outlined some upcoming goals for the organization, which includes investing in sports tourism, trying to attract group and convention bookings, increasing visitation during non-peak periods in specific locations and aligning visitor education programs with community values, among other priorities. 

Part of educating visitors includes teaching them how to “recreate responsibly” — messaging that encourages people to learn about leave no trace principles, preparedness and respecting others.

Another organization with a vested interest in promoting responsible recreation Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Regional Information and Program Manager Dillon Tabish highlighted the state agency’s work to conserve private timberlands for recreational use. 

Tabish said at one point, there was access to around 700,000 acres of this land in Northwest Montana, but over the years of it changing hands between logging companies, access has become limited. 

While tourists spend time at state parks, Tabish noted that 70% of visitors to state parks in Northwest Montana are local residents. 

“That's something we're pretty proud of,” Tabish said. “So we are continuing to see those upward trends though in the last five years, and just in Northwest Montana, we've seen about a 14% increase in our state park visitation.”

Monitoring the quality of another draw for residents and visitors, Flathead Lake Biological Station Director Jim Elser gave a brief history of the station which is celebrating 125 years of operation. It outlined the station’s monitoring program used to decipher changes in the lake. 

“It was able to detect the ecological impacts of the arrival of the non-native mysis shrimp, which invaded from Swan Lake and Whitefish Lake, leading to the collapse of the Kokanee salmon fishery, that you may have heard or read about, over time,” Esler said. 

Despite this mark on the lake’s history, Esler said the lake has remained pretty similar year-to-year. Data collected on water transparency has not changed in the 40 years measurements have been taken. 

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing tinman@dailyinterlake.com