HomeMy WebLinkAbout15- Open Window Proposal - Strat Plan RFP2015 Strategic Plan RFP
City of Bozeman
Proposal by
Open Window Consulting, LLC229 Silver Cloud CircleBozeman, MT 59715www.OpenWindowConsulting.netPoint of Contact: Julie Cerenzia Submitted December 1, 2015Julie@OpenWindowConsulting.net(406) 624-6972 (Fax na)
Table of Contents
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................................................................2
Narrative ....................................................................................................................................................................................................2
Proposed Work Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................................3
Staffing...................................................................................................................................................................................................3
Summary of anticipated involvement of COB leadership and staff ......................................................................................................3
Proposed work schedule .......................................................................................................................................................................4
Detailed work plan ................................................................................................................................................................................4
Public engagement plan...........................................................................................................................................................................12
Qualifications ...........................................................................................................................................................................................13
References ...............................................................................................................................................................................................15
Non-Discrimination Affirmation Form .....................................................................................................................................................15
Company description: Open Window Consulting is a management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and
performance improvement. Open Window is based in Bozeman, Montana, and was established in 2009. Our principals
are Julie Cerenzia and Jim Cerenzia.
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [2]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Open Window Consulting, LLC, a management consulting firm based in Bozeman, MT, is pleased to submit the attached proposal in
response to the “2015 Strategic Plan RFP”.
The principals of Open Window Consulting, Julie Cerenzia and Jim Cerenzia, bring broad and varied experience in strategy
development, implementation, and citizen and stakeholder engagement, as well as strong personal and professional familiarity and
understanding of Bozeman and Montana. Our proposal sets forth an organic, thorough, and broadly participative process by which
we will establish a clear vision for Bozeman and a strategic plan to achieve that vision.
We will produce a vision for Bozeman that is clear and realistic, reflects broad community consensus, and can serve as a compass for
guiding the city through the next 25 years of growth and change. We will get to the heart of what Bozeman’s citizens most want for
the city by asking them what they most want to preserve, avoid, and achieve in the city’s future. We will deepen engagement with
opportunities for citizens and stakeholders to discuss realistic costs and trade-offs, and to comment on proposed goals and
strategies.
We will produce a strategic plan that will steer Bozeman toward its vision with consistency by guiding prioritization and decision-
making, resource allocation, and the daily activities of City departments and staff. Clarity, simplicity, adaptiveness, and lean
management will prevent micromanagement, rigidity, and administrative burden.
The strategic goals will operationalize the vision by clearly establishing “what success looks like”across the various facets of life in
Bozeman. The strategic objectives will identify critical success factors for achieving each goal, providing concrete stepping stones to
success. Goals and objectives will be outcomes (not activities) based and metrics will track progress with validity, clarity, and
minimal burden.
Implementation and strategic behavior, not the Strategic Plan document, are the true outcomes of the strategic planning process.
The implementation plan will provide frameworks to foster strategic behavior, align activities and promote inter-department
collaboration, align resource allocation, and monitor progress. It will incorporate elements of adaptive strategy and lean
management to provide continuous improvement, responsiveness to changing circumstances and new information, and consistent
focus on delivering outcomes.
The strategy will be organic to Bozeman, developed through executive decision-making by the City leadership. Drawing upon our
extensive experience in supporting executive decision-making, we will provide the City leaders with well synthesized research,
analysis, and vetted alternatives; and will facilitate effective discussion and decision-making. The resulting strategy will emerge from
your executive deliberations, not from templates.
NARRATIVE
Bozeman has experienced a period of rapid growth, which is expected to continue into the future. The public and the City
government have expressed a desire to manage and respond to growth in a way that captures the benefits while preserving what
makes Bozeman unique and beloved. Recognizing the growing demands upon city services and complexity in governing as Bozeman
grows from a town into a small city, the City leadership also wishes to have a framework that will guide prioritization and unify and
coordinate land use, facility, and other city plans. This RFP reflects a commitment by the City to clarify a vision of “what Bozeman
wants to be” and to put in place a Strategic Plan that will guide and enable the realization of that vision.
Open Window Consulting will engage citizens and City leadership to identify a vision for Bozeman’s future that is realistic and enjoys
a broad consensus from the community. Our approach applies the Achieve, Preserve, Avoid framework to help focus the
community’s thoughts and priorities.
We will work with you to produce a Strategic Plan that will serve to prioritize the City’s objectives and activities, coordinate the
various departments and city plans, and guide allocation of resources. The Strategic Plan will guide priorities and actions, set metrics
for driving and gauging success, evolve in response to feedback and changing conditions, and will provide consistency with
responsiveness.
A key challenge is ensuring that the strategic plan provides clarity, without adding bureaucracy, rigidity, and micromanagement.
Three aspects of our approach will accomplish this. First, we will help the City arrive at a small number of strategic goals, so that
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [3]
they can serve as guiding principles that are easy to know, understand, and keep in mind in the course of daily activities and
decisions. Secondly, for each strategic goal we will work with the City to clearly answer the fundamental question: “What does
success look like?”At this level, measuring progress need not mean a complex set of detailed numbers. It is possible to clearly show
quantitative and qualitative trends that demonstrate progress toward the goal without getting bogged down in micro-measurement.
Thirdly, we will help the City develop a framework for setting annual priorities among the various strategic objectives that is clear,
predictable, and integrated with the strategy.
A second challenge is ensuring that the strategy is organic to Bozeman. While it should certainly be informed by best practices and
lessons learned elsewhere, if Bozeman’s strategic plan is not a product of the true wishes and preferences of its citizens and leaders
it will not have the broad support and buy-in that are essential. We will engage citizens and stakeholders in a way that is both broad
(input from many) and deep (asking them to think about costs and tradeoffs, not just wishes). We will also engage meaningfully with
City leadership throughout the process. Our approach is based upon many years’ experience in supporting executive decision-
making. We will provide the City Commission and Manager with well synthesized research and analysis; present alternatives, with
pros, cons, key considerations, and benchmarking; and facilitate effective discussion and decision-making. The resulting goals and
objectives will emerge from your executive deliberations, not from templates.
Perhaps the most critical challenge is ensuring that the strategic planning process produces a strategic way of operating, rather than
a document that gathers dust on a shelf. We will foster implementation in three ways. Firstly, we will ensure that the vision and
strategy are organic to Bozeman, as discussed above, so that all feel ownership. Secondly, the implementation plan will include
communications and citizen engagement mechanisms that keep all City staff tuned in to the goals and objectives and progress
toward them and that keep citizens engaged to provide ongoing public support for goals and oversight of progress. Thirdly, we will
help the City develop an adaptive strategy that encourages feedback and innovation by those responsible for implementation. The
result is better responsiveness to changing circumstances, continuous improvement of implementation, lean management, and
empowerment that keeps City staff engaged in attaining the strategic goals and vision.
PROPOSED WORK PLAN
STAFFING
All activities under this contract will be conducted by the principals of Open Window Consulting. The project will be led by Julie
Cerenzia, PhD, with the assistance of Jim Cerenzia. The prior work history of each consultant is detailed in Qualifications and
Attachment 1: Resumes. In summary, Julie Cerenzia has extensive experience with strategy development and implementation, public
policy development and implementation, public administration, citizen engagement, research and analysis. Jim Cerenzia is a trained
facilitator and has extensive professional experience with strategy development and implementation, change management,
evaluation of strategy implementation and failures of implementation, organizational capabilities and maturity, and stakeholder
engagement. Open Window Consulting developed the Montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan, a strategic implementation
plan for Virginia City and Nevada City, and strategic planning and implementation for numerous private sector entities. Further, our
principals have completed many strategic plans for a variety of public sector organizations.
SUMMARY OF ANTICIPATED INVOLVEMENT OF COB LEADERSHIP AND STAFF
We invite substantive involvement by City leadership and staff throughout the process, to ensure that the resulting strategy is
organic to Bozeman and that all COB staff feel ownership over it. We respect the value of your time and approach each of your work
sessions as an executive session. At each stage of the work plan, we will gather relevant information –including public and
stakeholder input, data, benchmarking and best practices –and analyze and synthesize the information to produce an effective
“discussion document”. The document will provide recommendations or options, set forth the pros and cons for each, and pose any
critical questions to be debated by City leadership, so that the work session can efficiently produce your executive decision.
As detailed below, we will convene seven brief executive sessions, each no longer than 3 hours. As opposed to full-day strategic
planning retreats, this approach allows us to provide you with highly effective preparation, avoids the inevitable loss of productivity
at the end of long retreat days, and gives you time to distill your thoughts between discussions. We also request your participation
in two surveys to gather your raw input, and encourage City leadership to make themselves available for participation in media
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [4]
outreach (e.g., requested interviews), to ensure that the City, not the consultants, remain the public face of the strategic planning
effort.
We will request that relevant City staff also participate,as appropriate, in some executive sessions to provide their expertise and
insights; share with us their honest insights; review and approve media communications; provide technical integration or linking of
strategic planning website and tools from www.Bozeman.net; and provide requested information or data.
PROPOSED WORK SCHEDULE
The figure below shows the major tasks, their durations, and the estimated number of person-hours assigned to each.The Schedule
of Costs provides further detail.
DETAILED WORK PLAN
This section provides a narrative description of each component in Open Window Consulting’s proposed work plan. The activities
proposed herein encompass all seven “tasks” identified in Section 3.1 of the Request for Proposals.
STAGE 1: PROJECT INITIATION
Kickoff meeting
Open Window will hold an initial meeting with City leaders and staff to launch the strategic planning process. The meeting objective
is to provide a clear, shared understanding of the objectives and the work to be done so that work can commence promptly.
Research and analysis
Upon notification of selection, Open Window Consulting will begin conducting research and analysis to support the strategic
planning effort. Research and analysis will continue through much of the strategic planning process. We will ensure that internal and
external data, best practices and insights from other communities, and other resources such as studies and policy papers are
gathered, analyzed, synthesized and presented to the City leadership at appropriate junctures to ensure that your decisions are well
informed and simplified. We will also make periodic requests for internal data or information; however, we believe that data
collection should be parsimonious and data will be requested only when it is expected to offer a specific necessary insight.
Dedicated website
Open Window Consulting will develop a website dedicated to the strategic planning process. We will manage the website during the
strategic planning process, will ensure that it is easily accessed from www.Bozeman.net, and will turn it over to the City at the end of
the process if it is deemed to be of further value. We note that the City would like to utilize the existing Online City Hall and will
discuss with City staff its technical functionality and the possibilities for incorporating its use into the citizen engagement plan. The
website will notionally include FAQs and background information; a schedule of planned citizen engagement opportunities; links to
all online surveys;updates on the strategic planning process; and summaries of public input (aggregated and anonymized).
Public launch
The public launch of the strategic planning process will seek to make the public widely aware of the process, the opportunities for
public input, and the desire for public input. We will draft a media advisory and public service announcement to all Bozeman media
January February March April May June July
Person-
hours
1. Project Initiation 56
2. Visioning 210
3. Strategic Analysis 148
4. Strategy 276
5. Implem. Plan 236
6. Final deliverable 40
Research & Analysis na
Citizen input na
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outlets –print, radio, and television. For the launch, we will also purchase print advertisements in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. We
propose to reach out to each of the Citizen Advisory Boards and other citizen bodies recommended by the City to help amplify the
call for public input.
In all outreach and publicity, we recommend that the City Commission and City Manager –not the consultants –remain the face of
the strategic planning effort. We propose that these City leaders be available for any requested interviews to media outlets and we
will provide full preparation support to minimize the time and effort required of these City leaders and their staff.
STAGE 2: VISIONING
The proposed visioning process is intended to produce a vision for Bozeman that captures a realistic dream of what the city could
look like in the future.
The visioning process involves extensive citizen engagement using electronic surveys, an open house, and public and stakeholder
workshops. Citizen engagement is designed to produce the additional important outcomes of building social capital in the
community and creating broader citizen appreciation of the challenges and trade-offs involved in strategically managing Bozeman’s
future.
The process will also involve multiple opportunities for the City leadership to contribute its own visions and to respond to the
thoughts and ideas of the public. City leadership and staff will participate through surveys and a visioning session.
First Public Survey: Preserve, avoid, achieve
Open Window Consulting will open the first citizen survey when the strategic planning effort is publicly launched. The survey will
notionally ask citizens to describe their idealized vision of Bozeman in the future; and ask them to suggest what they most wish to
preserve about Bozeman, what they most wish to avoid in its future, and what they most aspire for Bozeman to achieve in the
future. There will be a 10-day response period. We will use a SurveyMonkey instrument, which can be accessed via the dedicated
website, linked from the City website, and distributed by email.
Public Open House
During the survey period, we propose to convene a public open house to afford citizens the opportunity to contribute their answers
to the preserve, avoid, achieve questions in person. The same questions and the answer format will be used to facilitate aggregation
of all public input. Information regarding the strategic planning process will be available for review and Open Window staff will be
available to speak with attendees about the process.
City Leadership and Staff Surveys: Preserve, avoid, achieve
Concurrent with the gathering of initial public input, Open Window Consulting will collect the same input from the Mayor and City
Commission; the City Manager and Department Directors; and the larger City Staff. The concurrent collection of data produces
“double blind” data –neither the broader public nor the City leaders and staff knows or can be influenced by the other’s input. This
offers an early way to identify disjunctures that may reflect differences in perspective, performance gaps, or weaknesses in
communication or engagement.
Analysis of initial visioning input
Anonymized results from the citizen survey, public open house, and internal City surveys will be provided to the City leadership for
their information. While the nature of the data collected will determine the best way to present it, we notionally propose to create a
“word cloud” for the public response to each of the preserve, avoid, achieve questions. The appeal of the word cloud is that it
captures in a graphic way the areas of consensus that emerge regarding the public’s preferences and priorities for Bozeman, while
also reflecting everyone’s input. Open Window Consulting will also generate word clouds from the answers submitted by City
leadership and staff, which will be shared with City Leadership, but will not be made public.
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Public reporting of citizen input
We anticipate releasing a set of citizen word clouds, publishing them on the dedicated website and on the City website, if feasible,
and undertaking another round of full media outreach to ensure that the emerging consensus gains wide salience among Bozeman’s
citizens.
Second Public Survey: exploring the vision
We will produce a second electronic citizen engagement survey, reflecting the results of the first survey. The most common answers
to the preserve, avoid, achieve questions will be presented and the public will be asked to again submit words or phrases that
explore what each of these answers means to them. They will be asked why each should be pursued –what are the expected
benefits or what negatives might be avoided? They will also be asked to provide their thoughts regarding how each of the possible
priorities could be achieved, for example, what resources would be required; whether the City government, community
organizations, or individuals can or should lead the effort; and what costs or trade-offs might be required.
This survey will be designed to meet several objectives. It will provide an opportunity for engaged citizens to provide a more
substantive contribution to the vision. It may uncover obstacles, challenges, or public concerns of which the City Leadership were
not keenly aware. Perhaps most importantly, it fosters among the engaged citizenry a fuller appreciation of the trade-offs involved
in prioritization, the very real limitations that exist, and the difficulty of crafting strategies that will deliver the vision of Bozeman.
The survey period will be 10 days and all results will be anonymized.
Second Survey of City Leadership and City Staff: exploring the vision
An alternate version of the second survey will be prepared and distributed to all City leadership and staff. City leaders and staff may
have more detailed insights to offer and the survey will provide them with “open response” options. The survey responses of City
Staff can be particularly instrumental in identifying obstacles, challenges, and potential performance gaps that must be addressed by
the Strategic Plan. This version may also delve into any differences found in the public and City responses to the first (preserve,
avoid, achieve) survey.
Stakeholder Workshop
During the second survey period, we propose to convene a workshop for key stakeholders, with targeted recruitment by invitation.
We will work with City staff to develop a list of invitees with the objective of including representatives of all groups, organizations,
and segments of the population that might be affected by the strategic planning decisions and who have the capacity to influence
the implementation or success of the strategic efforts. Notional attendees include representatives of the County, MSU and Gallatin
College, Bozeman Public Schools/Trustees, the Downtown Business Association,Chamber of Commerce, HRDC, SWMBIA, Thrive,
Gallatin Valley Land Trust, and other local groups that contribute to the economic, environmental, and human triple bottom line in
Bozeman. Participation is intended to be as broad as possible and balanced where conflicting interests exist.
The workshop will explore the community’s answers to the first and second survey questions, providing greater discussion, detail,
expertise, insights, and objections. Benefits, costs, trade-offs, unintended consequences, attainability, and appropriate roles for
government will be addressed. Stakeholders will be asked to share in advance of the workshop any relevant data or information that
they feel will substantively inform the discussion. Open Window Consulting will develop questions, provide any useful discussion
materials, and facilitate the discussion with the notional use of nominal group technique to structure the meeting.
Public Workshop
At the close of the second survey period, we propose to convene a public workshop open to anyone in the general public who is
interested in engaging more deeply in the strategic planning process. The content of the discussion will parallel that of the second
citizen survey, but will give attendees the opportunity to discuss and further explore the various answers with more rigor. Results
from the public survey and from the stakeholder workshop will be used to pose questions and structure and inform the discussion.
Depending upon the size of the gathering, we anticipate using nominal group technique to structure the meeting.
Analysis of deeper visioning input
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The results of the second citizen engagement survey, the second survey of City Leadership and City Staff, the stakeholder workshop,
and the public workshop will be compiled and analyzed for key insights.
Executive Session 1: Visioning
Open Window Consulting will prepare a discussion document that brings together the results and analysis of all public and
stakeholder engagement to date. We will address the consensus answers in concrete terms and examine them through multiple
lenses, such as the local economy and the economic wellbeing of the citizenry, the local identity and sense of community, the
physical character of the City, health and safety, etc. We will discuss the extent to which City government can control or influence
the various components of the vision; necessary resources; the costs or trade-offs that might be required; and the strength of both
consensus and dissent. We will compare the citizen and stakeholder input against the thoughts of the City leadership.
This executive session will allow the City leadership to develop a deeper understanding of what the citizenry wishes to preserve,
avoid, and achieve for Bozeman, to explore their own answers, and to consider the input of various stakeholder groups. Open
Window principals will facilitate the crafting of a vision statement for Bozeman by City leadership during this executive session.
Public unveiling of the vision statement
We propose to have a robust media outreach campaign to present the vision statement that has emerged from the visioning
process. If, in consultation with City leadership, we feel that validation through strategic analysis might lead to a vision that is
substantively more realistic and supportable, we will recommend unveiling the vision statement after completion of the strategic
analysis.
STAGE 3: STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Strategic analysis –or situation analysis –provides an essential foundation for creating a strategy that is realistic and effective. Open
Window Consulting will prepare an initial strategic analysis that will be discussed by City leadership at the second executive session
(noted below).
Draft strategic analysis
Open Window will collect and synthesize existing data, information, studies, and benchmarking documents that are relevant and
useful upon initiation of the contract. We will add the insights derived from the citizen and stakeholder engagements, and will
validate and/or quantify this input with available data, as appropriate.
In the private sector, strategically guided companies will evaluate both the external environment and their internal strengths and
weaknesses to shape a strategic plan that is well targeted and realistic. In the non-profit sector, a similar best practice involves the
consideration of both “programmatic” objectives and performance (what impact or outcomes are produced) and “operational”
objectives and performance (how efficient and effective are the internal operations and financial management). We will ensure that
operational considerations are included in the strategic analysis.While visioning will likely have produced a strong emphasis on
programmatic outcomes for the City of Bozeman and its citizens, it is important for the subsequent strategic planning efforts to also
look inward to operational aspects of the City’s government.
The strategic analysis will begin with a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis for Bozeman and for the
City government. Our approach draws upon root cause analysis to drill deeper, and upon stakeholder analysis to understand who is
affected by the SWOT factors and who can influence them. We will use the SWOT analysis and Bozeman’s recent citizen satisfaction
survey to identify possible performance gaps; reference the current stated goals of the City; and examine the limitations on
resources, capacity, and the city government’s sphere of influence to foster realistic goals and objectives. We will explicitly
document key strategic assumptions. Finally, we will consider the City’s organizational maturity using simplified principles of the
Capability Maturity Model. As discussed in the Narrative section, as Bozeman matures from a town to a small city, both service
providers and decision makers in the City government will need the support of greater capacity and more mature processes to
address the growing demand and complexity.
A concise draft strategic analysis will be provided to City leadership in advance of the executive session, for their review and
consideration.
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Executive Session 2: Strategic Analysis
We propose that participation in this executive session be expanded to involve select City staff. We will work with the City to identify
those people throughout City government who are most attune to the external and internal factors and most able to identify and
evaluate them. Their presence will allow City leaders to pose questions and gain practitioners’ insights as they delve into the
analysis.
A final strategic analysis document will be produced following the executive session. It is intended to be a brief summation bringing
together what is known from various sources, and reflect the discussion at the executive session. We notionally propose to produce
a graphic, infographic, or one-page synopsis designed specifically for public consumption, which will be published on the dedicated
website.
STAGE 4: STRATEGY &MISSION
It is at this stage that we move from vision and strategic analysis into strategic plan development. The strategic goals, objectives, and
operational plans embody the strategy that will be used to realize the vision for Bozeman and for its City government.
Executive Sessions 3 &4: Strategic Goals
Open Window will provide a discussion document that suggests a number of possible ways to move from the vision statement and
preserve, avoid, achieve topics to a small set of overarching goals. We will tentatively schedule two executive sessions to ensure that
City leadership will have ample time to discuss the options, select goals, and arrive at a full, shared understanding of these goals.
The selected strategic goals will be expressed in terms of outcomes (not activities) and will (i) operationalize the vision for
Bozeman;(ii) encompass all of the work that the City intends to undertake; (iii) avoid wishing for outcomes that are outside the City’s
influence or control; and (iv) be clearly understood (and measurable) by defining “what success looks like.”
Operationalize the vision: Strategic goals reside at a high level and identify overarching priority areas. Each goal should speak to
broader aspects of life in Bozeman. Each will likely encompass a number of the more specific wishes identified through visioning and
cut across departments and other silos.
Encompass all City activities: Best practices suggest a small number of strategic goals to ensure clarity and focus. Yet taken together,
the strategic goals should encompass the full scope of activities in which the City government is engaged. This is corollary to the
precept that all City activities should have a strategic purpose and should be justified by their contribution to achieving strategic
outcomes.
Avoid wishing: We will help the City guard against setting goals that are not within the control or strong influence of the city
government. While the visioning process projected an ideal future state for the town of Bozeman, the goals and objectives should
speak specifically to the city government’s role in realizing those visions.
“What does success look like?”A key element of our approach is ensuring that this discussion includes consideration of “what
success looks like” in concrete terms for each potential goal. This not only lays the foundation for setting objectives and metrics, but
also ensures that the goals are defined and expressed with sufficient clarity for all to have a shared understanding of their meaning.
It is this discussion that leads us to schedule two executive sessions, as it can uncover perspectives that are at odds and that must be
fully resolved through consensus building.
As goals are selected during the executive session, we will seek to identify possible objections from citizens, stakeholders, or city
staff, consider their validity as well as a defensible response.
Following the executive sessions, we will produce a draft presentation of the strategic goals, which we propose to publish with a 10-
day public comment period. Full media outreach will ensure that the public is fully engaged. Responses will be summarized and
provided to City leadership. If significant and valid dissent is received, we recommend that City leadership consider refinement of
the goals. With or without refinement of the goals, public feedback will be recognized and addressed on the dedicated website. This
is a crucial step in establishing substantive citizen engagement and adaptive strategy.
Mission statement
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [9]
We anticipate discussing the City’s mission statement –“To enhance the quality of life through excellence in public service”–and
whether it should be updated during the final goal-setting executive session. If the City leadership wishes to revisit the current
tagline –“the most livable place”–and its alignment with the Bozeman vision, this can also be addressed.
While an organization’s mission statement is often taken up earlier in the strategic planning process, we find that a mission
statement can benefit greatly from the thought that goes into strategic analysis and goal selection. The purpose of a mission
statement is to clarify the role that the City government will play in achieving the vision and goals. The mission statement will be
publicized with the final strategic goals.
City staff consultations
Prior to moving from strategic goals to setting objectives, Open Window Consulting will undertake an extensive set of one-on-one
meetings with key City staff in all departments to discuss current operations and current City Plans, resources and constraints, past
obstacles and frustrations, insights and suggested innovations. Involving those on the front lines of implementation lays the
foundations for effective and implementable objectives, builds ownership and buy-in, establishes a focus on outcomes, sets
expectations for feedback and adaptation, and garners many of the benefits of lean management practices. We also propose to
reach out to all Citizen Advisory Committees for their insights and input.
Other existing city plans are critical implementation tools and must be aligned with the strategy. While a full review of each lies
outside the scope of this contract, Open Window will read each plan and discuss it with relevant staff, and will meet with those
updating the Transportation and Water Master Plans and the Unified Development Code to provide general comments regarding
alignment and implementation.
Executive Sessions 5 & 6: Strategic objectives
Open Window Consulting will produce a discussion document for City leadership setting forth recommended objectives and
summarizing the rationale that supports each. We will, again, tentatively schedule two executive sessions, to ensure that City
leadership has adequate time to consider each proposed objective without being rushed or fatigued.
The objectives provide the concrete intermediate steps that are needed to achieve the strategic goals. They will coordinate and
guide all City staff, departments, and City plans. Each objective should represent a critical success factor for achieving the goal and
will be developed with an eye toward implementation and outcomes. The visioning input, strategic analysis, knowledge offered by
existing City plans, and insights from City staff will all inform this work. Our approach draws upon Roger Martin’s “cascade of
strategic decisions”and the causal “Theory of Change”model. Participants will be asked to consider not only what intermediate
steps can lead to the goal, but how and why these objectives can be expected to produce the desired end goal. Identifying and
testing these causal assumptions adds a level of rigor that can improve the impact of the City’s activities. We will also discuss any
necessary or beneficial sequencing of objectives under each goal. Further, we will work to anticipate and address any objections by
the public, stakeholders, or City staff.
We propose public announcement of the strategic objectives with media outreach and a public comment period. Again, any public
response will be evaluated and validated, reported to City leadership with any recommendations for refinement, and acknowledged
on the dedicated website.
Executive Session 7:Prioritization and decision-making mechanism
The strategic goals and objectives provide a solid framework for focused and coordinated City action. However, given inevitable
resource constraints, prioritization will have to take place. In some cases, this will result in emphasizing work toward one strategic
goal over another, but it does not follow that the City must rigidly “rank” its strategic goals or objectives. Rather, to remain
responsive and adaptive, City leadership needs a mechanism to help assess and prioritize activities based upon a rational evaluation
of each, so that each year a small number of priority initiatives can be supported.
Open Window Consulting will produce a discussion document and then facilitate an executive session with City leadership to
establish a mechanism for prioritization. This same mechanism can also be used to guide more routine decisions, such as project
approval. A potential initiative or project will be subjected to a deliberative process to uncover strategic value and urgency.
Notionally,the assessment of each could:
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Identify matters of urgent health and safety.
Note the provision of basic municipal services, and the efficiency and quality of the service.
Identify any benefits to sequencing one activity after another.
Assess whether the City has adequate capacity and resources (including staff time) to pursue the objective. Is it do-able?
Would pursuit of the objective directly prevent the pursuit of others?
Make explicit the short term benefits of action and the short term costs of inaction (quantitative and qualitative).
Make explicit the long term benefits of action, and the long term costs of inaction.
Make explicit any long term costs of delayed action, including the closing of a finite window of opportunity.
Identify who is impacted by these benefits and costs.
Anticipate objections that may be raised by citizens or stakeholders, analyze them and identify any counter points.
Evaluate the existing consensus (external and internal) in support and consider whether additional time and resources may
be required to obtain consensus support.
Explicitly state what success would look like for the initiative and how it would be measured.
While the guidelines provide data to inform the decisions of City leadership, we recommend against imposing a scoring system that
would shoehorn decision-makers into a “right” choice. In all policy decisions there must be room for judgment and consideration of
qualitative or intangible aspects. The guidelines, therefore, are intended to ensure that decisions are well informed, well considered,
rational, and defensible.
We note that the adaptive approach does not mean that the choice of objectives be continuously under question. Once objectives
have been given priority, they should be seen through to completion, with adequate resources allocated,unless a midcourse change
in circumstances or understanding warrants their reconsideration or adaptation, in which case City leadership should feel able to
reopen the matter. Objectives should not be allowed to drift out of view or into a perpetual status of “pending” without any
progress. Effective implementation and monitoring mechanisms will protect against this.
Once the prioritization mechanism has been agreed upon, Open Window will work with City staff to produce tools in the City’s
preferred format.
STAGE 5: IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, AND UPDATING MECHANISMS
Open Window will produce draft elements of the implementation plan, refine them through discussions with City staff and
leadership, and present them to City leadership for discussion and approval.
Our approach to implementation, monitoring, and updating the strategy emphasizes (i) outcomes; (ii) clear ties to resource
allocation; (iii) communication and collaboration; (iv) feedback and updating; (v) lean management; and (vi) a very low
administrative burden. We propose an implementation plan that avoids micromanagement (tasks and subtasks assigned to the level
of offices) in favor of establishing frameworks and processes that guide and unify without imposing rigidity.
The implementation plan will include the following notional elements, which will be designed to provide an integrated structure for
implementation, monitoring, evaluating, and updating:
Operational and administrative framework
Responsibility will be assigned for each goal and objective, with the need for interdepartmental collaboration noted. We
recommend applying lean management principles by giving those on the front lines of implementation the authority and
responsibility to direct their actions and deliver the desired outcome. The operational framework and performance management
practices will facilitate alignment of other City plans, Citizen Advisory Boards, City departments and division, and the daily activities
of City staff.
Metrics for each strategic goal and objective
Metrics will be valid and sufficiently concrete to monitor trends and patterns, with any data needs or quality issues noted.The ease
and effectiveness of the metrics should be open to revision based upon recommendations or feedback from staff involved in
implementation.
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [11]
Mechanisms for linking resource allocation to strategy
Explicit guidelines will be recommended to inject strategic alignment into budget decisions. The City’s existing Financial Policies
provide a foundation that can perhaps be reinforced through linkage to the strategic plan. Staffing decisions, too, must be aligned
with strategy as staff time is a critical ingredient in implementation.
Dashboard(s)
Dashboards can be very effective tools to collect and convey important information;to provide visibility for staff, management, or
the public into task or activity statuses; to show risks, financial information, and trends; and to trigger the need for feedback. A
public dashboard will be developed to track progress at the level of strategic goals and objectives. The dashboard should be simple
and clearly convey progress through trends and patterns, using valid metrics. Internal dashboards, also simple, clear, and with
minimal administrative burden to update can be developed to allow City staff to track progress at a more granular level.
We recommend augmenting external and internal dashboards with broader communications plans. Communications are often
overlooked but can buttress implementation by creating strategic awareness and alignment among City staff. If the mission and
goals of the City are not clearly understood, kept top of mind, and clearly supported by senior leadership, staff efforts can drift and
progress suffers. Internal dashboards can be augmented with mechanisms to share “small wins,” reinforce goals and support from
the top, collect feedback, and inform staff of adaptations made in response to feedback. The public dashboard can by augmented
with the means to share “small wins,” milestones, and adaptations with the community and to collect community feedback
continuously.
Updating framework
A recommended schedule for senior level updates (e.g., setting annual priorities, periodically evaluating goals and objectives) will be
provided. However, to the extent possible, we propose to design the processes for monitoring, evaluating, and updating to be
continuously integrated with implementation and carried out by those engaged in implementation to reduce the administrative
burden and improve the adaptive nature of the strategy. The dashboards noted above should naturally provide updates to
management and provide triggers to discuss issues in more detail. We similarly anticipate incorporating mechanisms to build
capacity, encourage feedback (not just reporting), and facilitate innovation and adaptation, drawing upon the principles of lean
management and adaptive strategy.
Priority actions needed to begin implementing the strategy will be clearly identified, as will the estimated resources needed to
accomplish these actions.
FINAL DELIVERABLE AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS
Open Window Consulting will produce a final strategic plan for public dissemination that brings together the vision (perhaps with
word clouds), mission statement, strategic goals, strategic objectives, and the strategic-level metrics that will be used on the public
dashboard. This document will be provided in hard copy (6 copies) and in editable electronic form, per the RFP. We will provide
formal presentation of the strategic plan to the City Commission or staffing support for presentation by the City Manager. All
additional internal resources and tools for prioritization, implementation, monitoring, and updating will be provided in usable
electronic formats, as identified in collaboration with City staff at the time of development.
FOLLOW-UP
Open Window Consulting proposes to conduct an electronic survey of staff and/or meet with City staff six months after the launch
of the strategic plan for an operational check-up. We notionally propose to ask about clarity,alignment, implementation,
administrative burden, measurement, and progress. We will submit anonymized results as well as a set of recommendations to the
City.
At the request of the City leadership and subject to our availability, we would like to offer our pro bono attendance at the City
Commission’s priority setting retreat in early 2017, to help facilitate the City’s first use of the prioritization mechanism.
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [12]
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN
Following is a concise presentation of Open Window Consulting’s proposed public engagement plan. The citizen engagements are
listed here in anticipated chronological order and each is described in detail within the Proposed Work Plan, where its contribution
can be seen within the context of the larger process. Media outreach will include issuing media advisories to local newspaper, radio,
and television, as well as publication on the dedicated website and linking from the City website, as feasible.
Activity Method (and recruitment)Result
Full info availability Dedicated website Continuous up-to-date info available
Public launch of process Broad media outreach Broad public awareness of process, website, and
opportunities to participate
Citizen Visioning Survey Online survey (open)Initial citizen input on visioning and priorities
Visioning Open House Open house (open)Initial citizen input on visioning and priorities
Public reporting of citizen
visioning input Broad media outreach Citizen awareness of emerging consensus vision
Citizen Strategy Survey Online survey (open)Citizen thoughts and input on how to get to their emerging
vision and priorities
Stakeholder Strategy Workshop Live workshop (targeted
recruitment)
Knowledgeable and balanced stakeholder input on
achieving the emerging vision
Public Strategy Workshop Live workshop (open,
preregistration required)
Interactive public discussion of emerging vision and
strategic considerations
Public unveiling of Vision Broad media outreach Broad public awareness of consensus vision and public
priorities
Possible public report of
strategic analysis graphic Broad media outreach Broad public awareness of Bozeman’s strategic
environment
Public comment on Strategic
Goals Broad media outreach Citizen response to the proposed strategic goals
Outreach to Citizen Advisory
Boards
Direct contact and/or meeting
attendance, as possible
(targeted)
Advisory board input and insights regarding objectives and
implementation
Public comment on Strategic
Objectives Broad media outreach Citizen response to the proposed strategic goals
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [13]
QUALIFICATIONS
All activities under this contract will be conducted by the principals of Open Window Consulting, a Bozeman-based management
consulting firm. The project will be led by Julie Cerenzia, PhD, with the assistance of Jim Cerenzia. We affirm that full staffing, per our
work plan, will be available and will not be jeopardized by current or projected workloads. We do not anticipate the use of any sub-
consultants.
Julie and Jim have significant experience working with all aspects of strategy. In addition to the development of strategic plans, we
have professional experience with strategy implementation, requirements analysis, program and project management,performance
management, change management, policy development and analysis, and program and organizational evaluations and assessments.
We have witnessed both successful and failed strategic planning and implementation. Further, we bring to this project extensive
experience in critical analysis, distilling complex issues into manageable components, oversight and governance, coordination with
many and competing stakeholders, tying strategies to policies and implementation, and being sensitive to budgets and constraints.
We take a tailored approach to strategic planning, focusing our efforts on the most critical and impactful elements for the client and
producing a document designed to deliver the client’s desired outcomes.
Julie and Jim have strong professional and personal familiarity with Bozeman and Montana. Julie is a Montana native and graduate
of MSU. Julie and Jim are homeowners and business owners in the Bozeman community, Jim is a member of the Bozeman Business
Expansion and Retention (BEAR) team and a youth hockey coach, and Julie is the Business and Professional Women liaison to the
City of Bozeman for Equal Pay and a member of the former’s legislative committee.
JULIE CERENZIA, PhD
Academic Qualifications
Ph.D. in public policy; M.A. in international economics; B.A. in political science
Professional Qualifications
Developing and leading multiple strategies –including multiple federal agencies and business and nonprofit partners –to
support investment and economic development.
Providing analysis, recommendations, and decisional support to senior federal officials including multiple Cabinet
Secretaries, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Vice President of the United States.
Conducting substantive stakeholder engagement, including business and finance communities, civic and social non-
governmental organizations, environmental groups, labor organizations, often in the presence of conflict and competing
interests.
Recent Similar Projects
Developed the state of Montana 2013-17 Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan (see Attachment 2), with support of Jim
Cerenzia. Work was contracted by the Montana Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism, but intended to guide the
actions of all relevant state agencies, the quasi-public Tourism Advisory Council, nonprofit destination marketing
organizations for the six tourism regions and 18 Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus, and the private firms in Montana’s
tourism sector. Using extensive public and stakeholder engagement, market analysis, and benchmarking against best
practices, Open Window developed a business-based strategic plan focused on improving revenue, visitor experience, and
tourism industry capacity while preserving natural and cultural assets. The client specified that the strategic plan was to
include no implementation or reporting requirements. We therefore provided a menu of coordinated and aligned actions
that could be voluntarily implemented by stakeholders of every type.
Recent work conducted for the City of Bozeman: (i) Conducted a Comprehensive Development Review Fee Study and
advised City of Bozeman regarding cost recovery options for planning review activities; (ii) Produced 2014 Bozeman Rental
Housing Survey, including data collection and analysis and presenting findings and conclusions to the Bozeman Community
Affordable Housing Advisory Board (CAHAB) and Human Resource Development Council (HRDC).
Conducted a market analysis of the housing market in and around the Town of West Yellowstone, Montana.Produced an
analysis of the status and trends in housing, population, demographics, and affordable housing.
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [14]
JIM CERENZIA
Academic Qualifications
M.S. in civil engineering; M.A. in international economics; B.Sc. in biochemistry; B.A. in political science
Professional Qualifications
Developing strategic plans and strategic implementation plans for multiple agencies and programs, including the U.S. Coast
Guard’s (USCG) Marine Safety and Marine Environmental Protection programs ($800m annual program budget);
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis ($330m annual budget); and DHS domestic
response to tactical nuclear weapons.
Conducting evaluations and making corrective recommendations of agencies, programs, and projects including U.S.
Customs and Border Protection and Coast Guard aviation programs, and DHS Science and Technology Directorate
infrastructure research and development projects.
Evaluating performance problems and developing performance improvement strategies for clients including the USCG
Acquisition program ($30 billion program budget)and DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s project management
practices and processes ($600m annual program budget).
Establishing project selection and prioritization guidelines for DHS infrastructure research and development projects.
Conducting substantive stakeholder engagement including interviewing over 500 stakeholders in 23 cities in a wide variety
of public and private entities for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Safety and Marine Environmental Protection programs.
Recent Similar Projects
Business operations analysis and strategic planning for Virginia City, Nevada City, and the Reeder’s Alley district of Helena,
Montana (See Attachment 3). The towns of Virginia City and Nevada City operate as living history tourist destinations and
all business and historic assets in these two towns and the neighborhood of Reeder’s Alley are managed by the Montana
Heritage Commission. The primary goal was to formalize the strategic direction and guide actions so that the operations
would be financially self-sustaining while preserving the significant public assets.
Developed strategic plans for businesses in the automotive, agriculture, and building industries sectors.
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [15]
REFERENCES
Reference 1:Montana Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism
Contact:Ms. Jeri Duran, Division Administrator
Tel:(406) 841-2872
Email:jduran@mt.gov
Summary of project:Design, facilitate, develop and produce the 2013-2017 Montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan.
See description in Qualifications section and work product at Attachment 2.
Reference 2:Montana Heritage Commission
Contact:Mr.Elijah Allen,Executive Director
Tel:(406) 843-5247 ext. 208
Email:eallen@mt.gov
Summary of project:Develop and produce “Business Performance Plan for the Montana Heritage Commission,” comprising a
business operations analysis and strategic plan for Virginia City, Nevada City, and the Reeder’s Alley
district of Helena, Montana. See description in Qualifications section and work product at Attachment 3.
NON-DISCRIMINATION AFFIRMATION FORM
Attachment 1: Resumes Open Window Consulting, LLC
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [1]
Julie Cerenzia, PhD
Julie focuses on strategic planning,program and organizational evaluation, and process analysis. She has provided
well-supported recommendations for a wide range of clients in a variety of functional areas. She has significant
experience inside state and federal government and has advised city, state, and federal agencies internally and
externally on domestic and international subjects, including public policy, public-private partnerships, finance,
labor, housing, trade, and tourism. A Montana native, she holds a Ph.D. in public policy, a master’s degree in
international economics, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Montana State University.
Professional Experience
Principal, Open Window Consulting, Bozeman MT, 2009-present
Founded and leads a management consulting firm that provides management consulting services to the public
sector, private sector, and nonprofit organizations. Representative projects include:
Developed the state of Montana 2013-17 Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan. Work was contracted by
the Montana Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism, but intended to guide the actions of all
relevant state agencies, the quasi-public Tourism Advisory Council, nonprofit destination marketing
organizations for the six tourism regions and 18 Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus, and the private firms in
Montana’s tourism sector. Using extensive public and stakeholder engagement, market analysis, and
benchmarking against best practices, Open Window developed a business-based strategic plan focused on
improving revenue, visitor experience, and tourism industry capacity while preserving natural assets.
Conducted a Comprehensive Development Review Fee Study and advised City of Bozeman regarding cost
recovery options for planning review activities.
Produced 2014 Bozeman Rental Housing Survey, including data collection and analysis and presenting
findings and conclusions to the Bozeman Community Affordable Housing Advisory Board (CAHAB) and
Human Resource Development Council (HRDC).
Conducted a market analysis of the housing market in and around the Town of West Yellowstone,
Montana.Produced an analysis of the status and trends in housing, population, demographics, and
affordable housing. Report will be used to develop and guide affordable workforce housing policies and
activities by the Town.
Project Finance Specialist & Liaison to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Washington DC, 1997-2005
Subject matter expert for structured finance, investment, and financial services.
Conducted project analysis, policy analysis, and trend analysis.
Produced written reports, briefing papers, and oral briefings for senior federal officials.
Analyzed all major financing proposals for approval by OPIC Board of Directors and provided briefings and
recommendations to the USDOC Board Member (generally the Deputy Secretary or Under Secretary).
Project evaluations included consideration of financial structuring, risk mitigation, and compliance with
U.S. trade, labor, and environmental policies.
Secondment to the U.S. Export-Import Bank, Structured & Project Finance, to provide business
development and application review.
Advocacy Project Manager, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington DC, 1996-1997
Attachment 1: Resumes Open Window Consulting, LLC
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [2]
Developed and implemented multiple strategic plans for addressing anti-competitive practices by foreign
governments and for supporting specific U.S. firms that had anti-competitive claims against a foreign
government. Strategies directed the actions of senior U.S. government officials including multiple cabinet
secretaries and the Vice President of the United States. Led strategy development and implementation for
all Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Former Soviet markets.
Carried out thorough due diligence, developed strategies, led multi-agency teams, and produced briefing
materials and action items for senior officials including multiple Cabinet Secretaries and the Vice
President of the United States.
Trade Information Specialist & Presidential Management Fellow, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington DC,
1995-1996
Counseled U.S. small business exporters and produced guides to U.S. Government programs to support
exporters.
International Tourism Marketing Manager, Montana Department of Commerce (Helena MT)and Rocky Mountain
International (London, U.K.), 1991-1993
Developed and implemented tourism promotion in European markets and counseled Montana tourism
businesses.
Assistant International Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Governor, Helena MT, 1990-1991
Coordinated and assisted international activities of the Governor’s Office and Montana Departments of
Commerce and Agriculture.
Education
Ph.D. in Public Policy,George Mason University
Key Methodologies: advanced economic analysis; dynamic modeling and systems analysis; case studies;
multivariate statistical analysis; tax incidence analysis
M.A. in International Economics,Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
(Bologna, Italy and Washington, DC)
B.A. in Political Science,Montana State University
Attachment 1: Resumes Open Window Consulting, LLC
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [3]
Jim Cerenzia
Jim focuses on strategic planning, program and organizational evaluation, and process analysis. He has provided well-supported
recommendations for a wide range of clients in a variety of functional areas. He has analyzed programs up to $30 billion in size and
worked with many small and large organizations and programs to improve them. He holds master’s degrees in civil engineering and
international economics and bachelor’s degrees in political science and biochemistry.
Professional Experience
Principal, Open Window Consulting, Bozeman, Montana, 2012-present
Jim co-leads a two-person firm that provides strategic planning, program and organizational evaluation, and process analysis
management consulting services to the private sector, public sector, and nonprofit organizations.Open Window provides
recommendations that show clear benefits that focus on organizational improvement, return on investments, efficiency gains,
improved customer value, improved effectiveness, valid strategic choices, and recognizing and adapting to change.
Jim is also a team member of the Bozeman Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) team, providing pro bono advice to clients to
improve business stabilization, expansion, and retention in Montana’s Gallatin Valley.
Representative projects include:
Business operations analysis and strategic planning for Virginia City, Nevada City, and the Reeder’s Alley district of Helena,
Montana. The towns of Virginia City and Nevada City operate as living history tourist destinations and all business and
historic assets in these two towns and the neighborhood of Reeder’s Alley are managed by the Montana Heritage
Commission. The primary goal was to reflect a direction and guide actions so that the operations would be financially self-
sustaining while preserving the significant public assets.
Developed strategic plans for businesses in the automotive, agriculture, and building industries sectors.
Principal Consultant,Analytic Services, Inc.,Arlington, Virginia, 2007-2012
Jim was a principal consultant for a management consulting firm. He led teams to undertake complex analyses of programs and
organizations, to develop strategic and implementation plans, to identify findings reflecting significant challenges and strengths, and
to provide significant recommendations for change and improvements.
Jim led the following representative consulting engagements.
Developed a strategic and implementation report for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Safety and Marine Environmental
Protection programs ($800m annual program budget). Interviewed over 500 stakeholders from the public and private
sector in meetings in 23 cities.
Developed a strategic implementation plan for the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis ($330m annual budget),
developing a blueprint for its complete reorganization.
Evaluated U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Coast Guard aviation programs -organizational, information technology
system, operations, training,maintenance, and logistics opportunities for cooperation, coordination, and integration.
Assessed DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s project management practices and processes ($600m annual project
budget) to improve them, to tailor them for effectiveness and efficiency, and to improve product transition or delivery to
customers.
Evaluated the DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s project management practices and processes ($600 million annual
program budget) and advised on improvement. Reviewed project documentation for 40 projects; interviewed project
managers, personnel, and leadership; developed a baseline of project management practices; provided a benchmark of
effective practices; and provided recommendations to improve product and service delivery to customers.
Attachment 1: Resumes Open Window Consulting, LLC
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [4]
Developed and recommended strategies to correct significant deficiencies in program and project performance of the U.S.
Coast Guard’s Acquisition program ($30 billion program budget).
Conducted an independent review, including technical approach and contracting strategy, of the Coast Guard’s Nationwide
Automatic Identification System (ship to shore communications) RFP to ensure that it was meeting the Coast Guard’s needs
for the $400+ million program.
Developed a “recapitalization” or capital improvement guide for DHS Program Analysis and Evaluation to be used with all
new major DHS programs.
Developed requirements and operations documents for the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Enterprise
Platform, taking over a project in duress and delivering quality products under significant resource constraints.
Advised DHS Management on setting up a new logistics organization to integrate all DHS components under one
headquarters organization.
Developed strategies for DHS to respond domestically to tactical nuclear weapons.
Evaluated Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency projects to advise on progress and likelihood of success
(projects in $1 –$5 million budget range).
Evaluated DHS infrastructure research and development projects, including rail, air, and waterways projects, to advise
government on project selection, funding, and utility.
Senior Consultant, Analytic Services, Inc.,Arlington, Virginia, 1999-2007
Program manager for United States Air Force (USAF) conventional treaty programs.
Advisor to the USAF Headquarters National Security Policy division –strategy; policy development, implementation, and
compliance; international law negotiation, implementation, and compliance; acquisition program review for compliance
issues; and export control review and negotiations.
Advisor to the Department of Defense Joint Staff International Negotiations division on policy, implementation, and
compliance.
Policy Analyst, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), McLean, Virginia, 1998-1999
Advisor to the Space and Special Weapons division, U.S. Army Headquarters for international treaties and agreements.
Compliance oversight responsibility for the Chemical Weapons Demilitarization Program.
International Election Supervisor, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Mission to Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Travnik and Doboj Field Offices, 1997
Served as an International Election Supervisor for both the Bosnian Municipal Elections and the Serb Republic Parliamentary
Elections, seconded by U.S. Department of State.
Project Manager, Center for Financial Engineering in Development, Washington, D.C.,1995-1996
Project Manager (Washington-based) of the Ukraine Bus System Privatization project and the $160 million U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) Russian Military Housing project.
Responsible for contract development and negotiation, project and subcontractor oversight, meeting government
contractual requirements, progress reporting, and overall project cost, schedule, and performance.
Research Associate, Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), Boston, Massachusetts,1992
Identified and developed opportunities to increase use of Massport’s airport, port, and bridge.
Attachment 1: Resumes Open Window Consulting, LLC
Open Window Consulting Proposal 2015 Strategic Plan RFP [5]
Education
M.S. in Civil, Infrastructure, and Environmental Engineering,George Mason University
M.A. in International Economics,Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) (Bologna, Italy and
Washington, DC)
B.A. in Political Science,University of Massachusetts, Boston
B.Sc. in Biology (biochemistry),University of Western Ontario (London, Canada)
Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
MONTANA
1
MONTANA
Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan
2013-2017
Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
MONTANA
2
I want to congratulate all the partners involved in creating the Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan
2013-2017. From Montana’s Main Street businesses to our tourism marketers and public land managers
across this vast state, you laid the foundation for this plan, designed to provide quality experiences for Montanans and our visitors. Many positive outcomes have sprung from the previous four statewide tourism plans. We’re confident this strategic blueprint will help strengthen Montana’s position as a premiere tourism destination in North America.
Over the years we’ve seen tourism develop as a key player in Montana’s economic and community
development successes. Partnerships brought us here. Partnerships will keep us moving – onward – into a brighter future. Let us each do our part so all of Montana can benefit from the rewards our work brings.
Advance knowing you have the support of our administration. We look forward to working with you on behalf of this great place we are proud to call home – Montana.
Sincerely,
Steve BullockGovernor, State of Montana
Jeri Duran, Division Administrator
Montana Office of Tourism
For more information, contact:
Victor BjornbergMontana Office of Tourism
301 S. Park Ave., P.O. Box 200533Helena, MT 59620-0533Tel: (406) 841-2795
vbjornberg@mt.gov
Strategic Plan Produced by:Open Window Consulting, LLC
Julie Cerenzia, PresidentBozeman, MT 59715(406) 624-6972
Julie@OpenWindowConsulting.net
www.OpenWindowConsulting.NET
Meg O’Leary, DirectorMontana Department of Commerce
Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
MONTANA
3
Contents
ExEcuTivE SummaRy ...................................................................................................................6
inTRoducTion ............................................................................................................................10
The montana Brand: Promising a True montana Experience ......................................10
montana’s visitor: the Geotraveler .................................................................................10
The Targeted approach ..........................................................................................................11
The vision of a Strong Tourism industry ..........................................................................13
montana’s Tourism Funding .................................................................................................14
montana Tourism Stakeholders and Partners ................................................................15
The Strategic Planning Process and the Way Forward .................................................18
ThREE hiGh-LEvEL STRaTEGic GoaLS ...................................................................................19
Goal 1: improved Economic Benefits ..................................................................................19
Goal 2: Preservation of assets and Quality of Life .......................................................19
Goal 3: improved visitor Experience ..................................................................................20
FivE hiGh-LEvEL STRaTEGiES ..................................................................................................21
Strategy 1: communicate and deliver montana’s “spectacular unspoiled nature”
in a way that makes it real, tangible, and accessible to the visitor....21
Strategy 2: highlight and help develop “vibrant and charming small towns”
throughout montana........................................................................................22
Strategy 3: integrate nature and towns to offer and deliver a balance of
“breathtaking experiences” & “relaxing hospitality”...............................22
Strategy 4: Serve the information and infrastructure needs of the visitor ........23
Strategy 5: Provide support for montana’s tourism industry ...................................23
STRaTEGic acTionS.................................................................................................................... 25
1.1. ESTaBLiSh iconS oF “SPEcTacuLaR unSPoiLEd naTuRE” ThRouGhouT
monTana. ..........................................................................................................................26
1.2. inTEGRaTE PuBLic LandS moRE FuLLy and FuncTionaLLy inTo TouRiSm
inFoRmaTion. ..................................................................................................................28
1.3. PRESEnT naTuRaL aSSETS in an ExPERiEnTiaL mannER.....................................30
1.4. PaRTiciPaTE in PLanninG PRocESSES FoR PuBLic LandS manaGEmEnT .......32
2.1. hiGhLiGhT monTana’S viBRanT and chaRminG SmaLL ToWnS .....................34
2.2. hiGhLiGhT ThE moST chaRminG and dESiRaBLE ELEmEnTS oF Each
communiTy in viSiToR inFoRmaTion .....................................................................36
Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
MONTANA
4
2.3. EvaLuaTE and PuRSuE ESSEnTiaL LocaL WayFindinG SoLuTionS .................39
2.4. imPRovE ThE cuRB aPPEaL oF ToWnS ......................................................................41
2.5. SuPPoRT LocaL and monTana PRoducTS and BuSinESSES To BuiLd
EconomicaLLy viBRanT ToWnS. ...............................................................................43
2.6. dEvELoP and SuSTain SPEciaL EvEnTS ThaT TiE in WiTh LocaL
TouRiSm aSSETS ...............................................................................................................45
2.7. ExPand TouRiSm SEaSonS ThRouGh LocaL cooRdinaTion ............................48
2.8. addRESS ThE ShoRT- To LonG-TERm EFFEcTS oF ThE BakkEn
oiL Boom FoR TouRiSm .................................................................................................50
3.1. PRESEnT Each ToWn in ThE conTExT oF iTS SuRRoundinGS ..........................54
3.2. conTinuE To PRovidE FinanciaL and TEchnicaL SuPPoRT FoR
TouRiSm PRojEcTS. ........................................................................................................56
3.3. PRESEnT a SEamLESS and BoRdER-LESS viSiToR ExPERiEncE in
aLL viSiToR inFoRmaTion............................................................................................58
3.4. BuiLd ExciTEmEnT aBouT monTana amonG nichE maRkET EnThuSiaSTS
..............................................................................................................................................60
3.5. BuiLd and ExPand PhoTo and vidEo LiBRaRiES ..................................................62
4.1. conducT onGoinG RESEaRch and anaLySiS oF EvoLvinG BEST PRacTicES
FoR dELivERinG viSiToR inFoRmaTion. ..................................................................63
4.2. dESiGn onLinE and moBiLE communicaTion TooLS To mEET ThE
EvoLvinG nEEdS oF viSiToRS. .....................................................................................65
4.3. STay cuRREnT WiTh SociaL mEdia TooLS FoR EFFEcTivE inTERacTion
and RELaTionShiP BuiLdinG WiTh viSiToRS .........................................................69
4.4. PRovidE PRinTEd maTERiaLS ThaT aRE uSEFuL To ThE viSiToR and
coST EFFEcTivE FoR ThE maRkETinG oRGanizaTion. ........................................72
4.5. oFFER iTinERaRy idEaS and TRavELER TiPS To hELP viSiToRS
STRucTuRE ThEiR PLanS. ..............................................................................................73
4.6. SuPPoRT EFFoRTS To incREaSE aiR SERvicE To monTana .................................74
4.7. addRESS communicaTion and TRanSPoRTaTion inFRaSTRucTuRE
nEEdS To SuPPoRT TouRiSm and REcREaTion. .....................................................75
5.1. STREnGThEn STRaTEGic GuidancE, communicaTion and cooRdinaTion
oF ThE monTana TouRiSm induSTRy.......................................................................77
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5.2. imPRovE SkiLLS, knoWLEdGE and PRoFESSionaLiSm oF TouRiSm
STakEhoLdERS .................................................................................................................81
5.3. ExPand diSTRiBuTion and uSE oF kEy inSiGhTS FRom RESEaRch and
anaLySiS .............................................................................................................................85
5.4. makE monTana TouRiSm SEamLESS and BoRdER-LESS ......................................89
5.5. manaGE and LEvERaGE ELEcTRonic WoRd-oF-mouTh .....................................90
5.6. makE monTana TouRiSm a LEadER in onLinE communiTy
maRkETinG/cuSTomER advocacy. ...........................................................................92
5.7. conTinuE To caRRy ouT conSumER maRkETinG and mEdia
RELaTionS To aTTRacT non-RESidEnT viSiToRS ..................................................94
5.8. EvaLuaTE and TaRGET GRouP and inTERnaTionaL maRkETS .........................96
5.9. conTinuE To PRomoTE monTana aS a comPETiTivE, cREaTivE,
and viaBLE FiLminG LocaTion ...................................................................................98
5.10. caRRy ouT PuBLic and mEdia RELaTionS To BuiLd RESPEcT FoR ThE
TouRiSm induSTRy .........................................................................................................99
5.11. conTinuE To PRovidE FinanciaL and TEchnicaL SuPPoRT FoR .
TouRiSm PRojEcTS. ......................................................................................................101
aPPEndix a: GuidancE FoR SmaLL BuSinESSES & oRGanizaTionS ...........................103
aPPEndix B: GuidancE FoR communiTiES & TRiBES .....................................................106
aPPEndix c: monTana TouRiSm & REcREaTion chaRTER and PRinciPLES ...........109
charter Principles: .......................................................................................................109
montana Tourism and Recreation charter: ...........................................................110
This Strategic Plan is available to download at http://travelmontana.org/2013strategicplan/
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Executive Summary
The 2013-2017 montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan builds upon the efforts and successes of
four previous strategic plans – particularly the foundational work of developing an authentic montana
Brand and identifying the “geotraveler” as a target market for montana’s visitor experience. This Strategic
Plan takes the strategy for montana tourism to the next level by working toward full implementation
of the montana Brand; by fully embracing the targeted approach to tourism promotion; by building and
strengthening active partnership and collaboration with montana’s tourism partners; and by helping
montana’s tourism community harness the game-changing potential of emerging information and
communication technologies available now and in the future.
a broad cross-section of montana’s tourism community contributed to the development of the plan,
providing their insights regarding the most pressing challenges they face and the accomplishments they
hope to achieve over the coming years. drawing upon current research and benchmarking, this Strategic
Plan provides a structure to guide montana’s tourism stakeholders and tourism partners, and offers tools
they can use to succeed.
The Strategic Plan works to fulfill the vision expressed by the industry leaders who comprise the Tourism
advisory council (Tac). The Tac envisions working together to strengthen montana’s tourism product by
fully utilizing all of its tourism assets; working in unison and pooling resources to strengthen montana’s
tourism marketing; and working to build broad public appreciation and support for the tourism industry
as a major economic driver for montana. By strengthening these three pillars – Product, marketing,
and Respect – the Tac envisions a tourism industry that supports successful montana businesses and
communities.
The Strategic Plan sets out three high-level goals that are shared by the tourism community:
Goal 1: Improved economic benefits
Goal 2: Preservation of assets and quality of life
Goal 3: Improved visitor experience
Five high-level strategies are provided to guide the tourism community in pursuit of those goals. For each,
there are a number of Strategic actions – grounded in current research and benchmarking – that provide
stakeholders with specific activities and guide effective implementation. in addition, there are a variety
of recommended tactics geared toward helping all stakeholders play a role in implementation – building
capacity, improving their part of the visitor experience, building the success of their own organization or
business, and contributing to the success of montana tourism as a whole.
An outline of the Strategies and Strategic Actions are presented on the following page.
While core stakeholders – such as montana’s bed-tax funded destination marketing organizations – have a
more direct responsibility for implementing the Strategic Plan, the plan is written for everyone, including
stakeholders and partner organizations that participate voluntarily in its implementation (what the Tac
refers to as the “coalition of the willing”).
The Strategic Plan is designed for flexibility, offering up valid and effective activities and allowing
stakeholders to choose those that address their primary goals and concerns and fit their circumstances
and available resources. There is something for everyone, but not everyone is required to do everything.
Stakeholders are free to draw upon the recommended tactics to support their own strategic planning.
Executive Summary
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The Strategic Plan is designed for flexibility over time – stakeholders will shift to focus on different strategic
actions and tactics as objectives are achieved or circumstances change, and successes and lessons learned
should be fed back into the plan to maintain its relevance.
Finally, the Strategic Plan is designed to facilitate collaboration. Each Strategic action presents
complementary tactics that allow diverse stakeholders to leverage their individual efforts and resources
for greater effect. as active and effective partnerships become more important than ever, the 2013-2017
montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan provides a common strategy to guide all of montana’s
tourism stakeholders and partners toward achievement of their shared goals.
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Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
Strategy 1: Make Montana’s spectacular unspoiled nature real in a way that makes it tangible, and accessible to the visitor
1.1. Establish icons of “spectacular unspoiled nature” throughout Montana
1.2. Integrate public lands more fully and functionally into tourism information
1.3. Present natural assets in an experiential manner
1.4. Participate in planning processes for public lands management
Strategy 2: Highlight and help develop vibrant and charming small towns throughout Montana
2.1. Highlight Montana’s vibrant and charming small towns
2.2. Highlight the most charming and desirable elements of each community
2.3. Evaluate and pursue essential local wayfinding solutions
2.4. Improve the curb appeal of towns
2.5. Support local and Montana products and businesses to build economically vibrant towns
2.6. Develop and sustain special events that tie in with local tourism assets
2.7. Expand tourism seasons through local coordination
2.8. Address the short- to long-term effects of the Bakken oil boom for tourism
Strategy 3: Integrate nature and towns to offer and deliver a balance of “breathtaking experiences” and “relaxing hospitality”
3.1. Present each town in the context of its surroundings
3.2. Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience throughout all marketing and visitor informa-tion
3.3. Present a seamless and border-less visitor experience in all visitor information
3.4. Build excitement about Montana among niche market enthusiasts
3.5. Build and expand photo and video libraries
Strategy 4: Serve the information and infrastructure needs of Montana’s visitors
4.1. Conduct ongoing research and analysis of evolving best practices for delivering visitor information
4.2. Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of visitors
4.3. Stay current with social media tools to ensure effective interaction and relationship building with visitors
4.4. Provide printed materials that are useful to the visitor and cost effective for the marketing organi-zation
4.5. Offer itinerary ideas and traveler tips to help visitors structure their plans
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4.6. Support efforts to increase air service to Montana
4.7. Address infrastructure needs to support tourism and recreation
Strategy 5: Provide support for Montana’s tourism industry
5.1. Strengthen strategic guidance, communication, and coordination of the Montana tourism industry
5.2. Improve skills, knowledge, and professionalism of tourism stakeholders
5.3. Expand distribution and use of key insights from research and analysis
5.4. Make Montana tourism seamless and border-less
5.5. Manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth
5.6. Make the Montana tourism industry a leader in online community marketing and use of customer advocates
5.7. Continue to carry out consumer marketing and media relations to attract non-resident visitors
5.8. Evaluate and target group and international markets
5.9. Continue to promote Montana as a competitive, creative, and viable filming location
5.10. Carry out public and media relations to build respect for the tourism industry
5.11. Continue to provide financial and technical support for tourism projects.
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Introduction
Tourism in montana is the second largest contributor to montana’s economy, generating 7% of the state’s
gross domestic product (GdP). according to data from the institute for Tourism & Recreation Research,
montana’s 10.8 million nonresident visitors spent $3.27 billion in 2012. That spending supported an
estimated 42,900 jobs and generated a total economic benefit to the state of over $4 billion.
many of the businesses and organizations involved in tourism have recognized the need to work and plan
together to ensure continued success. Since the early 1990s, montana’s tourism partners have participated
in a statewide planning process designed to develop a strategic “roadmap”, providing focus and direction
for their individual and collective actions. in this fifth montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan, the
tourism community seeks to build on its past successes and create an even stronger future for the industry
and the state.
Previous strategic plans have built a solid foundation for the success of tourism in montana. in recent
years, montana’s tourism community has developed a strong and credible montana Brand, identified the
most promising visitor segment, targeted the state’s tourism marketing to improve effectiveness, developed
a stronger understanding of how to compete in the tourism marketplace, and forged effective cooperative
efforts.
The Montana Brand: Promising a True Montana Experience
Since 2008 montana has worked to implement a strong, credible, and differentiating destination brand.
The montana Brand captures the essential attributes that differentiate montana from its competitors – it is
authentic and enduring. The Brand makes a “promise” to visitors about the experience montana can deliver.
The montana Brand’s promise to visitors is:
»»More spectacular, unspoiled nature than anywhere else in the lower 48;
»»Vibrant and charming small towns that serve as gateways to our natural wonders; and
»»Breathtaking experiences by day…and relaxing hospitality at night.
The first brand pillar – spectacular, unspoiled nature – is montana’s ace. With yellowstone national Park,
Glacier national Park, montana’s high Plains, and many other outstanding examples, montana’s natural
assets truly differentiate it from its competitors.
The second brand pillar – vibrant and charming small towns – mitigates people’s perception of remoteness,
assuring visitors that montana’s towns can serve as welcoming gateways to the state’s natural wonders.
The third brand pillar ties it all together. it leverages montana’s strengths (nature and scenery) to present a
balanced visitor experience with the qualities the visitor desires (comfort and exhilaration).
Montana’s Visitor: the Geotraveler
Based upon montana’s most differentiating and competitive attributes, the most likely visitor to travel to
montana is the “geotraveler.” Geotravelers come from a range of age and income groups, and they have a
variety of interests when traveling, including sightseeing, nature tourism, indigenous and other cultural
tourism, heritage tourism, agritourism and enjoying local cuisine. What they share is a common desire to
immerse themselves in a destination and its culture.
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Geotravelers seek authenticity in the people and the place, and want to discover experiences they
cannot find anywhere else. montana appeals to the geotraveler with its rich culture and heritage, intact
ecosystems, and unique communities. Geotravelers are socially and environmentally aware, seek to preserve
the destination, travel often, and spend a disproportionate amount of their income on travel…making them
the type of “high value, low impact” visitor montana most wishes to attract.
The Targeted Approach
Through brand-consistent marketing and promotion, montana’s destination marketing organizations
– montana office of Tourism (mToT), Tourism Regions, and convention & visitors’ Bureaus (cvBs) –
have projected the authenticity of the montana visitor experience, speaking more clearly to the growing
geotraveler segment. in addition, these organizations have also targeted geographic markets more closely
based on research and data. This research-driven approach has increased the cost-effectiveness of the
mToT marketing significantly, with stronger conversion rates and a healthy return on investment for
marketing expenditures.
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The Information Needs of the 21st Century Traveler
Research has also helped clarify the fast-evolving ways in which travelers seek out and use visitor
information. Trip planning can be understood as a three-phase process: inspiration, orientation, and
facilitation. This process provides a framework for montana’s tourism stakeholders to structure and
coordinate their marketing and visitor information effectively.
Inspiration
The visitor is made aware of montana and
develops a desire to visit. mToT, Regions and
cvBs inspire visitors through marketing and
promotion.
Orientation
The visitor begins researching the details of their
trip and planning their route – montana’s visitors
often have multiple destinations within the state.
Regions & cvBs provide tools to help the visitor
plan a route and encourage a longer stay.
Facilitation
The visitor fills in their itinerary with things to
see and do at the destination(s) and along the
way. Regions and cvBs, communities, Tribes,
Businesses and organizations all work together
to make visitors aware of the full array of
experiences available to them, encouraging them
to stop and experience all that montana has to
offer.
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The Vision of a Strong Tourism Industry
in 2011, the Tourism advisory council (Tac) set out
three core areas which could be further strengthened to
support a strong and confident tourism industry and ensure
the survival and success of montana’s small businesses
and communities. These three core areas are Product,
marketing, and Respect. For each, the Tac adopted a goal
to guide their efforts in the coming years.
The Tac’s goal for strengthening montana’s tourism
product is the full utilization of the state’s geographical
and seasonal assets. The Tac’s goal for strengthening
montana’s tourism marketing is effectively pooling
resources and helping communities work together as
part of the overall montana Brand. The Tac’s goals
for strengthening respect for tourism in montana is
increasing appreciation of and support for the industry, and
preserving and enhancing the lodging facility use tax.
The strengthening of these three core areas provides a
vision for the future, in which a strong tourism industry
supports the economic health of montana and its small
businesses and communities.
Tourism Advisory Council Mem-
bers
(Serving during plan
development, 2012-2013)
Cyndy Andrus, Chair
Andrus Consulting
Amber Wood-Jensen, Vice Chair
Operations for Management Consul-
tants, Inc.
Philip Aaberg
Sweetgrass Music
Dan Austin
Austin-Lehman Adventures
Ed DesRosier
Sun Tours
Rhonda FitzgeraldGarden Wall Inn
Beverly Harbaugh
Sand Creek Clydesdales
Ranch Vacations
Kim Holzer
Paper Moon Marketing
Bill McGladderyTown Pump
Stan Ozark
Glasgow Area Chamber
of Commerce & Agriculture
Gail Richardson
Naturalist Guide
Jackie YellowtailApsaalooke Nation Tourism
Tourism Advisory Council Members
(Serving during plan development, 2012-2013)
Cyndy Andrus, Chair
Andrus Consulting
Amber Wood-Jensen, Vice ChairOperations for Management Consultants, Inc.
Philip Aaberg
Sweetgrass Music
Dan AustinAustin-Lehman Adventures
Ed DesRosier
Sun Tours
Rhonda Fitzgerald
Garden Wall Inn
Beverly Harbaugh
Sand Creek Clydesdales
Ranch Vacations
Kim Holzer
Paper Moon Marketing
Bill McGladdery
Town Pump
Stan Ozark
Glasgow Area Chamber
of Commerce & Agriculture
Gail Richardson
Naturalist Guide
Jackie Yellowtail
Apsaalooke Nation Tourism
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Montana’s Tourism Funding
Montana collects a 7% Lodging Facility Tax from guests of
hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, guest ranches,
and campgrounds. The tax has two components:
»The 3% Lodging Facility Sales Tax is deposited in the
Montana General Fund. In FY12, it contributed over $15
million to the General Fund.
»
»The 4% Lodging Facility Use Tax, commonly known as
the “Bed Tax”, is used to promote tourism in Montana. In
FY12, the bed tax collections exceeded $22 million. In
FY13, collections are projected to exceed $23 million. The
distribution of these funds is shown in the figure below.
Introduction
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Montana Tourism Stakeholders and Partners
The foundation of montana’s tourism industry rests upon the many frontline stakeholders that interact
directly with the visitor to “deliver” the montana experience. These stakeholders are mostly small businesses
and organizations along with some federal and state land management agencies. They have no obligation
to work in support of the strategic plan, and they will differ in their ability to participate in these efforts.
But regardless of their level of engagement, the frontline stakeholders are crucial to the implementation
of the strategic plan and the success of the tourism sector – they alone deliver on the montana Brand
promise and provide quality visitor experiences. Those that do take an active role can reap concrete benefits
such as leveraging to expand the reach and effectiveness of marketing, stronger business and marketing
capabilities, and improved customer satisfaction.
The core stakeholders who will take the lead in implementing the Strategic Plan consist primarily of the
public sector or non-profit entities who work on behalf of montana’s tourism businesses and organizations.
For those that receive public funding from the Bed Tax, implementation of the Strategic Plan is an
important part of their mandate. For other organizations, undertaking long term strategic activities to
strengthen tourism in a sustainable way is central to their mission, and the Strategic Plan is a tool that they
can voluntarily use to help guide and leverage their efforts and resources.
Montana’s Tourism Stakeholders
For Montana’s TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS, promoting or providing the Montana
tourism experience is a core function, by mandate or by choice. Coordination and
collaboration allow stakeholders to leverage their efforts and resources to achieve
greater success.
State-level
Core Stakeholders
Local / Regional
Core Stakeholders
Frontline
Stakeholders
Montana Office of Tourism(MTOT)
Tourism Advisory Council(TAC)
Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR)
Montana Heritage Commission
Montana State Parks
Tourism Regions
Convention & Visitors’ Bureaus (CVBs)
Tourism Business Improvement Districts(TBIDs)
Tourism Programs of the Indian Nations of Montana
Chambers of Commerce
Lodging
Attractions
Guides/Outfitters
Visitor Information Centers (VICs)
Tourism-Related Retail
Federal and State Land Management Agencies
Tourism Trade & Industry Associations
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Montana’s Bed Tax Funded Stakeholders
Each of montana’s bed tax funded stakeholders has a special role to play in supporting the montana tourism
industry.
The Montana Office of Tourism, a division of the montana department of commerce, provides
leadership for the montana tourism community and operates numerous programs designed to develop and
promote montana as an attractive destination for visitors from around the world. mToT is responsible
for state tourism websites for visitors (www.visitmt.com, www.skimt.com, www.wintermt.com, and
www.getlostmt.com) and intranet websites to provide information for tourism stakeholders (www.
travelmontana.mt.gov and www.montanatourismnews.org).
The Tourism Advisory Council does not receive direct funding from the bed tax, but is charged with
setting policy for the use of bed tax funds by Tourism Regions and cvBs. The council also advises mToT
and the Governor on tourism-related matters and provides direction for the tourism research conducted by
iTRR. council members are appointed by the Governor to represent montana’s statewide tourism interests
using their experience in tourism businesses and non-profits, heritage preservation, arts and culture, and as
representatives of Tribal nations. See www.travelmontana.org/tac/tac.asp
The Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research at the university of montana collects data and
conducts research and analysis to inform tourism and recreation in montana. Research reports and data are
publicly available online at www.itrr.umt.edu.
Tourism Regions provide tourism promotion and development throughout montana’s towns and rural
areas. The six regions are Glacier country, central montana, missouri River country, Southeast montana,
yellowstone country, and Southwest montana.
www.glaciermt.com
www.centralmontana.com
www.missouririver.visitmt.com
www.southeastmontana.com
www.visityellowstonecountry.com
www.southwestmt.com
Convention & Visitors’ Bureaus promote and develop tourism in communities and resort areas that
generate a significant level of lodging tax collections. The following twelve cities currently have cvBs:
Big Sky: www.bigskychamber.com/cvb
Billings: www.visitbillings.com
Bozeman: www.bozemancvb.com
Butte: www.buttecvb.com
Great Falls: www.genuinemontana.com
helena: www.helenamt.com
kalispell: www.discoverkalispell.com
miles city: www.milescitychamber.com
missoula: www.destinationmissoula.org
Sidney: www.sidneymt.com
W. yellowstone: destinationyellowstone.com
Whitefish: www.explorewhitefish.com
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The Montana Heritage Preservation and Development
Commission preserves and manages the iconic historic resources in
virginia city, nevada city, and Reeder’s alley.
See www.montanaheritagecommission.mt.gov.
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks
receives bed tax funds to help maintain visitor facilities in state parks.
See www.stateparks.mt.gov.
The Montana Historical Society
receives bed tax funds to help support historic sites and roadside
interpretive signs.
See www.mhs.mt.gov.
Montana’s Tourism Partners
many other organizations play an important role in creating, preserving, and delivering important aspects
of the montana visitor experience. With complementary mandates and objectives, montana’s Tourism
Partners are another important group of willing participants in the implementation of the Strategic Plan.
joining forces to implement the Strategic Plan offers a way to work together to better achieve shared goals.
Working in partnership with these organizations is essential to the successful implementation of this
Strategic Plan and to the long term success of montana’s tourism industry.
State Agencies, Commissions, Federal Agencies: & Programs: National Park ServiceMontana Main Street Program U.S. Forest ServiceMontana Arts Council U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceMontana Historical Society Bureau of Land ManagementMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks U.S. Army Corps of EngineersState Tribal Econ. Devel. Commission Bureau of ReclamationMontana Dept. of Transportation
Montana Dept. of Commerce Montana Heritage Commission Montana Dept. of Revenue Economic Development CorporationsMontana Dept. of Natural Montana Economic Developers Assoc.Resources & Conservation Local Historical and Preservation SocietiesMontana Office of Indian Affairs Organizations supporting the arts, Montana Universities & Colleges recreation, sportsmen, conservation, etc.
Tribal Organizations: Elected & Appointed Officials:
Montana Indian Business Alliance City, County, Tribal, State, & Federal
Tribal Tourism Programs
Montana’s Tourism Partners
Business & Non-Profit Organizations:
Introduction
Virginia City, Montana
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The Strategic Planning Process and the Way Forward
open Window consulting, LLc, a montana-based small business, was contracted to develop and produce
the 2013-2017 montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan. From october through mid-december 2012,
extensive stakeholder input was collected. Twenty-three community sessions were held throughout the
state, with over 300 tourism stakeholders participating. an online questionnaire was used to facilitate
additional input, and received over 120 responses. discussions were also held with key public sector
stakeholders, including the montana office of Tourism, the Tourism advisory council, the Tourism Regions
and convention and visitors’ Bureaus; and with tourism partners including the u.S. Forest Service, Bureau
of Land management, u.S. army corps of Engineers, montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the montana
department of Transportation.
Research and analysis was conducted to provide insights into the changing marketplace for tourism, deeper
understanding of the challenges with which montana’s tourism industry is grappling, and up to date
information on emerging trends and opportunities. Benchmarking against the tourism promotion efforts
of other states and neighboring canadian provinces offered additional insights and best practices.
The draft strategic plan was submitted for public comment in February 2013. comments were collected
using an online survey tool and outreach to key stakeholders. The strategic plan was finalized in june,
2013.
The global tourism sector has undergone significant changes in recent years, driven by rapid advances
in communications technology that have radically altered the ways in which travelers seek out and use
information, increased traveler expectations, and changed the way people travel. Tourism is by nature
a highly fragmented sector, comprised of many small stakeholders, making rapid change even more
overwhelming. however, outreach during the strategic planning process showed many key stakeholders and
partners who were poised to move forward. The montana office of Tourism is reaching out more actively
than ever to support frontline stakeholders. The Tourism advisory council is actively reviewing their
oversight practices to reduce administrative burdens for the Regions and cvBs. The Regions and cvBs are
eager to innovate to better promote and develop tourism in their areas. key tourism partners, including
public land management agencies, invite greater cooperation and active partnership with the tourism
community. and frontline businesses and organizations seek guidance to help them improve their delivery
of the montana experience and strengthen the economic success of the sector.
montana’s natural, cultural, heritage, and recreational assets position the industry well to capitalize on
the improving economic trends and the interests of geotravelers. and the montana tourism community is
poised to build upon the foundations of success to further strengthen the tourism industry and its role in
montana.
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Three High-Level Strategic Goals
all strategies, strategic actions, and implementing activities are expected to meet at least one of the three
high-level strategic goals. These three high-level strategic goals are:
1.» Improved Economic Benefits
2.» Preservation of Assets and Quality of Life
3.» Improved Visitor Experience
The first two high-level goals are about maximizing and balancing the benefits of tourism for montanans.
The third goal of improving the visitor experience is essential to building long-term sustained
competitiveness for montana in the tourism marketplace. Each goal is described in more detail below.
Goal 1: Improved Economic Benefits
Tourism is an economic and business activity that has become increasingly important to montana’s
economy. it is currently the second largest economic sector in montana, second only to agricultural
production.
Every montana tourism stakeholder has an interest in increasing the economic benefits, although each
will interpret the goal and work toward it in a different way. For some, the primary economic goal will be
increased revenues or a smoothing of revenues across seasons. For others it may be more dollars flowing
to downtown businesses, fewer vacant storefronts, and a better survival rate among those businesses. The
economic goal might be to diversify the economic base of a small town or the income of a small farm or
ranch. it might be creating more or better jobs; or increasing lodging tax collections; or creating a bigger
market for montana products.
Whatever the focus of each stakeholder, the combined efforts will increase the economic benefits from
tourism and produce a stronger, more sustainable economy for montana.
Goal 2: Preservation of Assets and Quality of Life
The things that make montana so appealing to its non-resident visitors are the same things that montanans
love and value about their state. The beauty and recreational opportunities offered by montana’s natural
assets; the culture, history, and heritage; the character of montana’s residents; montanans’ way of life and
the quality of life – these are things that montanans wish to protect and preserve. montana’s tourism
stakeholders also recognize the importance of these assets to the long-term viability of the tourism
industry.
as with the goal of improved economic benefits, the goal of preservation will be interpreted and pursued
differently by the diverse tourism stakeholders. Some will focus on preservation of montana’s natural
assets, or on access to them. others will work for the preservation and enhancement of cultural or heritage
assets. Still others will focus on preserving montana’s agricultural communities, the small town way of life,
or the overall quality of life montanans enjoy.
Tourism supports good stewardship – by giving economic value to preservation and providing resources to
carry it out. in turn, good stewardship helps ensure the long-term sustainability and success of montana’s
tourism industry.
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Goal 3: Improved Visitor Experience
improving the non-resident visitors’ experience is essential to montana’s long term competitiveness and
success in the global tourism marketplace. as in any business, satisfied customers are return customers and
their word-of-mouth praises are the best marketing there is.
Every montana tourism stakeholder can contribute to an improved visitor experience, whether it is
inspiring the visitor with credible and deliverable marketing, improving the quality of amenities and
attractions, making a commitment to professionalism, helping visitors find what they seek, or greeting
them with a sincere smile.
unifying montana’s tourism sector around the goal of understanding, meeting, and exceeding visitor needs
and desires lies at the heart of the strategic approach.
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Five High-Level Strategies
To achieve the three high-level goals, the montana tourism community will work individually and
collectively to implement five high-level strategies. Within each high-level strategy, a number of strategic
actions are recommended to guide implementation. Stakeholders can choose from among these actions.
They may also devise other strategic actions over time, adding successful innovations to the strategic plan.
The five strategies are:
1. Communicate and deliver Montana’s “Spectacular Unspoiled Nature” in a way that makes it
real, tangible, and accessible to the visitors
2. Highlight and Help Develop “Vibrant and Charming Small Towns” throughout Montana.
3. Integrate nature and towns to offer and deliver a balance of “Breathtaking Experiences &
Relaxing Hospitality”
4. Serve the information and infrastructure needs of Montana’s visitors.
5. Provide support for Montana’s tourism industry.
Since 2008 montana has worked to implement a strong, credible, and differentiating destination brand.
Because the montana Brand captures the essential attributes that differentiate montana from its
competitors, it can provide a strategic roadmap to guide marketing, promotion, and product development.
The first three strategies of the Strategic Plan pursue the continued implementation of the montana Brand,
effectively, consistently, and thoroughly.
The fourth strategy supports nonresident visitors, drawing them to montana and facilitating the planning
and enjoyment of an exceptional trip. The fifth strategy supports and strengthens the montana tourism
industry. Each Strategy is described in detail below.
Strategy 1: Communicate and deliver Montana’s “spectacular unspoiled nature” in a way that
makes it real, tangible, and accessible to the visitor
montana’s first brand pillar promises the visitor “more spectacular unspoiled nature than anywhere in
the lower 48” – a claim that was found to be strong, credible, and differentiating by montana’s visitors,
potential visitors and residents. montana’s natural wonders set the state apart as a visitor destination; yet
the presence of a spectacular natural setting is not itself sufficient to make montana the destination choice
of non-resident visitors. Potential visitors – particularly first-time visitors – need to:
»»associate the images of spectacular unspoiled nature with an experience offered by montana;
»»feel confident that they can access that natural environment and enjoy it in a specific way;
»»be aware of the full range of diverse landscapes and environments montana offers;
»»be aware of the unique recreational, cultural and other experiential opportunities offered by specific
locations, so that they can build an itinerary; and
»»build a sense of great excitement about the unique setting that montana offers for their activities.
Introduction
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Strategy 2: Highlight and help develop “vibrant and charming small towns” throughout Montana
montana’s branding research showed that the sense of remoteness that comes along with the state’s
“spectacular unspoiled nature” can deter non-residents from traveling to montana. To attract visitors,
montana’s spectacular nature needs to be balanced with a sense of comfort that comes from knowing that
there are communities nestled in that natural setting that offer visitor services as well as hospitality and
charm (Bento, 2008). To that end, the promise in montana’s second brand pillar, “vibrant and charming
small towns that serve as gateways to montana’s natural wonders,” needs to be made concrete and credible to
visitors.
as with the first brand pillar, the promise of vibrant and charming small towns will be further strengthened
by:
»»highlighting montana’s charming towns – the gems – for potential visitors;
»»highlighting the most charming and desirable amenities found in each town –arts, culture, culinary,
lodging, heritage, montana-made and grown products, etc.;
»»presenting the personality of each town (including outlying amenities) by telling its unique story; and
»»encouraging and assisting montana’s communities in developing their assets to become more vibrant
and charming.
Strategy 3: Integrate nature and towns to offer and deliver a balance of “breathtaking
experiences” & “relaxing hospitality”
montana’s third brand pillar brings the first two together. it melds the spectacular, unspoiled nature (pillar
1) and the charming and vibrant small towns (pillar 2) to promise a unique, complete, and balanced visitor
experience.
Breathtaking experiences and relaxing hospitality are complementary – they are the yin and the yang that
make the montana visitor experience so special. montana’s visitor information plays two crucial roles:
(1) making the potential visitor aware of this special chemistry; and then (2) helping the visitor to plan a trip
that successfully combines the two elements to deliver that special visitor experience.
a growing number of today’s visitors – particularly the geotraveler – are seeking experiences, rather than
“sights”. The “best tourism places … provide the visitor with a special experience that is deeply felt and long
remembered” (Lew, 2011)
Presenting and delivering this cohesive experience is challenging but essential to deliver on the montana
Brand promise. The “montana experience” is comprised of many products and services, produced by many
independent stakeholders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. integration of these many
components requires greater collaboration, but opens the door to stronger partnerships and shared benefits.
The balanced brand promise of “breathtaking experiences… and relaxing hospitality” will be strengthened
by incorporating it into the images and messaging of marketing and visitor information materials. This is
accomplished by:
»»showing a balance of exhilaration and relaxation…adventure and comfort…untouched nature and
human society…rugged trails and fine arts, culture, heritage;
»»making a clear connection between the natural wonders and the welcoming communities that serve as
gateways;
Introduction
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»»helping visitors plan a multi-destination trip by easily locating and stringing together multiple
gateway towns and all of the experiences to be accessed in between; and
»»ensuring that the sense of a cohesive “vacation experience” is not lost when trip plans cross from
one tourism region into the next.
Strategy 4: Serve the information and infrastructure needs of the visitor
This Strategy supports a quality visitor experience by making it easier for visitors to select montana, plan a
trip, and access any on-the-ground information they might need after arriving.
montana’s brand research found that potential visitors are attracted to the great outdoors and the spirit
of adventure offered by montana; however, these positive attributes can be outweighed by concerns about
remoteness or the lack of comfort and services (Bento, 2008). These concerns or uncertainties make
montana a “risky” destination – there is a chance that the experience will not be entirely good. To convert
potential visitors it is essential to reduce the perceived risk of a bad experience by providing content-rich,
brand consistent visitor information to support the destination choice.
in the trip planning phase, good and ample information – including itinerary ideas – can encourage and
facilitate longer trips and multi-destination trips that extend beyond the main travel corridors.
Good information remains the fundamental stock in trade for attracting and supporting the visitor.
however, meeting the information needs of visitors has become increasingly challenging. new information
and communications technologies have changed how travelers obtain information, what information they
want, and how they use that information. This poses a particular budgetary issue for montana’s tourism
stakeholders, with multiple new technologies supplementing, not replacing, traditional information
sources. in the current environment, tourism stakeholders can neither ignore new technologies nor invest
heavily in technologies whose benefits are not fully proven.
This strategy aims to coordinate efforts not only to deliver information to the visitor, but also to discover
the visitors’ evolving information needs. it requires a commitment to evaluating and re-evaluating the
most effective and viable way to meet those evolving information needs. included in the strategy are
consideration of online and mobile information, print information, on the ground visitor resources, social
media and interaction, electronic word-of-mouth, and e-transaction capabilities.
in addition to visitors’ information needs, this Strategy addresses the importance of transportation
infrastructure and seeks to foster greater coordination and partnership to pursue infrastructure
improvements, including increased air service to montana, capturing the full potential of scenic byways
programs, and ensuring that public lands are accessible.
Strategy 5: Provide support for Montana’s tourism industry
The montana visitor experience is a complex product: comprised of many products and services, provided
by many independent businesses and organizations, and scattered along a travel path that is heedless of
city, county, and regional boundaries. The visitor experience is largely promised by one set of stakeholders,
but delivered by a different set of stakeholders. Success requires coordination of the many stakeholders
(marketers and providers) and their individual efforts. Effective communication among all stakeholders,
with mToT providing leadership and guidance, is fundamental to this strategy.
Introduction
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Because montana’s tourism stakeholders – even its destination marketing organizations (dmos, i.e.,
Regions, cvBs, chambers of commerce) – are overwhelmingly small businesses and organizations with
limited resources and capacity, success also requires support and capacity building.
Tourism businesses and organizations rely upon montana’s dmos to carry out traditional destination
marketing and promotion – pooling and leveraging resources to achieve more than individual marketing
efforts could. They rely on mToT, Regions and cvBs to carry out successful “inbound marketing” – creating
and maintaining an online presence for montana that draws visitors in with high quality content that is
inspiring, useful, and brand-consistent.
Stakeholders also rely upon the technical and financial support of mToT to realize some larger tourism
projects.
Finally, tourism stakeholders also need the support of professional organizations including mToT, iTRR,
Regions and cvBs to build the skills, knowledge, and professionalism that will help them to compete in a
global tourism market and to deliver the quality experience promised by montana’s Brand.
knowledge of market trends and a better understanding of the montana visitor will help montana’s
stakeholders to make informed decisions that lead to success. This information is difficult for each small
entity to gather, but the industry’s leadership can effectively produce and share it with stakeholders to the
benefit of the whole tourism community.
as the tourism industry faces significant challenges driven by rapid changes in information and
communications technologies, montana’s tourism marketers and providers rely on the professional skills
of mToT, Regions, cvBs, and iTRR to provide the guidance, knowledge, and skills to understand and adopt
emerging technologies; to manage the effects of rapid information and communications changes; and to
effectively harness valuable new business resources like electronic word-of-mouth, inbound marketing, and
(online) community marketing. Providing such support enables the montana tourism industry to compete in
tourism’s new business environment.
Within the full version of the strategic plan you’ll find more detail on implementing each Strategic action,
including:
»»Recommended tactics
»»indicators of Success
»»Background and Rationale
»»Resources
if you do not have the full version and would like to go beyond the executive summary and introduction
to the montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan 2013-17, you can access the full plan at www.
travelmontana.mt.gov/2013strategicplan/ or by contacting the montana office of Tourism at (406) 841-2870.
Introduction
Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
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Strategic
actions
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1.1. Establish icons of “spectacular unspoiled nature” throughout Montana
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»jointly identify specific locations throughout the state that epitomize the diverse array of
“spectacular unspoiled nature” found in montana. icons can be selected not only for each tourism
region, but also for specific niche markets.
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
Produce or select images of each icon for use in promotional campaigns and collateral and other promotion
efforts.
»»“iconify” these selected locations – using their images in tourism marketing materials consistently
and in a manner that evokes an emotional response, so that they become recognizable by non-
resident markets and come to represent the spectacular unspoiled nature of the region in the mind
of non-resident visitors.
»»Work with public land management agencies to enlist their support in establishing the iconic nature
of locations under their management.
Indicators of Success
»»Each tourism region has identified a location(s) that epitomizes the “spectacular unspoiled nature”
that the region has to offer. Locations that are iconic for specific activities have been identified.
»»images of these locations are used across marketing materials, such that they have become
representative of their regions and have become recognizable to targeted non-resident markets.
»»These locations become “tourism icons” for their regions – recognizable and associated with
montana by potential visitors.
Background & Rationale
“Tourism icons” are landmarks that are instantly recognizable and represent to visitors important tourist
attractions or experiences. Such icons can be crucial in the marketing of destinations. an iconic image
can exert a very strong marketing influence, offering an experience that pulls the traveler to visit the
destination, and is particularly useful when the destination is relatively unknown in the marketplace. new
icons can be created through a process of (1) identification, (2) marketing emphasis, and (3) interpretation
to evoke certain emotions.
yellowstone national Park and Glacier national Park are montana’s most recognizable icons. montana’s
branding research concluded that the state has a number of specific locations or natural features that could
be iconic of its spectacular unspoiled nature, but these locations are not well known outside the state or
are not associated with montana in the minds of non-residents. The branding consultant recommended
development of 8-10 such icons. iTRR’s nickerson and moisey similarly recommended the use of natural
features and niche market features as icons (e.g., virginia city and nevada city to target visitors primarily
drawn by history).
1.1 Establish icons of “spectacular unspoiled nature” throughout Montana
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identifying several iconic locations drawn from all six tourism regions that capture montana’s “spectacular
unspoiled nature” will help the regions to market with brand consistency. Greater brand consistency
strengthens the marketing power of the brand, which should improve the conversion rates of marketing
efforts and bring more travelers to montana.
diversifying the iconic images within the montana Brand will facilitate promotion of the less-visited
regions, helping to balance distribution of tourism throughout the state. Through targeted marketing,
these locations can become iconic for specific market segments and may help tap segments that have to date
been underdeveloped. as a result, tourism could be increased in less-visited areas and seasons.
Resources
nickerson & moisey, 1999, Branding a state from features to positioning: Making it simple?, at http://www.itrr.
umt.edu/articles.htm
1.1 Establish icons of “spectacular unspoiled nature” throughout Montana
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1.2. Integrate public lands more fully and functionally into tourism information
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions
»»Show the location of the public lands on official tourism websites. highlight iconic locations within
those lands (see Strategic action 1.1.).
»»make the following information more prominent on official tourism websites: access points to
public lands; recreational, natural, historic, cultural, and heritage assets located on public lands; and
recreational activities available and allowed on public lands.
»»Link to useful maps produced by public land management agencies and other entities.
»»Link to other specific pages of particular value to visitors from the public land agency websites
(rather than the agency’s home page) or request permission to pull content from them.
»»Share information with each public land management agency that is useful in meeting their own
mandates for the promotion of recreation on public lands; for example:
• use of agency information in tourism promotion and visitor information;
• research or data regarding public land use by non-resident visitors; and
• information regarding the montana Brand pillars and tourism promotion activities.
»»Share with public land management agencies information and insights regarding infrastructure or
other visitor needs on the lands they manage.
CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»make the following information more prominent on official tourism websites: access points to
public lands; recreational activities available and allowed on public lands; and recreational, natural,
historic, cultural, and heritage assets located on public lands.
»»Work with local governments to develop information regarding city and county parks that could be
important recreation assets for non-resident tourism. Provide information to mToT and Regions
for incorporation into tourism websites.
»»identify high quality local assets for outdoor recreation, such as local bike trails, favorite public
sledding hills, and parks with playground equipment or other features attractive to traveling
families.
Indicators of Success
»»information regarding public lands in each of the six tourism regions is readily available in a usable
form on or through mToT and regional websites.
»»information is sufficiently comprehensive for non-residents to plan activities on public lands for
recreational, natural, cultural, historic, and heritage tourism.
1.2 Integrate public lands more fully and functionally into tourism information
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»»visitors can easily identify opportunities to enjoy montana’s natural wonders, allowing montana to
deliver on its brand promise of “more spectacular unspoiled nature than anywhere else in the lower
48.”
»»awareness of the large number of access points and activities available encourages more trips,
extended trips, and more trips to less-visited areas. Thus, economic benefits are increased
throughout the state.
Background & Rationale
Following is a list of agencies that manage public lands for recreational use in montana:
»»u.S. Forest Service
»»u.S. national Park Service
»»Bureau of Land management
»»u.S. army corps of Engineers
»»Bureau of Reclamation
»»u.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
»»montana department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
montana’s vast public lands are central to delivering on its brand promise of “more spectacular unspoiled
nature than anywhere else in the lower 48.” Providing more substantive information regarding these public
lands and how they may be accessed is essential to facilitating trip planning and will help create deliverable
expectations for the non-resident visitor. awareness of the large number of access points and activities
available can encourage (i) extending the length of the trip and (ii) extending visitation to areas that would
otherwise be overlooked. The result is a potential to increase economic benefits throughout the state.
The information available from public land management agencies is valuable but can be difficult or time-
consuming for visitors to find. To tap this resource, the tourism sector must gather the most useful and
appealing information for the potential visitor and make it readily available as part of montana’s visitor
information resources (directly or through links).
maps will be among the most important of these informational resources, particularly because non-resident
visitors may be unfamiliar with many place names or have a limited sense of the distances involved. maps
allow visitors to build a realistic itinerary.
montana’s tourism promotion bodies and public land management agencies share a number of goals,
making theirs a natural partnership. Raising awareness and appreciation of montana’s public lands and
their full recreation potential supports the mutual goals of promoting recreation, supporting preservation,
and ensuring appropriate recreational use by visitors. To help strengthen the partnership, tourism
stakeholders should let public land management agencies know when they are linking to their information
in tourism sites and acknowledge the value their work. unilaterally sharing research, data, or other
information regarding visitors’ use of the public lands can also build stronger inter-agency partnership.
1.2 Integrate public lands more fully and functionally into tourism information
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1.3. Present natural assets in an experiential manner
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»use images and text in visitor information and marketing pieces that reflect not only the scenic
beauty of the state or region, but the experiences and activities that visitors will enjoy in that setting.
»»monitor and consider trends in outdoor recreation when developing promotional materials.
»»Present cultural or heritage experiences rather than just assets or locations; for example: taking
horseback or wagon rides, or attending county fairs or rodeos, to experience the agricultural and
pioneering heritage as opposed to simply seeing agricultural areas through a windshield.
»»Target market segments with specific experiences that are particularly appealing to them.
»»Link to electronic word-of-mouth – including travel blogs and reviews – to showcase experiences
available in a particular natural setting.
»»Present iconic locations (see action 1.1.) in an experiential manner.
Indicators of Success
»»Existing and developing visitor information presents montana’s spectacular nature in an
experiential way. montana is differentiated from other destinations that offer “unspoiled nature” by
the “breathtaking experiences” that can be enjoyed within the natural setting, as promised by the
montana Brand.
Background & Rationale
Research consistently shows that today’s traveler seeks experiences, rather than just attractions. it is
important, then, for a visitor to know not only that montana offers spectacular natural assets, but also what
they can do within that setting. This allows them to start envisioning their vacation experience (making
a “vacation movie”) – a crucial step between having montana on their list of places they’d like to go and
actually planning and booking a trip.
Presenting montana’s spectacular natural setting in an experiential way also differentiates montana from
other places that offer similar scenery. a 2006 analysis of all 50 state tourism websites found that most of
the sites emphasize nature and culture/heritage as their unique selling proposition. montana’s neighboring
states offer many of the same scenic assets as montana. it is important, therefore, for the potential visitor
to see the superb experience offered in montana’s natural setting versus other similar settings.
iconic locations (see action 1.1.) should be selected and presented with an experiential perspective. For
example, if the yellowstone River were to be used, it can be shown with paddlers or fishermen.
a 2010 u.S. Forest Service assessment (u.S. department of agriculture, Forest Service, 2012) found that
outdoor recreational participation is growing, and that activity choices are changing. viewing natural
scenery, flora, and wildlife continue to be the most common activities, with more than half the population
participating in each and participation growing by 18% to 25% from the early-2000s through recent years.
Participation in birding, as another example, grew by almost 23% over that period to top one-third of the
1.3 Present natural assets in an experiential manner
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population. While participation in non-motorized water-sports is still less common (less than 10% of the
population), it is growing rapidly, including a 103% increase in kayaking. These trends can help to guide
targeted marketing and the experiential presentation of montana’s natural assets in promotional efforts.
allowing visitors to leave “trip reports”, travel blogs, or reviews of their experiences in montana on visitor
information sites adds the credibility of word-of-mouth recommendations. Links to reviews or travel blogs
on other travel sites also serve this purpose. Particularly enthusiastic reviews can be highlighted in visitor
information to help inspire potential travelers.
Resources
See research available from the outdoor Foundation at http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/
Excellent information regarding the “buy cycle” of travelers: European Segmentation Study: Alberta Summary,
by insignia market Research, 2008, especially pp.15-16, at http://industry.travelalberta.com/markets/~/
media/industry/attachments/markets/Research/albertaSummary2008.ashx
1.3 Present natural assets in an experiential manner
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1.4. Participate in planning processes for public lands management
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and builds respect for the tourism industry in
montana.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT
»»clearly and consistently state the importance of public land management for tourism in montana.
clearly state mToT’s commitment to leading active involvement by the tourism community.
»»identify a point of contact with whom the tourism community can actively engage for each of the
public land management agencies. Reach out to this point of contact to initiate an active partnership
between tourism and the agency.
»»When authorized by the administration, work with public land management agencies to identify and
address issues of access and visitor service needs on public lands (see Strategic action 4.7.).
»»When authorized by the administration, represent the tourism sector in planning processes, through
document reviews, and by communicating directly with land management agencies regarding
tourism interests, research, and initiatives.
»»Encourage tourism stakeholders to participate in the public land management process. coordinate
the sharing of background information to support accurate, consistent, and effective representation
of tourism interests (see Strategic action 5.1.).
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Become an active and informed participant in public planning processes for public lands in the area.
monitor the management agency(ies) website(s) for important planning documents or planning
activities; let others in the area know about important issues or developments; and participate in
public comment opportunities.
»»Find other involved tourism stakeholders – in your community, your region, or the state – and
coordinate your efforts. Share background information, insights, and tourism talking points to
represent tourism’s interests more effectively, more consistently, and with less effort.
Indicators of Success
»»The montana tourism community is recognized by public land managers and by the public as an
active partner in public land management processes.
»»mToT’s coordination allows mToT and other stakeholders to efficiently convey a tourism
perspective whenever needed.
»»Tourism interests are considered in all key decisions regarding management, access, and alternate
uses of public lands, so that montana can deliver on its brand promise of “spectacular unspoiled
nature” now and into the future.
»»mToT and key stakeholders provide the tourism perspective for use in planning documents, where
appropriate.
1.4 Participate in planning processes for public lands management
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»»The tourism community is aware of public lands planning processes, and is well informed regarding
planning issues relevant to tourism.
»»Tourism stakeholders participate in public forums for public land management planning, or provide
input through other means.
Background & Rationale
Public lands are an important asset for montana’s tourism sector. management agencies preserve,
maintain, and promote these lands in large part for recreation, contributing significantly to montana’s
“spectacular unspoiled nature”. management of these lands and access to them holds important
implications for the long term success of montana’s tourism industry. as new management plans are
developed for each public land area over the coming years, it will be important for mToT and the tourism
community to provide input so that tourism interests are considered in decisions regarding management
and alternate uses of these lands.
Participation of tourism interests in public lands management also offers benefits for the public land
management agencies, by ensuring that preservation and recreation goals receive public support.
Participating in the document review process for each management plan offers a way for mToT to efficiently
and effectively represent the tourism perspective, raise concerns, and contribute solutions. Establishing the
key elements of mToT’s (and the tourism industry’s) position – clearly, concisely, and as early as possible –
can further minimize the time needed to provide input and can also improve the consistency of that input
across planning processes.
key planning processes for tourism community involvement include the following:
»»u.S. Forest Service Lands: national Forest Plan Revisions for each national Forest.
»»u.S. national Park Service: Revision of planning documents related to yellowstone and Glacier
national Parks, national historic sites, and the national register of historic places.
»»u.S. Bureau of Land management Lands: Resource management Plan revisions for each BLm region.
»»u.S. army corps of Engineers: Planning for Fort Peck dam, Libby dam, and Lake koocanusa.
»»u.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Resource management Plan revisions for nine reservoirs, canyon Ferry
Lake, and (through nPS management) Bighorn canyon national Recreation area.
»»u.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Planning for each of the 21 wildlife refuges and five wetlands managed
in montana.
»»montana department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks: management Plan revisions for each
montana state park; 2014-2018 Statewide comprehensive outdoor Recreation Plan (ScoRP).
See http://stateparks.mt.gov/about-us/parksdata.html.
1.4 Participate in planning processes for public lands management
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2.1. Highlight Montana’s vibrant and charming small towns
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, MTOT, Regions
»»collaborate on ways to highlight and assist in the development of montana’s “vibrant and charming
small towns.”
MTOT, Regions, Tribes
»»highlight vibrant and charming small towns, their arts, culture, events and amenities in visitor
information and identify their location clearly.
»»assist montana communities’ efforts to “tell their story” (see Strategic action 2.2.) and use their
story (arts, culture, heritage, events, amenities, etc) to attract visitors.
»»create traveler tips or itinerary ideas that link vibrant and charming small towns together, and link
them to the main travel corridors for visitors.
»»highlight montana’s vibrant and charming small towns, their arts, culture, events and amenities in
marketing materials to strengthen the montana Brand.
Indicators of Success
»»montana’s “vibrant and charming small towns” are highlighted in montana’s visitor information and
their location is clearly identified on the montana map.
»»images of these towns are used across marketing materials to strengthen the Brand pillar.
Background & Rationale
Research shows the importance of reducing the perceived “riskiness” of a destination by assuring
travelers that the amenities, services, and comfort that they seek will be available. montana’s branding
research reiterated the importance of providing information to mitigate visitors’ perception of the state’s
remoteness. visitors need reassurance that the comfort, services, and amenities they seek are available in
montana. The montana Brand promise of “vibrant and charming small towns” serves this purpose, but that
promise must be credible. it is important for the visitor who values very charming small towns to be able to
identify those towns, perceive their vibrancy and charm, and find their geographic locations when planning
an itinerary.
iTRR data indicate that montana’s non-resident visitors largely undertake multi-destination trips, rather
than staying in one town. This increases the importance of highlighting a number of towns that could serve
as the basis of visitor itineraries. awareness of these towns could also encourage more travelers to extend
their itinerary outside the main travel corridors.
2.1 Highlight Montana’s vibrant and charming small towns
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delivering on the brand promise by helping visitors to find vibrant and charming small towns will improve
the visitor experience and visitor satisfaction, contributing to extended stays, return visits, and positive
word-of-mouth.
highlighting the “gems” among montana’s many charming small towns has the additional benefits of
strengthening community pride; building respect by highlighting the benefits of tourism; and encouraging
other communities to come together to improve their towns’ vibrancy and charm.
2.1 Highlight Montana’s vibrant and charming small towns
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2.2. Highlight the most charming and desirable elements of each community in
visitor information
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts, and builds respect for the tourism
industry in montana.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions
»»Ensure that visitor information prominently highlights the most charming and desirable amenities
identified in each town.
»»incorporate any content generated through mToT-led events such as the community tourism
workshops held throughout the state (“Coming Together to Expand Montana’s Tourism Story”).
»»Work closely with the montana main Street program to leverage and coordinate efforts.
CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»identify the most charming and vibrant assets and amenities of the town from the visitor’s
perspective – things that a visitor might mention in a postcard or post on an online community or
review site.
»»incorporate any content generated through mToT-led events such as the community tourism
workshops held throughout the state (“Coming Together to Expand Montana’s Tourism Story”).
»»Present the most charming aspects of the town experientially, so that visitors can imagine
experiencing and enjoying them.
»»connect with the potential visitor by telling the unique “story” of the town – drawing on local
history, characters, the arts, annual events, etc. Project (i) authenticity, (ii) uniqueness, and (iii) a
sense of “relaxing hospitality” and “comfort” for visitors.
»»use ratings and review sites and other electronic word-of-mouth (e.g., Tripadvisor, online
community discussions) to help identify the best amenities and link to reviews to strengthen
credibility and reduce risk for the visitor.
»»include the arts and culture such as performing arts, art galleries and markets, art walks and other
cultural activities.
»»Periodically re-evaluate the choice of charming and desirable elements, including consulting online
travel review sites for fresh perspective.
»»make the local community aware of the visitor information and the way it presents the community,
to help build and broaden local pride.
Indicators of Success
»»visitor information presents each town in a way that immediately highlights the best elements from
the visitors’ perspective. The charm and personality of each town and the most desirable amenities
and services for travelers are all easy for visitors to discover.
2.2 Highlight the most charming and desireable elements of each community in visitor information
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»»Each town’s story and information regarding local events help build a personal connection with
potential visitors and meets a growing desire for authenticity.
»»The presentation of each town provides an appealing sense of the experience a visitor will have
rather than a list of place names.
»»The visitor can perceive the richness and variety of experiences to be found in the community.
»»visitors are confident that amenities are available and appealing, and therefore do not perceive
montana to be a “risky” destination. visitors may be drawn to plan longer trips to include more
towns in their multi-destination itineraries or to extend their itinerary beyond the current common
travel corridors.
»»montana’s Brand promise of charming towns is more credible, and the state delivers on the promise.
Background & Rationale
Research shows the importance of reducing the perceived “riskiness” of a destination by assuring travelers
that the amenities, services, and comfort that they seek are available in montana’s small towns. While a
list of hotels and restaurants can assure travelers that there will be a place to eat or sleep, it does not assure
visitors of the “comfort” they desire. By highlighting the most “charming” amenities, visitor information
can pull in visitors by (i) giving assurance of “comfort”, (ii) helping establish a unique and appealing “sense
of place”, and (iii) helping the visitor build expectations of the experience that is offered in the town.
in many community sessions, particularly in less visited areas or areas where most travelers were just
passing through, stakeholders expressed a desire to increase tourism marginally – a few more visitors
stopping for lunch or a snack or to visit the local museum. Tourism today is highly experiential, and even the
smallest of towns can offer the traveler a memorable short break. it may be a stop on the montana dinosaur
Trail or stepping into the local soda fountain or diner for the best huckleberry milkshake yet (even better
than the one they found yesterday). it could be stopping to watch glassblowers in corvallis to break up the
drive or looping along the “Bale Trail” to make getting there half the fun. it could be homemade soup for
lunch at the corner cafe or dinner at one of montana’s fabulous restaurants hidden off the beaten track. By
highlighting those things that can contribute something special to the visitor’s larger vacation experience,
these small towns can increase their tourism in an incremental but meaningful way.
The visitor experience can also benefit from the “little things” that offer comfort – welcoming coffee shops
or cozy restaurants, nice places to take a stroll or a hike, lodging that makes you want to settle right in,
quaint downtowns or interesting architecture. Their charm may derive from physical attributes or from
experiential attributes.
Local events – such as farmers’ markets, street music, arts festivals, and evening art walks – add charm and
help the visitor feel a connection to the town. The arts offer an additional facet to the visitor experience
offered by the community, adding richness and diversity.
The montana main Street Program, within the montana department of commerce, is a valuable resource
for communities seeking to leverage their efforts and coordinate with other small montana towns.
using review sites and travel blogs to identify the most charming aspects of a town improves the chances
2.2 Highlight the most charming and desireable elements of each community in visitor information
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that the selection fits with the visitors’ perspective. These websites have been shown to provide trusted word-
of-mouth recommendations. Linking to such sites and reviews from official tourism information leverages
that credibility and offers the visitor “objective” praise to back up the promises of an official tourism site.
many other resources exist to produce the “story” of a town. Tap the knowledge of local volunteers,
civic leaders, or amateur historians who have worked to preserve the heritage of the community. Look
to existing historical or cultural studies of the town completed by third parties. For example, the BLm’s
commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the 1862 homestead act has produced stories and images
related to a number of towns around the state. yellowstone Public Radio has produced many narratives on
local towns, characters, and history around the state. many books have been published on the history of
small montana towns. draw upon these sources and others for inspiration, link to existing materials, or use
excerpts from published works (within the bounds of “fair use” guidelines).
Research has shown the power of telling the authentic story of a place. it is cultural differences that
give most places their distinctiveness. Stories and anecdotes make a community more meaningful and
attractive, helping visitors to form an emotional connection. They can be informative and inspirational.
mToT’s 2010 study on the visitor’s travel planning process provides confirmation of the importance of
conveying excitement rather than simply providing functional information. as one traveler explained,
“what i like… [is] a little blurb about why i should go there or see that or what’s worth experiencing. There’s
a depth, some perspective and it’s like finding little treasures, little gems.”
Telling the stories of montana’s towns has the collective effect of giving nonresident visitors a richer sense
of montana’s culture and history and adds credibility to the Brand promise of charming small towns. in
addition, telling the unique individual stories of each town allows communities to differentiate themselves
within the montana Brand. Because montana’s nonresident visitors tend to take multi-destination trips, it
is important to remember that this differentiation is not intended to lure visitors away from surrounding
towns, but rather allows the visitor to plan a trip that includes stops in your town and other towns on
their route. This will lead to a better distribution of tourism throughout the state, particularly if it induces
travelers to stop along the way rather than traveling quickly and directly to their primary destination.
Resources
“Geo-Travelers and Travel Planning” at http://www.travelmontana.mt.gov/newsandupdates/
mtotpublications2010.pdf
The montana main Street Program at www.mtmainstreet.mt.gov
Travel blogs can help identify the best attributes of a town from a visitor’s perspective. Search for mention
of your community at www.blogsearch.google.com using the search terms “travel blog” and the town name
materials produced by the BLm to commemorate the homestead act, found at http://
homesteadingmontana.org/
narratives produced by yellowstone Public Radio, found at www.ypradio.org.
2.2 Highlight the most charming and desireable elements of each community in visitor information
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2.3. Evaluate and pursue essential local wayfinding solutions
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»Serve as a facilitator for communities and a liaison with the montana department of Transportation
(mdT) in addressing wayfinding and highway signage needs.
»»Explore the possibility of creating a coordinated highway signage program for communities around
the state that would use economies of scale to reduce costs, improve consistency, and strengthen the
montana Brand. communicate closely with cvBs and communities.
»»Provide guidance on signage solutions that (i) meet well-justified needs; (ii) avoid clutter; and (iii)
meet mdT regulations.
»»include success stories in the Resource Library, and encourage their submission.
CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»assess the need for local wayfinding solutions or highway signage. Evaluate the expected benefits
critically (e.g., by developing a business case) to determine how significant they could be and how
likely the benefits are to materialize. Prioritize needs and seek out affordable, creative solutions.
»»understand all city, county, state, or federal (highway) codes that regulate the use of signage. Work
with the montana department of Transportation and mToT to ensure understanding of state and
federal regulations.
»»Work closely with mToT and other communities to support and adopt a coordinated approach to
signage.
»»Share successful approaches to local wayfinding with other communities through mToT and media
coverage.
Indicators of Success
»»increased visitation to towns, attractions, and amenities due to increased visitor awareness or ability
to locate them.
»»Effective and affordable approaches to local wayfinding are devised and shared among communities,
including a business case to pursue such efforts.
»»Stakeholders have clear guidance on highway signage regulations and a clear process for pursuing
signage.
»»a collective approach to implementing highway signage improvements eliminates frustration,
improves the quality and consistency of signage, and reduces signage clutter.
2.3 Evaluate and pursue essential local wayfinding solutions
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Background & Rationale
community input sessions during the strategic planning process consistently identified stakeholder desire
for improved wayfinding, concern that the cost of local wayfinding is prohibitive, and frustration in regard
to regulatory restrictions on highway signage.
a collective approach to highway signage could reduce the time, effort, frustration, and expense for
communities. approaching highway signage as a state-wide effort rather than individually eliminates
the need for each community to work its way through unfamiliar mdT regulations. approaching mdT
collectively, with mToT as a facilitator, will also focus mdT’s assistance, will add weight to the request, and
will foster ongoing inter-agency collaboration.
Because signs are expensive to design, construct, and install, potential cost savings through coordinated
design and production of signs should be fully explored. The collective approach also eliminates the need for
each community to “re-invent the wheel” in designing its signs, saving time and effort.
collective highway signage also provides consistency, which offers benefits for the visitor and for
montana tourism. Firstly, like signage for historic sites or “logo signs”, having community entry signs
with a consistent look helps visitors to identify the information provided. Secondly, wayfinding is part
of the visitor experience and, as such, should reflect the destination brand (denton, 2009). developing a
consistent base design for town entry signs can reinforce the montana Brand, while encouraging a level of
customization will allow communities to reflect their own unique character.
Resources
The Project for Public Spaces offers one simple guide for developing and designing a signage system at
http://www.pps.org/reference/signage_guide/.
Texas-based wayfinding firm fd2s offers a thoughtful commentary on wayfinding as a part of the visitor
experience in its blog at http://www.fd2s.com/2009/04/municipal-wayfinding-and-the-visitor-experience/.
Florida based communications firm, axia creative, provides a comprehensive look at the elements of a
wayfinding system, discusses maintenance of the system, and covers other topics in its blog at http://axiac.
com/axiablog/.
Examples of communities that have used existing surfaces to improve wayfinding without adding clutter:
»»victoria, British columbia, wrapped city maps on utility boxes http://www.canadiandesignresource.
ca/officialgallery/graphics/city-maps/
»»The town of matthews, nc, plans to use outdoor wall murals as part of an integrated wayfinding
system (see http://matthewsnc.gov/Linkclick.aspx?fileticket=Rclfjyx4_xc%3d&tabid=301) as well
as a public art element. For some technical information on the durability of exterior murals see
http://www.findamuralist.com/blog/exterior-mural-paints-how-to-cope-with-fading-colors.
2.3 Evaluate and pursue essential local wayfinding solutions
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2.4. Improve the curb appeal of towns
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development, and builds respect for the
tourism industry in montana.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions
»»Publicize curb appeal projects within the montana tourism industry to encourage more projects and
to build respect for tourism and its benefits.
»»Provide financial and technical assistance to tourism-related projects that fit the guidelines of
mToT’s grants and assistance programs.
CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»unite the local tourism (and general) community to lead and support curb appeal improvements.
»»identify ways to beautify the town, evaluate the resources needed for each, prioritize them, and
implement them.
»»Start with small, easily achievable improvements to build momentum.
»»Enlist the support and participation of private sector partners, civic groups, and other entities to
provide resources and expertise.
»»Link curb appeal improvement efforts to existing local events, such as festivals, fairs, or parades.
have the primary community work session just prior to these events, so that the improvements can
be noticed and celebrated by the community.
»»acknowledge curb appeal improvements made by individual businesses and organizations.
Businesses & Organizations
»»carry out projects to improve the curb appeal of your property. Ensure that any improvement efforts
you might propose comply with city/county codes and obtain approval from all relevant government
agencies.
»»organize the owners of adjacent properties to improve the curb appeal of the block.
»»volunteer to “adopt” a street, a local park, or other area, taking responsibility for cleaning up,
maintaining physical structures, or otherwise improving its curb appeal.
»»Take the lead in organizing a community-wide curb appeal improvement effort.
Indicators of Success
»»more towns undertake curb appeal improvements.
»»Tourism businesses and organizations make curb appeal improvements and lead community curb
appeal efforts.
2.4 Improve the curb appeal of towns
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»»more towns epitomizing the “vibrant and charming small towns” are highlighted in visitor
information and marketing materials.
»»Success stories are widely covered by montana media.
Background & Rationale
The montana Brand promises “vibrant and charming small towns”. To better deliver on that promise,
montana should continue to improve the appeal of its small towns and expand the list of particularly
charming towns that can be highlighted (see Strategic action 2.1.) throughout the state. delivering on this
Brand promise will improve the visitor experience and visitor satisfaction, contributing to extended stays,
return visits, and positive word-of-mouth.
improving curb appeal also offers beneficial “peer effects”. improving the facades of one block often leads
to improvements on the next block. Raising the appeal of one town encourages other communities to
follow the example. This effect is strengthened by shining a spotlight on the efforts – by raising industry
awareness of successful efforts that are undertaken and by rewarding the effort through promotion of the
most charming small towns to visitors.
in addition, media coverage of successful curb appeal projects – big and small – throughout montana not
only offers positive publicity for the town, but also builds respect in general for tourism and the benefits
that it brings. Particularly where the tourism community provides the leadership and support for curb
appeal improvements, the projects will demonstrate that improvements designed to attract visitors are also
an amenity for local residents and improve the local quality of life.
2.4 Improve the curb appeal of towns
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2.5. Support local and Montana products and businesses to build economically
vibrant towns
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts, and
builds respect for the tourism industry in montana.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, TAC
»»Ensure that visitor information identifies those businesses and organizations that offer local and
montana products.
»»collaborate with programs and organizations that offer and promote montana made and grown
products to leverage those efforts.
»»Link to the made in montana website (www.madeinmontanausa.com) in visitor information to help
visitors find retailers that carry montana products and to encourage purchase of montana products
before, during, and after visiting the state.
»»continue to publicize the role of tourism in expanding the market for montana made and grown
products.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Ensure that visitor information identifies those businesses and organizations that offer local and
montana products.
»»at any special events, maximize the availability of products and services that are made or grown
locally or in montana (see Strategic action 2.7.).
»»incorporate local producers, craftsmen, artists, and performers into the tourism offerings of the
community/region.
»»Link to the made in montana website (www.madeinmontanausa.com) in visitor information to help
visitors find retailers that carry montana products and to encourage purchase of montana products
before, during, and after visiting the state.
»»collaborate with programs and organizations that offer and promote montana made and grown
products to leverage those efforts.
»»continue to publicize the role of tourism in expanding the market for montana made and grown
products.
Businesses & Organizations
»»use and sell more local and montana products.
»»Publicize the use or sale of local and montana products. inform mToT and the Region/cvB so that
the information can be included on official tourism websites.
2.5 Support local and Montana products and businesses to build economically vibrant towns
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Indicators of Success
»»Local and montana products sold in more restaurants and shops.
»»visitors can easily locate restaurants and shops that offer montana and local products in official
tourism information.
»»Local producers, craftsmen, artists, and performers are featured in visitor information, tourism
offerings, and special events.
»»Local and montana producers and growers recognize the role of tourism in expanding their market.
Background & Rationale
agriculture continues to be the largest sector in the montana economy and is the economic mainstay for
many of the smaller towns in the state. integrating agricultural production and tourism offers benefits for
both sectors. The partnership with agriculture builds support and respect for tourism in the community
and contributes to a more holistic and cooperative approach to economic development in communities.
Food is not just a commodity for visitors; it is part of the visitor experience. Local food appeals to the
visitor’s desire for authenticity and enhances the visitor experience by connecting consumers to the region
and its culture and heritage. it also appeals to the recent “slow food” and “locavore” movements.
Greater use of local and montana products by tourism-related businesses creates a larger market for those
products. Research on “slow travel” and on “soft growth” identifies benefits including: keeping a larger share
of each tourism dollar in the community and distributing the benefits of tourism more broadly within the
community.
Similarly, promoting and selling products produced locally or in montana benefits both the producers
and the tourism industry. it offers another element of authenticity for the visitor while increasing
the local economic benefits of tourism for the arts and artists, artisan producers and craftsmen, small
manufacturing, and the local economy.
Resources
The made in montana website – www.madeinmontanausa.com – offers retail and wholesale sellers of
montana products. The montana departments of commerce and agriculture, together with the montana
arts council, sponsor an annual made in montana marketplace (http://www.madeinmontanausa.com/
tradeshow.asp) that can be used to help source “made in montana”, “Grown in montana”, and “native made
in montana” products. additional programs of the montana department of agriculture can be leveraged to
promote more local sourcing by the tourism industry. For example, collaboration with the Farm-to-Table
program and Restaurant Rewards program could help incentivize more local and montana sourcing by
businesses.
2.5 Support local and Montana products and businesses to build economically vibrant towns
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2.6. Develop and sustain special events that tie in with local tourism assets
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, MTOT
»»Support special events through the Special Event Grant Program (SEGP).
»»Facilitate the sharing of success stories and lessons learned among communities, and foster
mentoring and collaboration among event organizers.
Regions
»»Support and promote the coordination of special events within and across regions, to avoid
scheduling conflicts among events.
»»Facilitate the sharing of success stories and lessons learned among event organizers.
CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»develop special events that:
• tie in well with local and regional tourism assets and reinforce the visitor experience offered
by the community and region;
• take place outside of peak season, to reduce seasonal fluctuation in visitor numbers, to reduce
competition faced by the event, and to maximize the available local lodging capacity;
• have minimal requirements for additional infrastructure;
• are appropriate for their setting, i.e., natural environment/icons will be protected and
respected; and
• appeal to an audience beyond the local population and can attract out-of-market visitors.
»»Evaluate the capacity of the organization and the community to support the proposed event (e.g.,
infrastructure needs, available volunteer labor, lodging capacity). if nearby communities will benefit
from spill-overs (providing extra capacity for lodging, eating, etc.), recruit contributions from those
communities (volunteers, promotion, financial support, etc.).
»»Build strong and broad community support and community participation by actively involving the
business community, civic organizations, etc.
»»maximize the economic benefits to the community:
• when appropriate, promote visitor spending by locating the event in the downtown or other
retail area and ensuring that shops will be open on the day(s) of the event;
• ensure that ample opportunities for visitor spending at the event are available (souvenir
stands, food vendors, related crafts or art, etc.); and
2.6 Develop and sustain special events that tie in with local tourism assets
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• maximize the local content of spending opportunities for visitors (locally produced foods and
souvenirs, available local lodging and dining, local paid performers, local paid staffing, etc.).
»»identify events of all types – regional and statewide – that could be complementary to the event and
coordinate with the event(s) or attraction(s) to bolster mutual success.
»»adopt a recycling plan for the event to improve visitor and resident satisfaction; e.g., make recycling
bins widely available at the event, encourage vendors to use recyclable containers, and have a stated
goal of zero waste.
»»Seek out other communities and event organizers that can offer insights and/or mentoring.
»»implement a survey (e.g., iTRR’s “survey in a box”) or other valid method to gauge event satisfaction
and economic impact on the community (e.g. survey local businesses regarding changes in product
turnover, additional staffing, increased receipts,).
»»Share success stories and lessons learned.
Businesses & Organizations
»»Support the success of the event, e.g. through extended hours, or event promotion.
»»help maximize the local economic benefits of the event, e.g. by ensuring adequate inventory and
staffing, increasing local products/ingredients, or adjusting hours.
Indicators of Success
»»Events tie in well with other local/regional tourism assets and complement other events in the
region and state.
»»Events maximize local content to minimize “leakage” of economic benefits.
»»Events are self-sustaining and sustained over multiple years.
»»Events have broad and sustained community support.
»»The Special Event Grant Program helps establish, reinvigorate, or expand successful, self-sustaining
events.
»»Scheduling conflicts among events are minimized.
»»Event surveys indicate visitor satisfaction, nonresident attendance, intent to return, or significant
positive economic benefits for the community.
»»Success stories and lessons learned are shared, building an important resource for event organizers.
Background & Rationale
Special events are a recognized means for building tourism. They can generate revenue for local businesses,
extend the tourism season, draw new visitors to an area, promote community pride and physical
improvement of the community, and help to promote tourism in the area more broadly (o’Sullivan &
jackson, 2010).
2.6 Develop and sustain special events that tie in with local tourism assets
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Research has found that special events held by the most successful rural tourism destinations consistently
tie in with existing local tourism attractions and assets, e.g., fishing tournaments for communities that offer
outdoor recreation opportunities for visitors and historical festivals for towns that have many historic sites
(Wilson, Fesenmaier, Fesenmaier, & van Es, 2001). in this way, special events complement and reinforce
tourism in the community more broadly.
Events generally require several years to become established, making the Special Event Grant Program an
important support mechanism.
Event tourism is highly labor intensive and, particularly in smaller communities, requires a great deal
of volunteer work. over time, sustaining the volunteer effort can become challenging, as noted by those
involved in the highly successful montana Folk Festival in Butte. Successful events can also overwhelm the
capacity of the host community or face opposition from community members who feel overwhelmed by the
influx of visitors (o’Sullivan & jackson, 2010). Building a broad base of community support is, therefore,
very important for the sustained success of an event.
Resources
iTRR offers a “Survey in a Box” service for the collection and analysis of local survey data. Examples of
case studies that have conducted using this service can be found at http://www.itrr.umt.edu/reports_
casestudies.html.
The online “events calculator” provided by the South dakota department of Tourism provides useful
insights into what factors determine the economic impact of special events. it is available at http://www.
sdvisit.com/tools/research/eventscalculator/index.asp
2.6 Develop and sustain special events that tie in with local tourism assets
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2.7. Expand tourism seasons through local coordination
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts, and
builds respect for the tourism industry in montana.
Recommended Tactics
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»collaborate to identify clear seasonal boundaries based upon availability of local tourism assets and
historical tourism flows.
»»collectively identify tourism assets and/or niche markets that could be strengthened or utilized
more extensively to extend the existing season(s).
»»assess the feasibility, individually and collectively, of extending the opening of amenities to match
extended tourism seasons.
»»coordinate seasonal opening and closing of amenities, matching the availability of tourism assets as
closely as possible and ensuring that visitors will have access to all necessary amenities.
»»Publicize local economic gains derived from the extended or consolidated season(s).
Businesses & Organizations
»»Participate in local efforts to coordinate seasonal openings and closings.
Indicators of Success
»»Businesses and organizations in a community have shared expectations regarding the start and end
of tourism season(s), supporting reliable expectations that all necessary amenities will be available
for their visitors.
»»income generating seasons are stretched to the fullest extent, within staffing and management
constraints.
Background & Rationale
Tourism in montana is, fundamentally, a seasonal industry. This seasonality poses many challenges for
tourism-related businesses and organizations, particularly in regard to staffing and financial viability.
The financial challenges of seasonality can be mitigated by extending the stronger season(s). many
stakeholders in community sessions indicated that the fall season (September-october) has grown in recent
years or holds potential for growth. Some indicated that the spring season, though more challenging, offers
some potential for niche market growth (e.g. wildlife viewing).
The full potential of peak and shoulder seasons is not realized in some cases due to the lack of coordination
among the local providers of tourism products and services. dates of opening and closing are not
coordinated and in some cases are not predictable. By coordinating the availability of attractions and
amenities, visitors could be assured of access to all the components of a good visitor experience. visitors
will not arrive at an open attraction to find no services in town or book lodging only to find that dining is
not sufficiently available.
2.7 Expand tourism seasons through local coordination
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Better coordination provides predictability for businesses and organizations, allowing them to market to
visitors with confidence that the complementary products and services will be available. it significantly
reduces the risk of being unable to deliver a good visitor experience due to circumstances beyond their
control. Similarly, it benefits the competitiveness of the destination by reducing poor visitor experiences
and negative word-of-mouth.
a coordinated approach may also allow the destination as a whole to extend its season, consolidating the
recognized potential of the spring and fall seasons.
Extending existing seasons to tap this potential, however, is often constrained by staffing difficulties, as
seasonal staffing often draws upon a student population that cannot extend into the spring or fall. other
sources of staffing – such as international workers – pose their own difficulties, including additional
administrative burdens for hiring or language difficulties. managerial constraints also exist, in that
some operators prefer a shorter season and will be unwilling to extend their operations. These structural
problems must be considered when determining the feasible length of the operating season.
2.7 Expand tourism seasons through local coordination
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2.8. Address the short- to long-term effects of the Bakken oil boom for tourism
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»address the short term accommodations shortages by collaborating to establish a system to help
non-resident visitors locate available lodging.
»»Work collaboratively to ensure that tourism-related concerns are considered in the montana
department of Transportation’s (mdT) plans to address the impact of Bakken on transportation
infrastructure. Work closely with mdT and ensure that tourism stakeholders are widely aware of
mdT reports and information.
»»collaborate to tap the potential tourism markets that exist in the population attached to the Bakken
development by (i) conducting research to understand several segments of that potential market;
(ii) packaging local tourism assets into products tailored to these groups; and (iii) devising targeted
marketing for promising segments in north dakota.
»»Where ever possible, highlight the continuing small town nature of affected towns. Promote eastern
montana towns as oases from the oil patch.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Participate in local economic development and growth management discussions and planning to
preserve and enhance the charm and vibrancy of affected towns. offer well-coordinated proposals
for building a diversified economic base including tourism, based upon solid research.
Indicators of Success
»»Tourism entities collaborate to develop an immediate solution to the short-term accommodations
shortage.
»»affected communities, businesses, and organizations are well informed regarding Bakken-related
transportation impacts and the responses of mdT.
»»communities, businesses, and organizations tap the Bakken-related populations as a tourism
market.
»»Tourism entities participate actively and are a positive force in efforts to harness the economic
boom to drive diversified economic development – including sustainable tourism – and to support
charming and vibrant towns through the oil cycle.
Background, Rationale & Resources
community sessions held throughout eastern montana made clear the level of concern among tourism
industry stakeholders regarding the impacts of the Bakken oilfield. concerns centered upon:
»»The current lack of availability of accommodations for visitors;
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»»a perception that visitors are avoiding northeastern montana as a tourism corridor due to the
impacts of the Bakken;
»»concern that a boom-and-bust cycle will leave affected towns neither vibrant nor charming in the
medium- to long-term; and
»»The increased truck traffic making travel more dangerous.
at the same time, stakeholders recognize the potential benefits that the tourism community could reap
from the population growth and increase in business travel related to the Bakken oil patch.
Accommodations Shortage and Negative Perceptions
Stakeholders expressed concern that alternate travel routes will become established due to current
accommodations shortages, making it very difficult to win travelers back in the future. This raises a long
term concern that local economies will become less diversified as tourism and other industries are squeezed
out by oil development, leading to economic devastation when the oil cycle goes “bust”.
Reducing uncertainty regarding accommodations will reduce the level of “risk” perceived by travelers
and help counter perceptions that the region should be avoided by visitors. using online or phone-based
resources, travelers should be able to locate lodgings 24/7/365 to prevent situations where visitors feel
“stranded”. mToT’s travel counselors, online booking sites, and other existing resources could be examined
for their potential to serve this need. alternatively, eastern montana hoteliers themselves might develop a
simple system for referring travelers to one another when they have no vacancies. Such a system should be
publicized in the state-wide tourism sector and in visitor information to maximize the risk-reduction effect
it offers. mToT and Region websites may also wish to highlight lodging facilities that cater specifically or
exclusively to travelers (as opposed to residents).
addressing the situation directly and with a positive perspective – e.g., “Eastern montana’s economy is
booming!…But we’ll make sure you don’t get lost in the bustle.” – will likewise reduce perceived risk and
negative perceptions that may exist. highlighting the number of new lodgings being built will underscore
the short-term nature of the problem.
negative perceptions of communities close to the Bakken can be countered with tourism marketing and
promotion that emphasizes the continued small town culture and presents the established communities of
eastern montana as oases from the oil patch in north dakota.
Transportation Issues
Regions, cvBs, and communities should make themselves aware of relevant mdT information and
resources. mdT has contracted a study of the transportation impact of the Bakken development, which
is in progress (see http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/pave/oil.shtml). mdT has also developed
“montana Transportation and Land use Resources for Growing communities”, an online toolkit to help
with transportation planning (see http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/toolkit/default.shtml).
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Potential Tourism Markets
The population increases associated with the Bakken development offer a number of potential tourism
markets, such as:
»»business travelers who might wish to include leisure and recreation activities in their trip, or
business hosts who might wish to entertain their business guests by engaging them in local tourism
activities;
»»workers who wish to fill time off (often long stretches, as workers frequently work 15 days on and 15
off, for example);
»»workers who wish to recreate with their visiting family members; and
»»workers’ (resident) families who wish to enjoy tourism or recreation activities.
understanding the potential tourism market and developing suitable tourism products and targeted
marketing could help communities to reap short- and long-term benefits from the oil development.
Product development can be as simple as developing suggested itineraries for weekend (or longer) trips or
developing and promoting packages of accommodations and attractions for Bakken personnel.
Balanced Economic Development
Eastern montana stakeholders have expressed concerns about what is known as a “resource curse” – a boom
in natural resource extraction causes other economic sectors to be neglected, slowing economic growth and
development. Research has found that the best means for mitigating the boom-bust cycle of oil extraction
and avoiding the “resource curse” include (i) using tax revenues from the resource boom to support a
diversified economic base, (ii) ensuring a broad distribution of benefits through public policy, and (iii)
coordinating local and regional efforts to manage and moderate boom and bust changes.
The Bakken field is currently in its “development” stage. When the field reaches its “production” stage in
15-20 years, employment is expected to decrease by 90% (Seifert, c.2011), although the “fracking” process
may generate some additional continuing employment. a large drop in employment would be expected to
cause economic contraction, making development of a diversified economic base over the next two decades
an important buffer against the boom-and-bust cycle.
The tourism stakeholders can contribute to building a diversified local economy by exploiting current
opportunities, participating actively in local economic planning, and building support (respect) for tourism
as a viable and desirable contributor to the local economy. Tourism stakeholders should advocate for
policies that ensure development of a balanced economic base, using sound research to support their
concerns and proposals.
as community members, tourism stakeholders should inform themselves of the economic cycle of oil
production and the economic risks involved in natural resource windfalls. useful resources include:
»»“community Responses to Energy development”, the Fall 2012 issue of the Montana Policy Review,
published by the Local Government center of the montana State university Extension, available at
http://www.msulocalgov.org/publications/mTPolicyReview-Fall2012-WEB.pdf;
»»“Benefitting from unconventional oil: State Fiscal Policy is unprepared for the heightened
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community impacts of unconventional oil Plays”, a research paper published by headwaters
Economics (of Bozeman) and Stanford university, and available online at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/
ccv/documents/benefiting-from-unconventional-oil;
»»“a Basic analysis of the Bakken oil Boom: Precautions and Planning”, written by Laura Siefert of the
university of minnesota, and available at http://www.ndoil.org/image/cache/Bakken_Precautions_
and_Planning_-_Seifert.pdf; and
»»north dakota State university’s center for community vitality. its “oil and Gas Resources” website,
at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/ccv/oil-and-gas-resources, offers materials for communities seeking to
manage growth, benefits, and problems related to the oil boom in north dakota, much of which is
applicable to montana towns.
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3.1. Present each town in the context of its surroundings
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions –
»»clearly show the geographic location of each town in visitor information to help orient the visitor.
»»clearly show each town within a meaningful context of nearby towns, transportation, public lands,
and icons of “spectacular, unspoiled nature” in visitor information to facilitate the planning of multi-
destination trips.
CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations –
»»Ensure that local visitor information clearly identifies the location of the community in montana to
help orient the visitor.
»»Ensure that local visitor information clearly identifies the nearby towns to facilitate the planning of
multi-destination trips that include more time in your area.
»»Ensure that local visitor information clearly identifies all nearby public lands and offers information
(directly or through links) regarding access points and the attractions, assets, and activities available
there. This facilitates planning of a full itinerary and promotes a longer stay.
»»Ensure that local frontline staff can offer information and knowledge regarding experiences available
in the surrounding area. This promotes the use of your community as a gateway and encourages a
longer stay.
»»in local visitor information, add local insights and recommendations to the public lands inventories:
e.g., favorite hikes or places to float, picnic, or watch the sunset; where to see wildlife or wild flowers;
or local news articles highlighting favorite places.
Indicators of Success
»»in all visitor information each town is easily placed on a map, and in the context of surrounding
towns, icons, public land access points, transportation and other visitor points of interest.
»»visitor information includes local insights regarding access and activities on nearby public lands.
Background & Rationale
making the relative locations of towns, activities, and outdoor spaces easy to see is key to helping the visitor
with orientation and with building an itinerary.
The montana Brand promises relaxing hospitality to go along with the visitor’s exhilarating experiences.
The visitor needs the relative location of towns, activities, and outdoor locations in order to plan an
itinerary that combines both aspects of the promised experience.
3.1 Present each town in the context of its surroundings
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This integration of comfort and experiences so that visitors can include both in their itinerary also provides
reassurance that any necessary services or amenities are available and that the natural wonders are easily
accessible. The overall effect is to reduce the perceived riskiness of montana as a destination, encouraging
selection of the state and facilitating trip planning.
Presenting the town within the context of its surroundings greatly enhances the visitor’s perception of an
integrated and balanced whole and helps the visitor to start visualizing their own trip.
By providing local insights and recommendations regarding access and activities on nearby public lands, the
authenticity of the Brand is reinforced and the visitor begins to form a connection to the gateway town.
3.1 Present each town in the context of its surroundings
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3.2. Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience in all marketing and
visitor information
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT
»»Ensure that marketing materials and visitor information present – in images and text – a visitor
experience that consistently marries “breathtaking experiences” and “relaxing hospitality”.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Ensure that marketing materials and visitor information present – in images and text – a visitor
experience that consistently marries “breathtaking experiences” and “relaxing hospitality”.
»»Focus first on presenting the best of what a destination offers and what makes the destination
stand out from others. The most “breathtaking experiences” might be outdoor recreation or wildlife
viewing, historical reenactments, cultural festivals, or live theatre. The hospitality that makes the
destination stand out may be fine dining, a campfire cookout, or a warm pastry and a steaming cup
of coffee in a cozy café.
»»add depth by presenting a second tier of images that capture the diversity of experiences and
hospitality available. if outdoor activities are the strong point, for example, present images to
indicate that there are also heritage sites, cultural activities, or local arts festivals, as appropriate.
Businesses & Organizations
»»Provide customers with recommendations for local goods, services, or experiences that complement
the goods or services you sell (e.g., places to dine after the guided fishing trip, where to take a
horseback or bike ride to work up an appetite for the steak dinner, where to stop for coffee before
hitting the ski slopes, arts and cultural offerings to balance great day hikes).
»»Work together to cross market goods, services, attractions, and businesses in your community or
area.
Indicators of Success
»»images and text present a balance of experiences and hospitality.
»»images and text present the diversity of experiences (not just natural or outdoor experiences, but
also experiences related to culture, heritage, and the arts) and hospitality (from fine dining to small
town comfort).
»»images and text for specific communities and regions focus on the experiences and hospitality that
make that destination stand out from others – the best or most unique of what they offer.
»»Businesses and organizations recommend experiences and hospitality to complement their own
product or service in visitor information and via knowledgeable frontline staff.
3.2 Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience in all marketing and visitor information
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Background & Rationale
The synergy of montana’s spectacular nature and relaxing hospitality is central to the visitor experience
promised by the montana Brand. By clearly projecting this balanced visitor experience, montana’s visitor
information can make the potential visitor aware of this special chemistry, increasing the appeal of
montana as a destination.
montana’s brand research has shown that visitors are attracted by the adventurous aspects of travel in
montana, yet this can be outweighed by the perception of remoteness and the perceived lack of “comfort”,
which can make montana seem like a risky destination choice. By presenting a cohesive image of
experiences and hospitality, visitors will be reassured that both are readily available to create a balanced
visitor experience throughout montana. offering options for fine dining, fine arts, or cultural events
highlight the element of refinement that can soften the perceived “rough edge” of the montana experience.
3.2 Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience in all marketing and visitor information
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3.3. Present a seamless and border-less visitor experience in all visitor
information
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, MTOT
»»Examine the rules and regulations governing Regions and cvBs. make modifications as necessary
and appropriate to facilitate closer coordination.
»»actively support cross-region cooperative efforts by the tourism community to facilitate itineraries
along natural travel paths.
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Evaluate visitor information and trip planning tools for seamlessness from the visitor’s perspective,
particularly between adjoining Regions and along primary travel corridors.
»»Within visitor information, ensure that each town is placed in the context of nearby towns,
attractions, activities, and transportation (see Strategic action 3.1), including those across Regional
boundaries.
»»Ensure that information for each town always incorporates holistically those assets and amenities
that lie outside the city limits, for example dining, accommodations, activities, or services.
Indicators of Success
»»visitor information is seamless and has user-friendly functionality across Regions for trip planning.
»»Regions and cvBs undertake effective cooperative efforts across Regional boundaries.
»»visitor information for towns is inclusive of outlying tourism assets.
Background & Rationale
Providing visitor information in a seamless and cohesive way is particularly challenging because the visitor
experience is a composite product that often crosses city, county, and regional boundaries. meeting visitor
information needs without creating artificial barriers in the mind of the visitor is essential for converting
potential visitors and facilitating trip planning.
in addition, research has shown that tourism websites that are enjoyable predispose the visitor to a
positive perception of the destination itself and build expectations of a positive travel experience, while
websites that cause frustration predispose visitors to negative perceptions of the destination and the visitor
experience. visitor information sites, therefore, must not only make comprehensive information available,
but must do so in a user friendly way.
The administrative boundaries of city limits or tourism Regions are irrelevant to the non-resident
visitor. To the extent that the traveler cannot obtain visitor information or plan an itinerary across these
boundaries, the attractiveness of montana as a destination (and its competitiveness) will be reduced.
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From the perspective of a Region, cvB, or chamber of commerce, however, the administrative boundaries
create very real and tangible constraints through rules, regulations, and budgetary constraints. a strong
commitment to reducing the negative effects of these boundaries for the visitor must be accompanied by (i)
realistic expectations and (ii) a strong commitment to aligning administrative processes to support (or not
impede) that goal.
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3.4. Build excitement about Montana among niche market enthusiasts
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»craft visitor information that immediately sells the excitement of experiencing an activity or
interest in Montana.
»»Ensure that locations within montana for a particular activity/interest are easily located on a map,
including their relative location to one another.
»»Ensure that for each location for a particular activity or interest the surrounding towns are easily
identified. Present surrounding towns as gateways to that activity or interest, offering supplies and
support needed for the activity or interest, and offering comfort and hospitality to complement the
breathtaking experience.
»»Provide links to user generated content online (e.g., blogs, online communities, reviews) to capture
the passion for pursuing the activity or interest in montana.
»»When presenting niche information, also offer area activities and attractions that would appeal to a
spouse, family members, or other travel partners that are not as passionate about the niche activity.
For example, when promoting fly fishing or hunting, suggest activities that could entice the target
niche visitor to bring along a spouse, family, or friends.
Businesses & Organizations
»»if customers often share a common trip motivation (e.g. fishing, snowmobiling) provide links to
user generated content online (e.g., blogs, online communities, reviews) to capture the passion for
pursuing the activity or interest in the area.
»»if your business or organization doesn’t serve all the needs of the niche market, provide information
about other local entities that can offer supplies, support for activities or interests and offer comfort
and hospitality.
»»When presenting niche information, also suggest activities and attractions that would appeal to a
spouse, family members, or other travel partners that are not as passionate about the niche activity.
For example, when promoting fly fishing or hunting, suggest cultural, heritage, or recreational
activities that could entice the target niche visitor to bring along a spouse.
Indicators of Success
»»For visitors interested in a particular activity or interest, visitor information offers easy access to
multiple locations to partake in that activity or interest. These locations are easily located on the
map, located in relation to one another, and located in relation to gateway towns.
»»visitor information presents each activity or interest in a way that immediately sets a tone of
excitement, focusing on the superb setting offered by montana.
3.4 Build excitement about Montana among niche market enthusiasts
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»»Links to independent online content helps to build excitement and lend credibility to the Brand
promise.
Background & Rationale
niche activities are strong motivators for their audiences and, while these audiences may be individually
small, they can contribute significantly to overall tourism numbers. (For example, Wyoming’s office
of Tourism found that niche activities together motivated the choice of Wyoming for 47% of the state’s
2012 visitors, compared to 46% of visitors motivated by visiting a national park. See http://www.
wyomingofficeoftourism.gov/industry/pdf/homepage/2012visitorProfileStudy.pdf).
Because montana’s strength as a destination depends upon the natural landscape and outdoor activities
(adventurous or not), targeting the niche markets associated with these activities offers strong
opportunities for montana’s tourism sector.
Today’s traveler seeks experiences rather than “sights” and judges a destination on the “existential or
authentic experience” – the deep and lasting impression that it makes upon them and their lives. offering
the enthusiast a superb experience involving the favored activity or interest will have a strong marketing
pull.
Like scenic beauty, however, many other states have the same activities and interests available. montana
must position itself, therefore, by emphasizing excitement rather than just availability.
mapping the various locations for an activity or interest in relation to one another and to gateway towns
facilitates multi-destination trip planning and mitigates any concerns about the availability of necessary
services and amenities. The visitor can envision and plan a balanced trip with breathtaking experiences and
relaxing hospitality. it “expands opportunities for these visitors to stay longer and spend more” (advisory
council on historic Preservation, 2009).
Linking to user generated content online – blogs, online communities, reviews – strengthens the credibility
of the breathtaking experiences that are offered, supports trip planning, and builds excitement. The
excitement generated can be significant, as online community members often express great passion not
only for the activity but also the montana setting. For example, motorcyclists on advRider.com rave about
riding in the Gravelly Range and the BigSkyFishing.com blog exudes excitement about favorite fishing
spots all around montana. These word-of-mouth praises are incredibly valuable and can be found for most
activities marketed to the non-resident visitor.
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3.5. Build and expand photo and video libraries
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Build, expand, and update an inventory of photo images and videos for use in the promotional
campaigns, collateral and other promotion efforts.
»»Ensure that images and video materials project and reinforce the montana Brand.
»»Ensure that images and video materials feature iconic locations, as appropriate.
»»Ensure that images and video materials include all seasons that the stakeholder wishes to promote.
»»Ensure that images and video materials are largely experiential.
Indicators of Success
»»Each region, cvB, community, tribe, business and organization has a library of images that
represents their tourism area in a way that is brand consistent.
»»images and video materials are kept current.
»»images and video materials include relevant icons and seasons, and show visitor experiences.
Background & Rationale
appealing, experiential, and brand consistent images for use in marketing and promotion are key to
inspiring potential visitors. Given the diversity of montana’s tourism offerings, it is important that each
stakeholder build and maintain a library of images and videos that features its area.
3.5 Build excitement about Montana among niche market enthusiasts
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4.1. Conduct ongoing research and analysis of evolving best practices for
delivering visitor information
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, ITRR, MTOT
»»Track changes in what sources of information are used by visitors in destination selection and
trip planning, including emerging technologies. draw upon iTRR’s nonresident survey data, web
analytics, academic research, and reporting in non-academic trade press.
»»Track changes in how those sources are used by visitors. draw upon iTRR’s nonresident survey data,
web analytics, academic research, and reporting in non-academic trade press.
»»Track emerging best practices among dmos for delivering visitor information. draw upon academic
research and reporting in non-academic trade press. Examine practices adopted by industry leaders,
and those used by destinations similar to montana, assessing effectiveness and cost.
»»Evaluate and benchmark current delivery of visitor information against emerging best practices (e.g.,
cost-effectiveness, ability to meet montana’s strategic goals, and viability of best practices in the
context of montana’s resource and infrastructure constraints).
»»make resulting information, insights, and guidance available to stakeholders.
»»modify the montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan as needed to reflect evolving visitor
information needs and best practices.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»keep abreast of evolving visitor information needs and dmo best practices as reported by mToT,
Tac, and iTRR.
»»carry out web analytics and other analysis to help guide your visitor information distribution
practices.
»»Share useful information and resources with mToT and the Tac.
Indicators of Success
»»mToT, iTRR, and the Tac effectively disseminate insights from research and analysis that are easily
understood and applied by stakeholders.
»»montana tourism stakeholders understand the emerging visitor practices for obtaining information
and planning trips.
»»montana tourism stakeholders make decisions about the provision of visitor information based
upon valid academic and market/trade research and analysis.
»»montana tourism stakeholders adopt a system of providing visitor information that is effective and
uses resources optimally.
4.1 Conduct ongoing research and analysis of evolving best practices for delivering visitor information
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»»montana tourism stakeholders are confident in their adoption and use of emerging technologies.
»»The montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan is updated and modified as needed to reflect
evolving visitor information needs and best practices.
Background & Rationale
new information and communications technologies have changed how travelers obtain information, what
information they want, and how they use that information. Because patterns of use are still evolving,
meeting the information needs of visitors has become particularly challenging. The challenge involves
not only the effectiveness of marketing and promotion, but also the cost. during this transition period,
multiple new technologies are supplementing, not replacing, traditional information sources; adopting new
technologies often involves a high cost in capital and labor; and the effectiveness and longevity of emerging
technologies is uncertain. in the current environment, montana’s tourism stakeholders can neither afford
to ignore new technologies; nor afford to invest heavily in technologies whose benefits are not fully proven.
They must also not adopt technologies haphazardly. Each information source must have a specific role that
it can fulfill effectively; and all sources must work as an integrated system.
Strategies and decisions regarding the provision of visitor information must be guided by sound research
and analysis. an effective and viable visitor information system requires a commitment to evaluating and
re-evaluating the best way to meet the evolving visitor needs and preferences. Thankfully, because this is a
central issue for the global tourism industry, it is the subject of much research and analysis (both academic
and trade research). The montana tourism community can cost-effectively gain an understanding of the
trends by monitoring published findings from peer-reviewed academic research and from open-source
trade and market research. Reviewing this literature and extracting relevant insights can provide much of
the guidance needed by montana’s stakeholders. Where insight is needed that is in some way particular to
montana, iTRR may be able to provide answers based upon existing non-resident survey data. iTRR and
private research firms can also be engaged to undertake specific research on a key topic (e.g. conversion
rates).
Effective distribution of insights from this research is critical to helping montana’s tourism stakeholders
understand and respond effectively to the changing dynamics of providing visitor information (see Strategic
action 5.3).
4.1 Conduct ongoing research and analysis of evolving best practices for delivering visitor information
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4.2. Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»Ensure that websites and mobile resources effectively meet the information needs of visitors, as
identified by research and analysis (see Strategic action 4.1.).
»»Ensure that websites are optimized for mobile access to the extent that is (i) justified by research and
web analytics and (ii) feasible within resource and infrastructure constraints.
»»Ensure that mToT, Region, and cvB sites and content are seamlessly integrated to lead the visitor
through inspiration, orientation, and facilitation. individual online and mobile components should
work together to form an effective system for providing visitor information throughout the travel
planning process.
»»convey the montana Brand pillars clearly and consistently to inspire the visitor.
»»Present content that is experiential and engaging to inspire the visitor.
»»include good, functional maps to help the visitor with orientation and trip planning.
»»include traveler tips or itinerary ideas to help the visitor with orientation and facilitation, and to
encourage longer trips and more destinations.
»»Ensure that, together, the mToT, regions, and cvBs sites and content contain comprehensive
information on attractions, activities, amenities, and services. This helps the visitor with
facilitation, makes the official montana tourism sites a valuable trip-planning tool, and will
encourage longer trips and more stops.
»»make the comprehensive information digestible and manageable by highlighting top attractions
or amenities (e.g. Top 5 lists). This will help the visitor with trip planning (facilitation) and also
reinforces inspiration.
»»integrate user-generated content (e.g. ratings and reviews, online community discussions, travel
blogs), as appropriate, to strengthen credibility, inspiration, and trip-planning value for the visitor.
»»integrate social media channels, as appropriate, to offer greater interaction capabilities desired by a
growing number of travelers.
»»Provide greater transaction capabilities (e.g. booking, ticketing), when justified by research and
analysis (see Strategic action 4.1) and feasible.
»»Evaluate online/mobile presence from the visitor’s perspective for usability, functionality, content
value, and appeal.
»»incorporate new technologies and applications (e.g., apps, interactive capabilities, transaction
4.2 Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of visitors
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capabilities) where supported by research and analysis (see Strategic action 4.1). identify an explicit
role that each can fulfill successfully and incorporate it holistically into the visitor information
system.
»»Encourage and guide stakeholders to meet evolving visitor information needs, as identified through
research and analysis (see Strategic action 4.1.).
»»Provide financial and technical assistance to help stakeholders meet evolving visitor information
needs, within the guidelines of mToT’s grants and assistance programs.
Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Provide mToT, Regions, and cvBs with the comprehensive visitor information they need to make
their websites an effective online presence for your community/tribe.
»»Link websites clearly to the mToT, Region, and cvB websites.
»»if the community/tribe website will also serve as a significant source of visitor information, ensure
that:
• development and resource allocation are guided by web analytics, research and analysis (see
Strategic action 4.1);
• visitor information always includes those assets and amenities that are relevant to visitors
but lie outside the city limits; and
• the website meets the basic needs of visitors, for example: provide a map of the town; do
not bury visitor information in the website; feature visitor-appropriate content such as
the top five things to see and do; and include inspiring images of the community and its
surroundings.
»»Where possible, link to electronic word-of-mouth to improve the usefulness of, credibility of, and
visitor satisfaction with the official tourism websites.
»»optimize websites for mobile access to the extent that is (i) justified by research and web analytics
and (ii) feasible within resource and infrastructure constraints (see Strategic action 4.7.).
»»incorporate newly emerging methods of delivering visitor information that are supported by
research and analysis (see Strategic action 4.1) and viable within resource constraints.
Businesses & Organizations
»»Ensure that the business/organization website contains accurate and complete information and that
such information is provided (and updated) as appropriate to mToT, Regions, and cvBs.
»»integrate ratings and reviews and social media into the website, where appropriate and beneficial.
»»Link directly to online communities and discussions where the business, attraction, community or
area receives positive word-of-mouth (see also Strategic action 5.6).
4.2 Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of visitors
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»»Where supported by research, analysis, and analytics (see Strategic action 4.1.), optimize the
website for mobile access so that visitors can access the most important information and carry out
the most important tasks (e.g. find hours of operation, view a menu, book a room).
»»Provide or link to online transaction capabilities (booking or ticketing) to facilitate visitation, if
appropriate and feasible.
»»incorporate newly emerging methods of delivering visitor information that are supported by
research and analysis (see Strategic action 4.1) and viable within resource constraints.
Indicators of Success
»»development of online and mobile communications tools is guided by research and analysis (see
Strategic action 4.1.).
»»mToT, Region, and cvB websites are functionally integrated to meet visitor needs and to provide a
system for visitor inspiration, orientation, and facilitation.
»»online and mobile technologies are selected and applied to form an effective system.
»»comprehensive content needed for trip planning (attractions, amenities, events, services, reviews,
mapping, etc.) is integrated by mToT, the Regions and cvB’s.
»»online/mobile information is presented in a way that is experiential, engaging, and easily digestible.
»»a cohesive and consistent presentation of the montana Brand is found throughout the online/
mobile content.
»»Ratings and reviews and other user-generated content are incorporated effectively.
»»The need for interaction and transaction capabilities has been addressed, as appropriate.
»»Stakeholders are familiar with the electronic resources available through mToT, Region, and cvBs
and have the fundamental skills to make use of them.
Background & Rationale
Travelers deliberately make plans that are not highly structured and specific, so that they can enjoy
experiences that present themselves during the trip. however, they also spend a considerable time thinking
about and planning possible activities, both before they visit and during the visit itself. in fact, information
search is a significant part of the purchase decision, and online information is the dominant source of
visitor information. official tourism websites are therefore an important touch point and can contribute
significantly to destination competitiveness through “inbound marketing” by providing information that is
ample, useful, and appealing.
4.2 Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of visitors
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inbound marketing rests upon providing exceptional content that attracts and converts prospects to
customers (visitors). it is “pull” marketing, as opposed to traditional “push” marketing, and is increasingly
recognized for its effective (and cost-effective) use of Web 2.0. Good tourism websites will draw in and
inspire potential visitors, allowing them to begin imagining and planning a trip. The inbound marketing
complements traditional outbound marketing campaigns. The outbound campaigns put montana top of
mind and inspire thoughts of travel to montana. The inbound marketing converts those potential visitors
by making it easy and enjoyable for them to take the next step in trip planning.
a significant competitive weakness identified through montana’s branding research is the perception of
the state as a “risky” destination. This isn’t a concern about danger; rather risk refers to the perceived
remoteness and a possible lack of amenities that increase the “risk” that one’s trip won’t be enjoyable.
Reassuring visitors that amenities and services are available and of known quality by providing
comprehensive visitor information can reduce the perceived “risk”. The more information they find, the less
risky montana appears, and the better the customer needs can be met and served.
Research shows that an online presence must:
»»clearly convey the montana Brand to build deliverable expectations;
»»provide sufficient relevant information for trip planning decisions to help the visitor find what he or
she is seeking from the trip;
»»make the large amount of content manageable and customizable, by highlighting or ranking items
(e.g., “top 5” lists);
»»include maps to provide orientation and context and help visitors plan an itinerary that is feasible;
»»offer itinerary ideas to serve as a boiler plate and make trip planning easier;
»»allow visitors to save items to a “backpack” or “bucket list” so that they can build an itinerary
organically over time; and
»»be not just easy, but enjoyable for the visitor to use.
a good online presence – functional and enjoyable to use – improves the visitor experience, promoting
return visits and positive word-of-mouth.
Following the lead of other industries, tourism websites may need to evolve from static provision of
information to integrating elements of communication, interaction (relationship building), and electronic
transactions. While tourism has lagged behind in this regard, some state and local dmos are now
beginning to adopt these functionalities, making them a potential competitive factor in the near future.
4.2 Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of visitors
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4.3. Stay current with social media tools for effective interaction and relationship
building with visitors
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»Ensure that social media tools are designed optimally for the evolving role they play in attracting and
supporting visitors, as identified by research and analysis (see Strategic action 4.1.).
»»Examine and monitor the audience reached by montana through each of its social media outlets to
tailor the message optimally for that market segment.
»»incorporate additional social media outlets and relationship-building functions (e.g., deals and
discounts, contests, or cross-selling), where supported by research and analysis and where feasible.
»»integrate social media with the online and mobile presence.
»»Provide guidance for communities, tribes, businesses and organizations to help inform their
decisions regarding a social media presence.
Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»critically evaluate the value of a social media presence and the potential for useful interaction and
relationship building with visitors. include analytics, research and analysis in the evaluation (see
Strategic action 4.1).
»»Ensure that you have a high quality product or service before you enter the social media arena. Lay
the groundwork for positive electronic word-of-mouth by being committed to customer satisfaction
or avoid opening the door to negative electronic word-of-mouth.
»»interact with visitors through existing outlets, for example:
• monitor and respond to reviews (positive and negative) on ratings and review sites (e.g.
Tripadvisor, yelp);
• embed widgets for ratings and review sites on your website to encourage reviews from
customers;
• embed widgets for social media outlets (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) on your website to encourage
word-of-mouth about your product or service; or
• submit content for consideration on the Facebook page and other social media channels
managed by mToT, Regions, and cvBs.
»»Participate in any online communities that are relevant to key niche markets for your product or
service (see Strategic action 5.6).
»»draw upon mToT, Regions, cvBs, and iTRR guidance to inform decisions regarding a social media
presence.
4.3 Stay current with social media tools for effective interaction and relationship building with visitors
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Indicators of Success
»»The characteristics and market segments of montana’s audience on each social media outlet are
known.
»»Each social media outlet has an appropriate and clearly delineated role to play in non-resident
tourism promotion and marketing and is evaluated against these goals.
»»Tools are made available to facilitate visitor sharing of their experience (e.g. travel blogs, photos).
»»Relationship-building activities that are implemented produce identifiable promotional benefits.
»»Businesses and organizations take a measured approach to using social media, supporting their
customers with a sustainable level of effort.
»»montana tourism stakeholders value and actively use mToT guidance.
Background & Rationale
Publicly available research on the use of social media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) for tourism promotion is
very limited, the marketing value of these tools for dmos is as yet unclear, and industry best practices are
just beginning to emerge.
The key activity for this strategy is critical evaluation of social media efforts to ensure that they contribute
meaningfully to the marketing and promotional efforts of the montana tourism industry. critical analysis
is needed in order to tailor content, combine social media with other sources of visitor information to form
an effective system, and allocate resources optimally. mToT, Regions, and cvBs need insights into the
audience each social media outlet is reaching (e.g., the mToT Facebook audience appears to be primarily
former and current montana residents), how each is influencing travel decisions (e.g., broader studies of
Facebook have found that it is a poor tool for direct sales but can be a powerful tool for amplifying a brand),
and how strongly they are influencing those decisions.
insights from rigorous academic research should guide social media plans. Following trends in the industry/
trade press and benchmarking against other dmos that are recognized for their social media activities can
be useful. however, these sources of information must be viewed critically given the fact that social media
is constantly evolving and a booming industry has emerged to sell related services.
For businesses and organizations, particularly those that are small, stepping into social media can seem
daunting. Without a measured approach and a clear social media strategy, social media can consume an
inordinate amount of time. Establishing then neglecting a social media presence can backfire, hurting the
business image more than not being on social media in the first place.
monitoring ratings and review sites (e.g. Tripadvisor, yelp) is essential for hotels and restaurants, in
particular, as many potential customers will check reviews. a number of tools can assist with monitoring
the online reputation of a business or organization. current examples include email alerts from
Tripadvisor.com, Google.com, and Socialmention.com.
The use of existing social media outlets (e.g., the montana Facebook page – www.facebook.com/
visitmontana) is one effective way of supporting visitors without investing excessive time and resources.
a social media strategy to plan and manage social media activity is essential to ensure that engagement
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delivers benefits. The australian Tourism data Warehouse offers a tutorial (#40) on “Social media for
Tourism” at http://www.atdw.com.au/tourismekit.aspx.
While social media is a marketing tool that is growing in importance, it is a double-edged sword. With a
good product or service and high customer satisfaction, social media can amplify positive word of mouth
with great effect. if, however, the product or service does not meet the standards or expectations of
customers, the negative word-of-mouth will also be amplified and will be very difficult to contain. The
first step in establishing a social media presence, therefore, must be ensuring the quality of the product or
service.
Resources
Social media is one topic covered in several useful tutorials provided by the australian Tourism data
Warehouse at http://www.atdw.com.au/tourismekit.aspx.
many good tutorials can be found online. For example, search “Small Business Social media Strategy” at
www.slideshare.net for presentations given by social media professionals.
in tourism specifically, a number of commercial organizations track and evaluate the analytics of tourism
promotion through social media. one example is the ongoing evaluation of state dmos’ social media
presence by Gammet interactive, LLc, available online at http://thinksocialmedia.com/category/dave-
serino/
The mercury awards given by the u.S. Travel association and listed at http://www.ustravel.org/member-
services/award-programs/mercury-awards offer insights into social media design practices that are viewed
by the tourism industry as exceptional. Bear in mind that such awards are rarely based on a rigorous
methodology and may have little to do with effectiveness.
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4.4. Provide printed materials that are useful to the visitor and cost effective for
the marketing organization
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»make decisions regarding the production of printed promotional materials based upon current
research regarding the role printed matter plays in inspiring and facilitating visitors.
»»Ensure that all printed materials clearly and consistently convey all three brand pillars in images and
text.
Indicators of Success
»»Printed materials are designed specifically for the way in which visitors are expected to use them in
choosing a destination or planning a trip. Expectations are based upon current research.
»»Printed materials clearly reflect the brand pillars and effectively present the experience offered
by montana. Printed materials, marketing campaigns, and online visitor information present a
consistent destination brand, and thereby reinforce one another for greater effect.
Background & Rationale
While the internet has become the key source of visitor inspiration and information, most travelers
continue to use a variety of information sources before and during travel, including print materials. as
rapid technological change continues, however, the precise role played by each in the visitor’s information
gathering and decision-making process has yet to emerge.
Because online and offline information sources are used in combination, consistent presentation of the
brand across all information sources is vital to the strength of the montana Brand and to the promise of a
deliverable visitor experience.
The fact that online information has supplemented but not replaced printed materials poses a significant
budgetary challenge to dmos. Resources cannot be simply reallocated to the production of online visitor
information – they must be used to produce both online and print information pieces. at the same time,
uncertainty as to the role that each information source plays – and will play in the future – makes this
allocation even more challenging.
monitoring the emerging research on visitors’ use of information sources will support strategic allocation of
resources going forward. Research on montana’s own visitors and analytics from montana’s tourism sites
can also help to shed light on the use of information sources.
4.4 Provide printed materials that are useful to the visitor and cost effective for the marketing organization
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4.5. Offer itinerary ideas and traveler tips to help visitors structure their plans
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»develop itinerary ideas and traveler tips based on trip motivators, visitor interests, geographic
proximity, or other aspects of visitor travel patterns. draw upon research, data, analytics, and
customer interaction to identify relevant travel patterns and to ensure that the suggestions are of
interest and value to visitors.
»»integrate www.getlostmt.com suggested getaways into www.visitmt.com and Regions/cvBs sites.
»»incorporate any itinerary ideas and traveler tips generated through mToT-led events such as
community tourism workshops.
»»in itinerary ideas with a “theme”, ensure that the visitor can also identify essential amenities (e.g.,
food and lodging) and complementary activities and attractions for a balance of “breathtaking
experiences” and “relaxing hospitality”.
»»use web analytics to test the relative interest of itinerary ideas and traveler tips to visitors.
»»Provide electronic word-of-mouth mechanisms for visitors to provide feedback and
recommendations building upon the itinerary ideas.
Indicators of Success
»»Selection of suggested itineraries to include in visitor information is justified by research and data.
»»Web analytics indicate that visitors are accessing suggested itineraries.
»»visitor feedback (survey or anecdotal) indicates value of suggested itineraries.
Background & Rationale
Research shows that while visitors like to travel without a rigid itinerary, they nonetheless carry out
extensive planning to structure their trip. Prepared itineraries or itinerary ideas are often used to learn
about the destination, set expectations regarding travel times, and to serve as a boilerplate upon which they
can build (and adjust) their own personalized plans.
While the itinerary ideas provide the boilerplate it is important that visitors can easily see additional
information regarding complementary activities, attractions, and amenities to help them fill in their
personalized plans for each specific destination on their itinerary.
4.5 Offer itinerary ideas and traveler tips to help visitors structure their plans
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4.6. Support efforts to increase air service to Montana
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Strengthen state-wide coordination of efforts to increase air service.
»»Provide data on tourism, such as origin and destination data, to support efforts by local airports and
businesses to recruit additional airlines and/or flights to montana’s airports.
»»align marketing once new direct flights are committed to support continuation and expansion of the
route(s).
Indicators of Success
»»Tourism data is included in proposals and negotiations for and analysis of new routes.
»»new routes are sustained with the support of the tourism industry.
Background & Rationale
during community input sessions and other meetings, key stakeholders expressed a desire to increase the
number of airline flights and decrease the cost of flights to montana. While the potential for increased
tourism passengers alone cannot generally convince airlines to increase the number of flights, montana’s
tourism community provides valuable support to those groups (primarily private businesses and airports)
that are actively negotiating additional flights to montana.
montana tourism stakeholders can contribute origin and destination data, visitor destination data,
financing, and destination community support to the groups negotiating with airlines. once committed,
additional flights can be supported by tourism marketing to help drive demand.
Resources
Further information on the process of acquiring airline routes in montana can be found through the
following sources:
Montana Air Service: Opportunities and Challenges (February 2007) at http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/
research/external/docs/research_proj/airchallenge/final_report.pdf
For a discussion on the newark-Bozeman flight added in 2012, the city of Bozeman Economic development
council meeting minutes at: http://tinyurl.com/bwet3dl
Missoula makes short list for low-cost service by Frontier Airlines, at http://tinyurl.com/ctpbdsh
missoula Economic Partnership air Service Task Force at http://www.missoulapartnership.com/tag/air-
service-task-force/
4.6 Support efforts to increase air service to Montana
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4.7. Address communication and transportation infrastructure needs to support
tourism and recreation
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s marketing efforts and product development.
Recommended Tactics: Highways & Roads
TAC, MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Work closely with tourism partners to identify transportation infrastructure needs and pursue
infrastructure funding under tribal, state, and federal transportation programs.
• Tourism partners include montana department of Transportation, public land management
agencies, tribal governments, innovative programs like Linx in the Greater yellowstone
Region.
• current funding programs include those under maP-21, P.L. 112-14, www.fhwa.dot.gov/
map21/summaryinfo.cfm.
»»develop the full potential of the montana Scenic-historic Byways Program, working closely with the
montana department of Transportation and the Scenic historic Byways advisory council (see www.
mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/scenic/).
»»Fully explore the eligibility of montana’s scenic-historic byways for federal support under
the new Transportation alternatives program. (see aSLa issue brief at http://www.asla.org/
FederalGovernmentaffairs.aspx?id=34517)
Recommended Tactics: Visitor Information Centers, Rest Areas, and Other In-State Information
Dissemination Points
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»implement redesigned visitor information center (vic) system.
»»Establish a rigorous process to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the vic program and its value to
stakeholders and visitors.
»»continue benefit-cost analysis of possible distribution methods, such as kiosks, Wi-Fi access, and
alternative locations for stocking printed visitor information.
Recommended Tactics: Internet Access
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»Where visitors do not have access to Wi-Fi or cell service, evaluate the need, value, and possibilities
for expanding these services in the short term or over time.
»»Where visitors do not have access to Wi-Fi or cell service, explore creative ways to meet visitor
information needs (e.g., local wayfinding, widely available print maps or information). collaborate
with other stakeholders to devise a coordinated approach to providing information between “hot
spots”.
4.7 Address communication and transportation infrastructure needs to support tourism and recreation
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Indicators of Success
»»Tourism stakeholders and partners collaborate effectively to access available transportation
infrastructure funding.
»»Existing programs for scenic and historic byways are fully utilized to support tourism.
»»visitor information is made available at physical locations throughout the state in a way that offers
value to visitors and stakeholders and is cost effective.
»»visitor information is effectively provided even where Wi-Fi and cell service are not available.
»»Stakeholders work to support increased Wi-Fi and cell service, where the need, value, and viability
are firmly established.
Background & Rationale
meeting visitors’ infrastructure needs and expectations is important in conversion of visitors and in the
delivery of a good visitor experience.
visitors often perceive cellular and Wi-Fi access as necessities not luxuries. Even for those wishing to be
“off the grid”, there is often a desire to have access to cell and Wi-Fi to obtain visitor information on the
ground. Lack of access to these communications tools can significantly increase the perception of montana
as remote and poses an increased risk that the visitor experience might not be good. montana’s tourism
stakeholders should work with cell and Wi-Fi service providers to offer access in as many places as possible.
Where access cannot be offered, a creative approach should be devised to ensure that visitors can still obtain
all of the information and support that they need and want.
Similarly, montana’s tourism community must work together to ensure that the physical availability of
visitor information and support on the ground – e.g. through visitor information centers, rest areas –
continue to meet the evolving needs of the visitor in a cost-effective manner.
Public lands lose their value as a tourism asset if they cannot be adequately accessed, and may lose their
appeal if other visitor infrastructure is absent. Working closely with public land management agencies can
improve the availability of public infrastructure.
4.7 Address communication and transportation infrastructure needs to support tourism and recreation
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5.1. Strengthen strategic guidance, communication and coordination of the
Montana tourism industry
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts and builds respect for
the tourism industry in montana.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, MTOT
»»Work together to select the most pressing priorities from the Strategic Plan for montana’s tourism
industry, giving consideration to the priorities of individual Regions and cvBs. adjust the industry-
wide priorities over time.
»»communicate priorities and the rationale behind them clearly and consistently to all stakeholders.
»»continue efforts to make communication with and reporting by Regions and cvBs easier, efficient,
and effective.
MTOT
»»actively manage the strategic plan as a “living document” to maintain its relevance:
• establish a formal process by which the strategic plan may be amended;
• review and moderate feedback from stakeholders;
• incorporate additional strategic actions and recommended tactics, as needed;
• alter strategic actions or recommended tactics as needed to improve their efficacy; and
• eliminate strategic actions or recommended tactics that are found to be ineffective or
counterproductive.
»»Give businesses and organizations a clear and convincing business case for being actively engaged
with mToT, Regions, cvBs, and the Strategic Plan.
»»continue seeking out ways to strengthen two-way communication with all stakeholders and make it
easy for even small stakeholders to remain engaged
»»develop a “community relations” plan to assess, guide, and improve the effectiveness of
communications with all stakeholders. include specific strategic objectives to guide communication
with businesses and organizations, such as:
• helping them understand how the montana Brand directly applies to their operations;
• ensuring that they see the mToT, Regions, and cvBs marketing campaigns that are inspiring
their potential customers;
• giving them key insights from data and analytics, and showing how these insights can help
their businesses and organizations; and
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• building broad awareness of technical and financial resources available to businesses
and organizations and noting how to make use of the resources (such as the strategic
plan, knowledge and learning tools, research, cooperative marketing opportunities, grant
opportunities, and sustainable business training/certification).
»»Establish mechanisms for peer collaboration amongst businesses and organizations – help
them work together on their own initiative by providing them with some simple tools. For
example, consider establishing online discussion boards (e.g., yahoo Groups) where stakeholders
can collaborate on specific shared concerns, objectives, or initiatives. Reach out to encourage
participation by a broad spectrum of tourism partners. if discussion boards are to be used, adopt
protocols to be used by all boards; for example, limiting the scope of discussion, setting procedures
for designating moderators, setting out the requirements for public access.
»»identify specific opportunities for cooperative efforts with Tourism Partners, open the conversation
with the partner(s), and make the broader tourism community aware of the partnership. (For
example, to implement Strategic action 1.4.)
Regions, CVBs
»»develop a “community relations” plan to assess, guide, and improve the effectiveness of
communications with all stakeholders in the Region/community.
»»communicate organizational strategies broadly and clearly to all stakeholders in the Region/
community.
»»Work cooperatively and communicate freely with other Regions/cvBs regarding implementation of
the strategic plan and other actions requiring a coordinated effort.
»»Recommend modifications to the strategic plan to mToT, as needed and with sound rationale.
Recommend incorporation of additional actions or tactics developed by or within the Region/
community that have proven successful.
Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»understand the visitor experience promised by the montana Brand, and how this promise is
inspiring visitors through the marketing and promotion of mToT, Regions, and cvBs. (Then
consider how your tourism product could fulfill the visitors’ expectations so you can convert the
visitors into your customers.)
»»commit to staying aware of what mToT and your Tourism Region/cvB are doing, using the
communication tool(s) that fit you best. (Then consider how you could leverage their efforts to get
the greatest benefit for your business or organization.)
»»Take advantage of training and learning opportunities offered by mToT, Regions, and cvBs.
»»use the research conducted by iTRR and that contracted by mToT, Regions, and cvBs to strengthen
your business or organization.
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»»Provide feedback to mToT, Regions, and any other relevant industry members regarding effective
or ineffective strategic actions. Share success stories as well as any additional information and
resources that you discover.
»»Seek opportunities to collaborate with your fellow tourism businesses and organizations – share
ideas and experiences, discuss challenges you share, and brainstorm solutions.
Indicators of Success
»»mToT, Regions, and cvBs have “community relations plans” in place to strengthen communications
with stakeholders.
»»communications from mToT, Regions and cvBs to businesses and organizations are effective and
valued by businesses and organizations, as demonstrated by broad stakeholder engagement and
implementation of ideas (shared through the described communication and feedback mechanisms).
»»mToT, Regions and cvBs are aware of and attuned to the needs and concerns of industry members.
marketing and promotion efforts by dmos are overtly connected to sales and delivery of the brand
promise by frontline businesses and organizations.
»»The strategic plan is amended to incorporate new, innovative, and effective strategic actions, as well
as emerging best practices and knowledge for dmos and industry members, while unnecessary or
ineffective elements of the Strategic Plan are deleted.
»»Feedback and success stories are contributed by a variety of stakeholders.
Background & Rationale
one of the key challenges of marketing a destination is that the “product” being sold is actually a collection
of products and services (with fragmented ownership and many stakeholders) as well as a range of public
goods (e.g., landscape, scenery, atmosphere) that together provide the visitor experience. communication
and coordination are essential for success and a vast body of research exists regarding the importance of
these and the challenge they pose.
destination marketing organizations (dmos) play a central role in facilitating collaboration and building
a cohesive tourism product by providing leadership, involving stakeholders in a meaningful way, and
communicating effectively.
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current technologies (e.g. social media) allow the visitor experience to impact directly and immediately
upon the success of branding and marketing. The marketing role of the dmo must therefore be closely
integrated and aligned with the delivery role of other stakeholders. The brand established by DMOs
must resonate with stakeholders and it must be realistically deliverable by the stakeholders. Businesses and
organizations, in turn, must pay attention and respond to market feedback offered by the dmos. While
destination marketing organizations cannot control the marketing activities of individual players within the
tourism industry, they can lead and coordinate them. dmos can bring stakeholders together to cooperate
rather than compete, and to pool resources to support an integrated marketing mix and delivery system. as
alignment grows, dmos are becoming prominent “destination developers”, acting as catalysts for tourism
development and supporting industry members’ efforts to improve their competitiveness.
one factor that increases the difficulty of coordination by dmos is the fact that the majority of tourism
industry members are small businesses or organizations with limited time, resources, and capacity. after
handling the immediate demands of operating their business or organization, there is little time left to
attend to big picture tourism strategies. in order to win the active support and participation of front line
stakeholders, it is valuable for the Regions and cvBs to offer them a strong business case for engagement in
dmo efforts and provide guidance that has immediate and direct applicability to the operation or success of
the front line business or organization.
Today there are many means of communication – intranet, online communities, email, RSS feeds, and
snail mail, to name but a few. mToT, Regions, cvBs and the Tac should collaborate to identify the most
effective means of reaching stakeholders as part of the electronic media strategy (see Strategic action 4.2).
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5.2. Improve skills, knowledge and professionalism of tourism stakeholders
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, TAC, Regions, CVBs
»»develop a cohesive industry training and knowledge plan.
• conduct needs assessments to identify the knowledge and skills most needed by industry
members to succeed as individual businesses and organizations and collectively as an
industry.
• conduct needs assessments to identify the knowledge and skills needed by montana dmos
and their Boards to succeed as organizations and to foster the success of their destinations.
• Evaluate the relative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of live training; independent
training tools such as training videos or interactive online tools; and download-able
documents.
• maximize the potential of existing industry gatherings – such as the Governor’s conference,
Tac meetings, Regions & cvB meetings, Board meetings, and Superhost Training Seminars
– and regular communication within the industry for training and knowledge-building. use
gatherings to inform needs assessments, provide training, and raise awareness of knowledge
resources that are available.
• identify and develop partnerships with entities that can provide valuable training.
• Establish follow up mechanisms after training or use of knowledge tools to gauge whether
the skills or knowledge are being applied to business/organizational operations. adjust the
training plan as needed to improve uptake and application of resources.
»»create an easily accessible Resource Library for tourism stakeholders.
• include how-to guides, self-evaluation guides, reports, templates, online training tools, and
other resources that are relevant, digestible, and applicable to meet the identified needs of
stakeholders.
• make use of existing, publicly available resources to the greatest degree possible (using links
and abiding by fair use protocols).
• Encourage contributions by stakeholders of useful resources they have found, and
acknowledge these contributions.
• index iTRR materials to ensure that stakeholders can easily locate the specific information
they need or want.
»»Explore opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.
5.2 Improve skills, knowledge and professionalism of tourism stakeholders
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• develop a template for success stories to ensure that they will offer insights, lessons learned,
and best practices for readers. Strongly encourage and acknowledge contributions of success
stories.
• consider establishing online discussion boards (e.g., yahoo Groups) where stakeholders
can collaborate on specific shared concerns, objectives, or initiatives. if discussion boards
are to be used, adopt protocols to be used by all boards; for example, limiting the scope of
discussion, setting procedures for designating moderators, and setting out the requirements
for public access.
»»Evaluate the target audiences, subject matter, and effectiveness of the Superhost training programs.
Expand, revise, and update the programs based on current research and best practices from the
tourism and adult learning fields, and on needs assessments that have been carried out.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»make full use of information and training tools to strengthen organizational capacity, organizational
success, and sector success.
»»Submit success stories from the Region or community for inclusion in the Resource Library.
»»Facilitate training and learning (“capacity building”) by businesses and organizations in the Region/
community.
Businesses & Organizations
»»make full use of information and training tools to strengthen organizational success and sector
success.
»»Share proven successful ideas and activities and success stories by submitting them for inclusion in
the Resource Library.
Indicators of Success
»»needs assessments and an evaluation of training methods have been used to develop a cohesive
industry training plan.
»»a well-curated collection of existing learning resources is readily available to stakeholders in a
Resource Library. materials are well-indexed, allowing stakeholders to easily find what is most useful
to them. Training and information resources are available for Regions and cvBs to strengthen
marketing skills and expertise in dmo best practices. Training and information resources are
available for all stakeholders to improve functional knowledge and adoption of tourism industry best
practices.
»»Stakeholder gatherings and regular communications are used effectively to implement the training
plan.
»»Feedback from stakeholders indicates that training is being applied in their daily operations and has
improved their operations.
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»»Learning and knowledge resources are frequently accessed by stakeholders. Feedback from
stakeholders indicates that these resources have significant value for their operations and are easy to
access and use.
»»Success stories and other learning resources are submitted by stakeholders and collected by mToT
to expand and improve the Resource Library and the Strategic Plan.
»»current research and best practices from the fields of tourism and adult learning have been used to
assess the Superhost training programs and make any necessary changes.
Background & Rationale
a good visitor experience depends upon good delivery by businesses and stakeholders, many of which
are small businesses with few resources and limited capacity. as a result, training of these front line
stakeholders is often identified as a critical success factor for destinations (Blackman, Foster, hyvonen,
jewell, kuiboer, & moscardo, 2004).
dmos, too, have limited resources and capacity but need to keep abreast of best practices in the industry.
The training and information needs have become more acute in recent years as emerging technologies – the
internet, mobile devices, and Web 2.0 – revolutionize the field of destination marketing (hernandez, 2013).
during strategic plan community input sessions, stakeholders expressed a need and a desire for knowledge
in several key areas, including:
»»visitor expectations and how to meet them;
»»the utility and application of the montana Brand for their business or organization;
»»the utility of the strategic plan for their business or organization;
»»how travelers use electronic media (especially mobile) and how stakeholders can make use of it
effectively and with a low burden;
»»improving customer service by frontline staff; and
»»how to implement desired projects such as improving curb appeal.
Research confirms that small businesses face many obstacles to training – including time constraints due
to day-to-day operational demands of the business; inflexibility of hours or location of training; and costs
(of training and time lost). in addition, many attach a low value to training (particularly for staff) because
direct benefits are difficult to identify.
Small business owners, in particular, are most likely to seek learning materials when trying to address a
specific problem. Learning opportunities are most highly valued by small business operators when they (i)
are directly relevant and immediately applicable to concrete business activities, (ii) offer new or updated
information, and (iii) are highly informative. Small business learning is based upon the practical need to
learn and adapt in the context of the business environment. as a result, “the business constantly needs
to know what it needs to learn how it might learn it and who from.” Similarly, research in the field of adult
education finds that adults learn best when training has immediate applicability.
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Research highlights the importance of conducting a needs assessment to identify concrete and immediate
skills and knowledge that should be offered to stakeholders. Training resources, themselves, can be
used to help establish needs. Training units can be developed to walk industry members through a self-
evaluation of their own operation, for example self-evaluation of their product or service quality or of visitor
satisfaction. The self-evaluations can then be used in aggregate to shape the choice of training materials to
be made available and can help individual stakeholders in selecting materials and allocating their time to
learning.
The mode of training is also important but studies have found conflicting preferences – interactive versus
non-interactive; in-house independent learning versus off-site events; electronic versus print – suggesting
that the specific preferences of Montana stakeholders must be discovered. Based upon comments made in
community sessions, the initial indication is that independent learning tools are preferred due to the time
constraints and the inflexibility of work hours faced by many small business operators.
Because electronic resources (interactive or not) will be an important cost-effective means of providing
training and disseminating knowledge, this strategic action should be considered in the development and
maintenance of an electronic media strategy (Strategic action 4.2.).
Research has consistently found that gaining knowledge from peers is highly valued and more effective than
learning from other sources, suggesting that informal exchanges of experiences as well as the dissemination
of “success stories” may be a useful and cost-effective part of the training resources.
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5.3. Expand distribution and use of key insights from research and analysis
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
TAC, ITRR, MTOT
»»Set a research agenda – incorporating academic research (iTRR), market research, and analytics – to
identify and prioritize key research questions. Emphasize research questions that can directly:
• inform and improve marketing decisions;
• inform resource allocations;
• identify important and targetable market segments (using data-driven segments as well as
demographic or psychographic segments);
• improve knowledge of travel motivations;
• understand the travel patterns and expenditures of specific segments;
• identify ways to improve visitor experiences;
• identify ways to extend the length of trips or the level of visitor expenditures; or
• measure tourism’s economic impact for montana.
»»use research and analysis to the fullest extent to ensure informed decisions regarding all activities.
»»improve stakeholder use of iTRR and other research by emphasizing distribution of insights from
research – succinct notes on a specific finding that tie the finding to its practical application in the
operations of stakeholders. For example, iTRR’s 2011 Tourism outlook reported on “top montana
attributes important to nonresident visitors”. an insight could note that the top 5 are clean air,
clean waterways, watchable wildlife, scenic vistas, and open space, and suggest that stakeholders
check their websites to see if these attributes are reflected in images used. The report also indicated
that access to public lands and access to waterways were ranked as “very important” by visitors. This
could lead to a recommendation that stakeholders add nearby access points in their print and online
visitor information and make sure their frontline staff knows about local access points.
»»improve stakeholder awareness of iTRR research. For example, include research insights (with a link
to the full report) in each mToT newsletter.
»»make it easy for stakeholders to find iTRR research to meet specific, immediate information needs.
For example, include links to iTRR research within the Resource Library organized by practical topics
or questions that tourism stakeholders might be seeking to address; enhance the search capabilities
on the iTRR website; or adopt a common set of categories and terms used by mToT, iTRR, and the
Tac to tag and organize information for stakeholders.
»»continue and enhance collection of non-resident data by iTRR, ensuring that survey questions
continue to provide valid data to meet the identified research needs of the tourism community.
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»»make use of research conducted by or for other destinations.
»»utilize literature reviews of (non-iTRR) academic research as a cost-effective means to answer more
general questions regarding best practices and tourism trends (for example, trends in sources of
visitor information, traveler use of mobile devices or electronic word-of-mouth, factors in visitor
satisfaction, geotraveler trends).
»»utilize the most current electronic tools, such as web analytics and online review and feedback
mechanisms, to gain insights into visitors and the market.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Suggest items for the state-wide research agenda.
»»use key insights from academic and marketing research to guide strategic and marketing planning.
»»Explore cost effective means for local/regional data collection at existing points of contact, for
example: surveys conducted by event, attraction, or amenity operators; or aggregation of lodging
data.
»»utilize electronic tools, such as web analytics and online review and feedback mechanisms, to gain
insights into visitors and the market.
»»disseminate key insights from academic and marketing research to local stakeholders.
Businesses & Organizations
»»actively seek to apply the research and analysis to improve day-to-day operations.
»»Gather and use insights from electronic tools such as web analytics, analysis of data from ratings
and review sites (e.g. Tripadvisor, yelp); online reviews and feedback; and interaction through social
media.
»»help spread awareness of research insights from mToT, iTRR, the Tac, Regions, and cvBs to
colleagues.
Indicators of Success
»»a research agenda is adopted with direct ties to the business decisions and activities of stakeholders.
»»key insights are disseminated and improve use of research and analysis by stakeholders.
»»valid research and analysis plays a significant and overt role in guiding the strategic and marketing
plans and decisions of stakeholders.
»»Research and analysis are available in the Resource Library, in a form that is easily accessed and
digested by stakeholders.
»»opportunities to collect additional valid data for marginal additional cost or effort are identified and
implemented.
5.3 Expand distribution and use of key insights from research and analysis
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Background & Rationale
The value in research and analysis lies in its ability to improve the success of the industry as a whole and
its stakeholders individually. Research – and allocation of resources to it – therefore must be driven by the
needs of the industry and the potential to improve success.
Research “wish lists” can easily grow to be quite large and conducting primary research is often the first or
only approach considered. To effectively use limited research resources, that wish list must be filtered down
by asking “if we had this piece of information, how would it shape our decisions and activities?” Research
questions that offer good strategic value should then be prioritized, with priority given to those that have
the greatest potential for improving outcomes – improved economics, better visitor experiences, more
effectiveness in operations or marketing, etc. The answers to priority research questions should be obtained
in the most cost effective way.
a large body of research exists that is valid and offers insights that can be applied to montana’s tourism
sector. Literature reviews can draw upon this body of knowledge and be analyzed for implications for
montana, providing insights at far lower cost than conducting original survey research in montana.
montana has compiled non-resident data for a number of years, and can extract additional insights from
this valuable data set. data segmentation offers great potential for understanding of the travel patterns
of visitors, which is more useful in many regards than analysis of the aggregated data. By disaggregating
data to examine the travel patterns of specific groups, both product and marketing could be better targeted.
disaggregation could be done not only by demographic segments, but also by segments identified by their
travel motivations or by similar travel patterns. For example, nickerson and moisey (1999) reanalyzed
existing non-resident data using cluster analysis to identify five distinct groups on the basis of what
most attracted them to montana. The study offered useful insights into the characteristics of the groups
and suggested marketing strategies for each. additional data-driven segmentation of this kind (versus
traditional segmentation by demographic traits or origin) could offer unique insights.
other emerging sources of data that might meet the needs of individual stakeholders include data mining
from ratings and review sites (e.g., compiling ratings data; content analysis to determine the most common
positive and negative comments.)
Resources
other dmos whose research can be tapped for insights relevant to montana include:
•»alberta (good source of tourism research not specific to alberta and highly applicable
to montana) http://www.tpr.alberta.ca/tourism/research/;
•»california (esp. for rural tourism) http://industry.visitcalifornia.com/Research/
Travel-market-Research/;
•»Saskatchewan (esp. for canadian and uS travel trends) http://www.industrymatters.
com/marketing-and-Research;
•»oregon (esp. for national reports on outdoor recreation and adventure travel) http://
industry.traveloregon.com/research/archive/;
•»idaho (many reports on topics of interest to montana tourism) http://commerce.
idaho.gov/tourism-grants-and-resources/Research/;
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•»Wyoming (to benchmark against a neighbor state’s practices) http://www.
wyomingofficeoftourism.gov/industry/pages/Research/research.html;
•»South dakota (to benchmark against a neighbor state’s practices and for a limited
amount of “other research” posted online) http://www.sdvisit.com/tools/research/;
•»north dakota (limited benchmarking and limited research on canadian travel to the
u.S.) http://www.ndtourism.com/industry/;
•»colorado (to benchmark cost reduction efforts and cost-effective approaches; to glean
insights from contracted studies) http://www.colorado.com/research.
5.3 Expand distribution and use of key insights from research and analysis
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5.4. Make Montana tourism seamless and border-less
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product and marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»Encourage and facilitate cooperation across Regions. identify areas that are not currently seamless,
suggest solutions, and identify opportunities for cooperative efforts by Regions, cvBs, and
stakeholders.
»»Review electronic visitor information to ensure that it can be used seamlessly by visitors, paying
particular attention to primary travel corridors.
»»Seek out cooperative efforts to produce seamless visitor experiences and visitor information.
Businesses & Organizations
»»inform Regions and cvBs of cooperative efforts that industry members across regional and
community boundaries are undertaking and seek their support.
Indicators of Success
»»assessment of tourism information from the visitors’ perspective confirms that visitors are able to
obtain information and plan trips seamlessly throughout the state.
»»Towns and industry members in different Regions report that they can work cooperatively to
promote multi-destination trips without administrative barriers.
»»Examples of successful cross-Region cooperative efforts are submitted for inclusion in the Resource
Library and the strategic plan.
Background & Rationale
Tourism stakeholders expressed frustration during community input sessions regarding their ability to
work together across the administrative boundaries of montana’s Tourism Regions. Encouraging industry
members to approach Regions with concrete proposals for cross-Region cooperative activities may help allay
these frustrations. Regions, cvBs, the Tac, and/or mToT may wish to establish a process for industry
members to approach Regions and cvBs with multi-region proposals or requests for support. Successful
examples of such projects should be included in the online Resource Library and the strategic plan to serve
as inspiration or as templates.
Because visitors generally take multi-destination trips within montana, it is important that they be able to
plan those trips seamlessly across Regions. Region and cvB websites should be evaluated from the visitors’
perspective to identify obstacles to multi-region trip planning, and resolving those failures should be a
priority. mToT and all region websites should look and feel cohesive, and must offer itinerary planning
functionality.
5.4 Make Montana tourism seamless and border-less
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5.5. Manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Encourage all stakeholders to make use of electronic word-of-mouth, provide the business case for
doing so, and provide guidance on how to do so effectively.
»»incorporate electronic word-of-mouth tools (e.g., reviews, travel blogs) into electronic visitor
information tools, allowing visitors to share their “breathtaking experiences”.
»»Link to exceptional online communities, threads, and blogs that contain positive reviews or word of
mouth regarding your community, its tourism assets, and/or nearby tourism assets.
Businesses & Organizations
»»monitor electronic word-of-mouth for your product or service.
»»address problems identified by reviewers and respond to negative reviews with professionalism and
good customer service.
»»Link to review sites (e.g., Tripadvisor, yelp) on your websites, allowing visitors to access your reviews
easily.
»»Encourage satisfied customers to post reviews.
Indicators of Success
»»mToT, Regions, and cvBs websites link to ratings and review sites.
»»a majority of montana’s tourism industry members incorporate reviews into their websites.
»»a majority of montana’s tourism industry members monitor their online reputation.
»»industry members use online reviews to identify problems, take actions to fix legitimate problems,
and manage their online reputation by responding effectively to reviews.
Background & Rationale
Research has shown beyond a doubt that word-of-mouth recommendations have the single strongest effect
on traveler decisions. Social media, social networking sites, and consumer generated content (collectively,
“Web 2.0”) have significantly extended the reach of word-of-mouth by making it available to a much wider
audience.
Electronic word-of-mouth can significantly impact the decisions of travelers. in a recent World Travel
market study, a full 58% of travelers changed at least one aspect of a planned trip after consulting Web 2.0
sites, including 35% who changed their choice of hotel. customer reviews have become an integral part
of how people make purchasing decisions. 76% of people use online reviews to shape their decisions; 69%
share online reviews with friends, family, or colleagues; and 63% are more likely to purchase from a site that
offers reviews or ratings.
5.5 Manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth
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Electronic word-of-mouth can be a valuable business resource for tourism stakeholders in a number of ways.
it is a valuable source of information for tourism industry members allowing them to better understand the
likes, dislikes, and expectations of customers. Tourism providers can respond to negative word-of-mouth
in a way that blunts its impact significantly. and businesses and organizations can tap electronic word-of-
mouth as a powerful marketing tool by ensuring that potential customers are aware of positive reviews.
Tourism promotion agencies have noted the importance of managing online reputation for their industry
members and have developed useful guides to simplify the process and overcome the apprehension of
small operators. one of the best examples is the australia Tourism data Warehouse, which has published
tutorials on “online Reputation management” and on “Tripadvisor for Tourism”. Within the bounds of fair
use, montana tourism stakeholders can be referred to these existing sources as a cost-effective way to help
them adopt best practices.
Resources
australia Tourism data Warehouse “Tourism e-kit” tutorials at http://www.atdw.com.au/tourismekit.aspx.
5.5 Manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth
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5.6. Make Montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and
customer advocacy
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT, TAC, Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Support businesses and organizations in developing electronic community marketing.
»»collaborate with stakeholders to identify the “go-to” online communities for each activity/interest
that offers a niche market for montana.
»»Provide learning resources to guide stakeholders in effective electronic community marketing.
»»include links in visitor information to blogs, community threads, etc., where community members
share their enthusiasm for montana as a setting for participating in niche activities or interests.
help these “customer advocates” speak to their peers – past and potential visitors to montana.
Businesses & Organizations
»»Participate in the top online community(ies) related to key niche markets for your business or
organization, serve as a source of accurate information, local insight, and enthusiasm for montana as
a setting for the activity/interest.
»»Link to exceptional communities, threads, and blogs that could be linked on tourism promotion
sites. make mToT and Regions aware of these resources.
Indicators of Success
»»montana tourism industry members are actively involved in online communities where they act
as a resource for those interested in undertaking an activity or interest in montana and promote
montana as a destination by sharing their specific knowledge and related enthusiasm. niche
markets grow in the long term through the resulting “community marketing”.
»»Trusted independent “customer advocates” (or “influencers”) provide valuable word-of-mouth
promotion for montana and contribute to the growth of niche markets.
Background & Rationale
as user generated content and social media make electronic word-of-mouth a growing force in consumer
decisions, a modern form of “community marketing” is emerging.
“community marketing” is focused on being part of the community and meeting the needs of the
community – for example, a local hardware store builds a base of loyal customers by being a trusted source
of knowledge. community marketing is re-emerging within online communities that tie people together
around a shared interest, activity, or goal.
montana tourism is well placed to develop effective online community marketing because many tourism
industry members are personally passionate about the activities or interests that draw their niche market
5.6 Make Montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and customer advocacy
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customers (e.g., fishing, hiking, biking, photography). note that while each niche activity may have a small
following, they can contribute significantly to overall tourism numbers. Wyoming’s office of Tourism found
that niche activities motivated the choice of Wyoming for 47% of the state’s 2012 visitors (compared to 46%
of visitors motivated by visiting a national park) (http://www.wyomingofficeoftourism.gov/industry/pdf/
homepage/2012visitorProfileStudy.pdf, slide 16).
By participating actively in online communities serving these interests, industry members can establish
themselves as a trusted source of expert or local information and share their enthusiasm for pursuing these
activities/interests in the superb setting of montana. This promotes montana as a destination and also
builds a pool of loyal customers for the stakeholder’s business (e.g., lodging, guide services). This provides
targeted marketing in the social media realm (targeting an online community, like avid fishermen, the way
one would target a physical community like minneapolis). The business benefits emerge over the long-term
but are important.
closely related to the concept of online community marketing is the Web 2.0 phenomenon of “influencers”
or “customer advocates” – those who influence others through their electronic word-of-mouth
recommendations. again, montana has a wealth of potential influencers. For any niche activity or interest
that brings in non-resident visitors, there are montanans (or admirers of montana) who are blogging or
posting on community forums with honest and passionate tales of the experiences that the state has to
offer. By linking to these word-of-mouth praises, montana allows them to provide sincere advocacy for the
state as a great destination.
Resources
For an understanding of “online community marketing” see the 2012 article by Bill Lee on the harvard
Business Review Blog network at http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/08/marketing_is_dead.html.
The australian Tourism data Warehouse “online tourism communities” tutorial provides basic information
on joining and engaging in online communities at http://www.atdw.com.au/media/1523/Tutorial_42_-_
online_Tourism_communities.pdf.
5.6 Make Montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and customer advocacy
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5.7. Continue to carry out consumer marketing and media relations to attract
non-resident visitors
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT
»»continue targeted marketing to domestic non-resident markets using traditional and electronic
media. continue to base marketing decisions upon research and evaluate effectiveness of marketing
campaigns.
»»continue to develop effective cooperative marketing opportunities for industry members. Ensure
that industry members are well informed regarding the marketing campaigns and the research that
guides them.
»»continue to carry out well-targeted media relations to solicit media coverage for montana as a
leisure travel destination.
»»assist Regions, cvBs, communities, and tribes to successfully pitch stories and conduct media
relations.
»»Widely disseminate resulting media coverage to stakeholders.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»Participate in cooperative marketing campaigns that offer appropriate target markets and good
value. collaborate with mToT to evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns.
»»continue targeted marketing to domestic non-resident markets using traditional and electronic
media. continue to base marketing decisions upon research and evaluate effectiveness of marketing
campaigns.
»»continue to carry out well-targeted media relations to solicit media coverage for montana as a
leisure travel destination. identify potential stories and pitch them to appropriate media sources,
focusing on out-of-state media.
»»collaborate with and support mToT to successfully conduct media relations.
»»Widely disseminate resulting media coverage to stakeholders.
Businesses & Organizations
»»identify potential stories and pitch them to appropriate media sources, focusing on out-of-state
media.
»»collaborate with and support mToT, Regions, and cvBs to successfully conduct media relations.
5.7 Continue to carry out consumer marketing and media relations to attract non-resident visitors
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Indicators of Success
»»Well targeted marketing brings high conversion rates and a stronger return on investment (Roi) for
marketing expenditures.
»»Regions and cvBs deem the cooperative marketing opportunities to be valuable and use them as an
important part of their marketing plans.
»»awareness and top-of-mind awareness are improved by media exposure generated by media
relations.
»»Regions, cvBs, communities, tribes, businesses and organizations successfully pitch more stories to
out-of-state publications.
Background & Rationale
mToT’s geographically targeted consumer marketing has proven very successful and produced an improved
Roi, based on conversion studies.
cooperative marketing opportunities offered by mToT have provided a significant Roi for participating
stakeholders, particularly in online marketing campaigns. Participation promises to extend the budget of
stakeholders, allowing them to leverage considerably off the mToT marketing expenditures.
Well targeted media relations can result in low-cost, high-impact exposure for montana. By helping Regions
to pitch stories successfully, the skills of mToT’s media professionals are leveraged to generate even more
exposure for the state.
5.7 Continue to carry out consumer marketing and media relations to attract non-resident visitors
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5.8. Evaluate and target group and international markets
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT
»»continue to promote montana as a destination to domestic and international tour operators.
»»develop ways to accurately gauge the contributions of the domestic and international tour operators
to tourism in montana.
»»Evaluate promotional efforts targeting domestic tour operators. Establish valid measurements of
success and evaluate costs and benefits.
»»obtain research-based insights into the evolving characteristics, composition, and importance of
“group travel” segments in montana (see Strategic action 5.3.).
»»continue to promote montana as a destination to international visitors, independently and through
multi-state partnerships.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes
»»develop valid, research-based ways to accurately gauge the volume of Regional/local visitors
attributable to domestic and international tour operators.
»»collaborate with mToT to carry out promotion to tour operators, where justified by research and
analysis.
»»Target select group markets, assessing the relative importance and potential of traditional group
markets (e.g. packaged group travel, meetings, incentive travel) as well as emerging non-packaged
group travel (e.g., man-cations, girlfriend getaways).
»»Evaluate the relative effectiveness and return on promotion to targeted group market segments.
»» Work with Rocky mountain international and mToT on marketing and promotion to attract
overseas group travelers and/or FiT (Foreign independent Travelers), where justified by research and
analysis.
»»Evaluate the relative effectiveness and return on promotion to targeted overseas markets.
Businesses & Organizations
»»Target select group markets, assessing the relative importance and potential of traditional group
markets (e.g. packaged group travel, meetings/conventions) as well as emerging non-packaged group
travel (e.g., man-cations, girlfriend getaways).
»»Evaluate the relative effectiveness and return on promotion to targeted group markets.
»»carry out marketing and promotion to attract overseas group travelers and/or FiT (Foreign
independent Travelers), where justified by research and analysis.
5.8 Evaluate and target group and international markets
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»»Evaluate the relative effectiveness and return on promotion to targeted overseas markets.
Indicators of Success
»»Relative Roi based on increased visitation/expenditures is calculated for all promotional activities,
when appropriate and possible, and used to prioritize resource allocations to each.
»»domestic and international tour operators offer more montana product/overnights (preferably over
a five-year moving average), showing a strong Roi on promotional activities.
»»visitation and related expenditures increase in targeted segments of the group market. increases
can be linked to promotional activities, with a strong Roi for promotional expenditures.
»»overseas marketing and promotion – directly and under the “Real america” banner – has
demonstrable effects upon visitation from those markets.
Background & Rationale
as a “small” state with a limited budget for tourism promotion, it is particularly important for montana to
allocate its budget optimally, so as to maximize its impact on visitor expenditures. Promotional activities
must be linked as directly as possible to increased revenue (private and tax) to make and justify budget
allocations among the activities.
While tour operators are an important segment of the tourism market, reaching them through conventions
can be a costly endeavor, making it particularly important to measure Roi. Because tour operators need
time to produce new montana products, the results of promotional activities lag somewhat and would be
best measured by a multi-year moving average.
other group travel segments should be pursued only if there is a strong business case to do so. For some
communities, the “small meeting” segment of meetings and conventions travel may offer potential to
generate nonresident travel, for example.
co-branding with surrounding states to carry out overseas marketing is a strong approach, given the
similarity of tourism products in the region. however, as electronic media make both overseas and domestic
branding accessible to potential visitors overseas, it may become necessary to evaluate the alignment of the
two branding messages. While measuring the volume of overseas visitors is very challenging, a number of
stakeholders offer anecdotal evidence of this segment’s importance. The segment may warrant efforts to
establish valid measures of Roi.
5.8 Evaluate and target group and international markets
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5.9. Continue to promote Montana as a competitive, creative, and viable filming
location
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism marketing efforts.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT
»»continue to promote and administer the montana film incentive programs (currently Big Sky on the
Big Screen act and the montana Big Sky Film Grant).
»»continue to apply the incentive programs in a targeted and cost-effective way.
»»Support legislative extension of the Big Sky on the Big Screen act, recommending any modifications
to improve competitiveness of montana or cost-effectiveness of the incentive programs.
Regions, CVBs, Communities, Tribes, Businesses & Organizations
»»continue to collaborate with mToT and support efforts to attract filming to your area.
Indicators of Success
»»Film promotion and incentives have been allocated strategically to projects that offer a significant
degree of positive exposure for montana. Projects receiving support show a net positive economic
impact in the state.
Background & Rationale
mToT’s film promotion office has successfully used targeted support rather than joining a “race to the
bottom” by trying to compete with subsidies from large-budget states. continuing to quantify the exposure
generated through these activities and consistently pursuing cost-effectiveness in these programs will help
maintain legislative support for their continuation.
5.9 Continue to promote Montana as a competitive, creative and viable filming location
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5.10. Carry out public and media relations to build respect for the tourism industry
This Strategic action builds respect for the tourism industry in montana.
Recommended Tactics
ITRR
»»Provide valid and objective research and analysis regarding the economic impacts of montana
tourism.
»»Ensure that valid and objective data is widely available regarding the tourism industry’s role in
montana’s economy.
TAC, MTOT, Regions, CVBs
»»disseminate accurate information regarding the economic and social benefits of tourism in the
state/region/community.
»»Solicit media coverage regarding the benefits of tourism in the state/region/community.
»»Solicit media coverage of montana tourism success stories.
»»Provide tourism stakeholders and tourism partners with data, research, analysis, and other
communications regarding successes and benefits of tourism to share with elected officials,
community members, and other interested parties.
»»Provide elected officials with data, research, analysis, and press releases regarding success stories and
economic benefits of tourism.
Businesses & Organizations
»»Share data and information regarding tourism’s successes and benefits with elected officials and
community members.
»»Encourage local media to cover tourism stories.
»»Let the community know when the business or organization uses local or montana products (see
Strategic action 2.5.).
Indicators of Success
»»Local press coverage of tourism successes, the benefits of tourism, and tourism stories is more
extensive and more prominent.
»»neither the lodging tax nor its partial allocation to tourism promotion is threatened in the state
legislature.
»»city and county elected officials voice support for tourism as part of a sustainable local economic
base.
5.10 Carry out public and media relations to build respect for the tourism industry
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Background & Rationale
“Respect” for the tourism industry is one of three key pillars identified by the Tourism advisory council to
be strengthened through the strategic plan.
By raising awareness of the economic importance of tourism among elected officials, the business
community, and the general public, the industry can win a broad base of public support, which in turn will
help preserve and enhance the lodging tax and the tourism industry.
Gathering and publicizing valid data will provide quantitative support for tourism’s economic and social
contributions. Gathering and publicizing success stories provides quantitative and qualitative evidence of
tourism’s positive attributes, such as the innovation and entrepreneurialism of the industry, the amenities
it brings for montana residents, the community spirit and pride it can foster, and the economic successes it
achieves.
Sharing information regarding the economic value of tourism also helps land management agencies evaluate
the balanced use of public lands.
Raising awareness of economic importance among the industry’s own stakeholders enables them to become
more effective advocates for tourism – individually and collectively – at the state and local levels.
Working on a consistent basis to track tourism’s successes and build a strong base of respect can strengthen
montana tourism stakeholders’ position when defending the industry and the lodging tax during legislative
sessions and with the executive branch.
5.10 Carry out public and media relations to build respect for the tourism industry
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5.11. Continue to provide financial and technical support for tourism projects
This Strategic action strengthens montana’s tourism product development.
Recommended Tactics
MTOT
»»Broaden awareness of technical and financial programs supporting tourism in montana, in
particular: the Tourism infrastructure investment Program (TiiP grants); the Special Event Grant
Program (SEGP); and the Tourism E-marketing Technology Grant.
»»Ensure that grant programs support efforts that (i) are consistent with the montana Brand and (ii)
contribute to the industry strategy. Evaluate the effectiveness of grants.
»»monitor the needs of the industry and the value of grant programs to identify necessary changes or
additions.
»»maintain an updated list of tourism-related technical and financial assistance programs provided by
various public and private sources.
Indicators of Success
»»Grant awards have demonstrable benefits: increasing visitation and visitor expenditures, improving
delivery of the brand, or strengthening montana’s tourism offering in valuable ways.
»»Grant programs are evaluated and found to contribute strongly to strategic goals.
»»Stakeholders have access to updated information about other tourism-related technical and financial
assistance programs provided by various public and private sources.
Background & Rationale
mToT currently offers three grant programs designed to provide financial support to the tourism sector.
The Tourism infrastructure investment Program (TiiP) provides grant funding for tourism-related facilities
and for the preservation of montana’s cultural and historical assets. The Special Event Grant Program is
designed to help promote “hallmark events” that diversify and enhance montana’s tourism product. The
Tourism E-marketing Technology Grant helps businesses improve their competitive e-marketing position.
as with all lodging tax expenditures, the funds allocated to these grant programs must be evaluated for
effectiveness. Success can be measured in increased visitor expenditures, substantive improvement in
montana’s tourism product, business success, or creation or preservation of important tourism assets.
outcomes can be difficult to evaluate accurately. using comparison groups can improve the validity of
evaluations where external factors play a role. For example, to evaluate an SEGP grant in terms of increased
visitation, in addition to looking at attendance versus previous years, it is useful to look at attendance
numbers for comparable events to separate the effects of the grant from the effects of weather or changes in
the economy.
Resources
a good reference work on evaluating economic development activities is Bartik and Bingham (Bartik &
Bingham, 1995), available at http://research.upjohn.org/up_workingpapers/29/.
5.11 Continue to provide financial and technical support for tourism projects
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Appendix A: Guidance for Small Businesses & Organizations
The 2013-2017 montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan is written for all tourism stakeholders,
including the small businesses and organizations that deliver the montana visitor experience. almost every
Strategic action has recommended tactics for the small business or organization. The following checklist
will help the small, frontline stakeholder navigate the Strategic Plan by pulling out priority activities and
referencing the Strategic actions that address them.
o Monitor and respond to “electronic word-of-mouth”, e.g. online review ratings, reviews,
and social media mentions.
Strategic action 5.5. manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth.
Strategic action 4.3. Stay current with social media tools for effective interaction and relationship
building with visitors.
Strategic action 4.2. design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors.
o Make full use of official tourism websites to attract customers by providing up-to-date
information to MTOT and to your Tourism Region and CVB.
Strategic action 4.2. design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors.
Strategic action 5.1. Strengthen strategic guidance, communication, and coordination of the
montana tourism industry.
o Encourage and train staff to provide outstanding professional and courteous service.
Strategic action 5.2. improve skills, knowledge, and professionalism of tourism stakeholders.
o Keep business or organization website up to date, informative, and enjoyable.
Strategic action 4.2. design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors.
Strategic action 3.4. Build excitement about montana among niche market enthusiasts.
o Consider offering online transactions (e.g. booking, ticketing).
Strategic action 4.2. design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors.
o Ensure that essential information and website functions can be accessed via mobile device.
Strategic action 4.2. design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors.
Appendix A: Guidance for Small Businesses & Organizations
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o Provide visitors with suggestions for other activities, attractions, and experiences in the
area.
Strategic action 3.2. Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience in all marketing and visitor
information.
Strategic action 3.1. Present each town in the context of its surroundings.
o Use local or Montana products – let visitors know, and let the community know.
Strategic action 2.5. Support local and montana products and businesses to build economically
vibrant towns.
Strategic action 5.10. carry out public and media relations to build respect for the tourism industry.
o If seasonal, coordinate seasonal opening/closing with other area tourism providers.
Strategic action 2.7. Expand tourism seasons through local coordination.
o Interact online with key communities of potential customers.
Strategic action 5.6. make montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and customer
advocacy.
Strategic action 3.4. Build excitement about montana among niche markets enthusiasts.
Strategic action 4.3. Stay current with social media tools for effective interaction and relationship
building with visitors.
o Implement or lead curb appeal improvements in the community.
Strategic action 2.4. improve curb appeal of towns.
o Participate actively in the local, Regional, and state tourism communities.
Strategic action 5.1. Strengthen strategic guidance, communication, and coordination of the
tourism industry.
Strategic action 5.2. improve skills, knowledge, and professionalism of tourism stakeholders.
Strategic action 5.3. Expand distribution and use of key insights from research and analysis.
Strategic action 5.4. make montana tourism seamless and border-less.
Strategic action 1.4. Participate in planning processes for public lands management.
Strategic action 2.8. address the short- to long-term effects of the Bakken oil boom for tourism.
o Address the short- and long-term impacts of the Bakken oil field, and tap the potential
tourism market of the oil field population.
Strategic action 2.8. address the short- to long-term effects of the Bakken oil boom for tourism.
Appendix A: Guidance for Small Businesses & Organizations
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Appendix B: Guidance for Communities & Tribes
The 2013-2017 montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan is written for all tourism stakeholders,
including the communities that have no convention & visitors Bureau and indian country. almost every
Strategic action has recommended tactics for communities and tribes. The following checklist will help
these stakeholders navigate the Strategic Plan by pulling out priority activities and referencing the Strategic
actions that address them.
o Introduce potential visitors to the unique personality and charm of the community.
Strategic action 2.2. highlight the most charming and desirable elements of each community.
Strategic action 4.3. Stay current with social media tools for effective interaction and relationship
building with visitors.
Strategic action 5.5. manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth.
o Present the community in the context of its natural surroundings and the experiences it
offers the visitor (in and out of town).
Strategic action 3.1. Present each town in the context of its surroundings.
Strategic action 3.2. Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience in all marketing and visitor
information.
Strategic action 1.2. integrate public lands more fully and functionally into tourism information.
Strategic action 1.3. Present natural assets in an experiential manner.
Strategic action 3.4. Build excitement about montana among niche markets enthusiasts.
Strategic action 5.6. make montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and
customer advocacy.
o Promote the community as part of a multi-destination itinerary.
Strategic action 3.3. Present a seamless and borderless visitor experience in all visitor information.
Strategic action 4.5. offer itinerary ideas and traveler tips to help visitors structure their plans.
Strategic action 5.4. make montana tourism seamless and borderless.
Strategic action 5.7. continue to carry out consumer marketing and media relations to attract
non-resident visitors.
o Provide ample information for the visitor.
Strategic action 4.2. design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of
visitors.
Strategic action 4.3. Stay current with social media tools for effective interaction and relationship
building with visitors.
Appendix B: Guidance for Communities & Tribes
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Strategic action 3.2. Present a balanced and cohesive visitor experience in all marketing and visitor
information.
Strategic action 3.1. Present each town in the context of its surroundings.
Strategic action 5.5. manage and leverage electronic word-of-mouth.
Strategic action 5.6. make montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and use of
customer advocates.
o If tourism is highly seasonal for the community, work together to reduce the negative
impacts.
Strategic action 2.7. Expand tourism seasons through local coordination.
Strategic action 3.4. Build excitement about montana among niche markets enthusiasts.
Strategic action 5.6. make montana tourism a leader in online community marketing and
customer advocacy.
o Implement or lead curb appeal improvements in the community.
Strategic action 2.4. improve curb appeal of towns.
o Evaluate the need for wayfinding improvements and seek out cost-effective solutions.
Strategic action 2.3. Evaluate and pursue essential local wayfinding solutions.
o Participate actively in the state, Regional, and local tourism communities.
Strategic action 5.1. Strengthen strategic guidance, communication, and coordination of the
tourism industry.
Strategic action 5.2. improve skills, knowledge, and professionalism of tourism stakeholders.
Strategic action 5.3. Expand distribution and use of key insights from research and analysis.
Strategic action 5.10. carry out public and media relations to build respect for the tourism
industry.
Strategic action 1.4. Participate in planning processes for public lands management.
o Tap the potential tourism market of the Bakken oil field population, and address the
short- and long-term impacts of the Bakken development.
Strategic action 2.8. address the short- to long-term effects of the Bakken oil boom for tourism.
Appendix B: Guidance for Communities & Tribes
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Appendix C: Montana Tourism & Recreation Charter and Principles
in 2007, the Tourism advisory council adopted the following Principles and the charter upon which they
are based. The charter remains relevant to the current Strategic Plan.
charter Principles:
1. maintain integrity of place and destination appeal
2. Promote and highlight the businesses, services and opportunities that are unique to montana
3. Promote sustainable resource conservation, including conservation of energy, water and wildlife
4. Participate in and help lead community stewardship partnerships to maintain montana assets
5. identify and appeal to markets that value and seek to help sustain montana’s distinct characte
6. Foster a diversity of products and services that meet the demand of a demographic cross-section of
the “geotourism” market
7. Ensure visitor satisfaction and an enduring market demand through education of montana residents
about the benefits of sustainable tourism
8. Work with institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, montana office of Tourism and other
tourism organizations throughout the state to evaluate effective implementation of the Tourism
charter
Appendix C: Montana Tourism & Recreation Charter and Principles
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Montana Tourism and Recreation Charter:
WHERE AS the travel and recreation industry of montana recognizes our greatest asset in today’s
marketplace is montana’s great outdoors and pristine environment, including the headwaters of the
continent, scenic vistas, wide open spaces, and abundant and charismatic wildlife;
AND WHERE AS our exceptional outdoor places are enhanced by equally distinctive communities, with a
rich history of friendliness, authenticity, artistic traditions, and a people who derive their solid intellectual
and creative capital from montana’s strong sense of place;
AND WHERE AS the people of the twelve tribal nations of montana sustain an enduring cultural heritage
and land ethic and provide opportunities for distinctive, enriching and educational experiences for visitors,
particularly through culturally appropriate tourism businesses owned by american indians;
AND WHERE AS we understand that montana’s collective authentic character represents values that
are increasingly in demand by the economically and socially desirable “geotourist” market 1 including
many business travelers and most leisure travelers. These travelers share many common values with most
montanans, including a desire to maintain the unique and authentic character of places;
AND WHERE AS the greatest long-term economic advantage for montana’s travel and recreation industry,
lies with the geotourism market and other visitors who share the respect that montana residents and
communities have for our natural and cultural assets;
AND WHERE AS we have observed that despite increasing market demand, there are ever fewer places
in north america that have retained their authentic feel and sense of place as they are “discovered” and
changed;
AND WHERE AS the montana character won’t be maintained through benign neglect but rather requires
shared commitment and continuous attention.
THEREFORE, the State of montana, the montana State Tribal Economic development commission and
montana’s travel and recreation industry adopt this charter of stewardship and commitment to individual
community-based economic development, promotion and conservation of the unique and treasured
montana character. From this point forward, we resolve to advocate, forge partnerships and take individual
and collective actions to guarantee that the authentic and highly valued montana experience is available for
future generations of residents and visitors.
Montana Tourism and Recreation Charter
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Montana Tourism & Recreation Strategic Plan, 2013-2017
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Quarterly Bed Tax Collections2005-2012
Attachment 3: Montana Heritage Commission Business Performance Plan
Open Window Consulting Proposal –2015 Strategic Plan RFP
Business Performance Plan for the Montana Heritage Commission
6 June 2013
For more information, contact:
Elijah Allen
Business and Operations Manager
Montana Heritage Commission
Address:PO Box 338, Virginia City, MT 59755
Phone number:406-369-8147
Email:eallen@mt.gov
2
Table of Contents
Montana Heritage Commission Background ..................................................................................4
MHC Visitors................................................................................................................................4
MHC Revenues........................................................................................................................5
Business Operations........................................................................................................................7
Operations and Maintenance of Virginia City, Nevada City, and Reeder’s Alley .......................9
1. Visitor activities .......................................................................................................................9
Family Pass ..............................................................................................................................9
Alder Gulch Shortline railroad ..............................................................................................10
Gold panning.........................................................................................................................10
Historical tours, particularly admission to Nevada City (Nevada Living History Museum)..10
Merchandise sales ................................................................................................................11
2. Promotions and outreach .....................................................................................................11
School tours ..........................................................................................................................11
Additional public and private funding support.....................................................................11
Volunteer recruitment and utilization ..................................................................................11
Maintain and expand education and interpretation programs ...........................................12
Membership –annual and permanent .................................................................................12
Special Events .......................................................................................................................12
Other .....................................................................................................................................12
3. Landlord and business partnerships .....................................................................................13
Landlord and business partnerships .....................................................................................13
Fairweather Inn and Nevada City Hotel & Cabins ................................................................15
Reeder’s Alley .......................................................................................................................15
4. Marketing ..............................................................................................................................16
5. Business operations ..............................................................................................................17
Sale of select real and personal property .............................................................................18
Bed tax ..................................................................................................................................18
3
Vehicle tax.............................................................................................................................18
Infrastructure improvement .................................................................................................19
Preservation and conservation of Virginia City and Nevada City Assets and Artifacts ........19
Other expenses .....................................................................................................................21
6. Alignment with the 2013 Montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan ........................21
4
Montana Heritage Commission Background
The Montana Heritage Commission (MHC)takes pride in managing some of the most valuable
and fascinating historic sites in Montana--Virginia City, Nevada City,and Reeder's Alley and the
Pioneer Cabin in Helena. In 1997, the Montana Legislature purchased Virginia City and Nevada
City from the Bovey family. Our goal is to promote and preserve these sites while encouraging
Montanans, out-of-state visitors,and future generations to become excited about the rich
history of this great state. Virginia City and Nevada City represent authentic and tangible
examples of the greatest gold strike in the Rocky Mountain West.Virginia City was the site of
our first active territorial capital and the MHC offices now occupy the original Montana
Legislative Offices.
MHC has two primary missions. The first is to operate and maintain the Virginia City, Nevada
City, and Reeder’s Alley properties and income-producing assets and artifacts with a goal of
financial self-sufficiency. The second is to preserve the Virginia City and Nevada City artifacts
and non-income producing assets (e.g., historical or cultural assets).The current value of all
Virginia City, Nevada City, and Reeder’s Alley assets, including land,buildings,and artifacts,is
estimated to be $41 million.MHC can move toward self-sufficiency primarily by increasing the
number of visitors to its sites and by improving and expanding the visitor experiences at these
sites.
MHC Visitors
Figure 1 shows the number of visitors to each of three southwest Montana state attractions by
year. The three attractions are Nevada/Virginia Cities, Bannock State Park, and the Lewis &
Clark Caverns State Park; the latter two are those against which we benchmark visitor numbers.
Of note is that, after following similar trajectories from 2009-2011, Nevada/Virginia Cities have
seen a greater increase in the number of travelers in 2012 relative to the benchmarked
attractions. Our goal is to continue to implement new strategies, described in the sections
below, that will continue to see a relatively large increase in travelers.
5
Figure 1. Comparison of visitor trends by year.
Figure 2 shows the number of visitors to MHC for each of the last four calendar years (2009-
2012). Visitor numbers peak in July and August of each year. Note that the data for the graph
are only shown for the months of May-September.
Figure 2.Montana Heritage Commission visitors by month during prime season. Source: MHC estimates.
MHC Revenues
Figure 3 presents the MHC fiscal year 2013 budget estimates. While the fiscal year ends on June
30, we anticipate breaking even this year from an operations perspective. In addition to the
costs noted in the figure, we also anticipate expending $47,542 in long range preservation
6
activities.Specific revenue and expense sources are described in the business operations
section of this document.
Montana Heritage Commission Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Estimate FY 2013 Budget
Revenue
Bed Tax 400,000
Vehicle Tax 200,000
Alder Gulch Short-line Railroad 40,000
Nevada City Gate Fees 60,000
VC/NC Music Hall Fees 25,000
Family Pass 30,000
BOI Investment Earnings Class 500
Merchandise Sold 30,000
Rentals (Income from Virginia City, Nevada City, and Reeder’s Alley 185,000
Visitor Donations/Grants 30,000
Total Revenue [J]1,000,500
Personnel Expenses
Personal Services 495,508
-Salaries 356,766
-Employee Benefits 138,742
Total Personnel Expenses [K]495,508
Operating Expenses
Contracted Services 100,350
Supplies and Materials 49,523
Communications 57,945
Travel 24,478
Rent 2,476
Utilities 80,268
Repairs and Maintenance 49,412
Other expenses (primarily insurance)91,479
Goods for resale 8,561
Total Operating Expenses [L]464,492
Total Expenses [M=K+L]960,000
7
Net Income [N=J-M]40,500
Figure 3. MHC fiscal year 2013 budget estimate.
Business Operations
MHC sites have a number of strengths on which to capitalize in moving toward self-sufficiency.
These include: (i) a location near the state’s top tourist attraction, Yellowstone National Park;
(ii) presence as an important and high quality historical and heritage attraction; (iii) a solid and,
arguably, stable base funding in bed tax and vehicle tax receipts; and (iv) current expectations
of increasing tourism in Montana.
MHC has not historically been meeting its mandate to work toward operations and
maintenance self-sufficiency. However,with current leadership and business changes,we
believe that we will meet the mandate with new visitor activities and improved business
operations, revenue approaches, promotions, outreach programs, and marketing activities.
MHC leadership analyzes all of these aspects continually.
Focusing on revenue-generation, the timeline shown in figure 4 shows the points at which
programs, agreements, leases, and other revenue generators were introduced, modified,
eliminated, or have potential for renewal. We also provide summary revenue data estimates,
when available. Although we analyze each program and lease for appropriateness to meeting
mission and revenue goals, we are focused, in particular, on the following:
For new programs, we want to ensure that our revenue projections and costs are
accurate by collecting and analyzing data; that the return on investment is reasonable,
and that the program meets MHC’s self-sufficiency or preservation missions.
For terminating programs or agreements, we focus on whether the programs or
agreements were in line with our mission and our business structure and expectations
(e.g., revenue or cost expectations, value,or return on investment).
For renewals, we are particularly focused on ensuring that leases are market-based,
while also considering the overall benefit to the MHC enterprise.
All of these program and lease aspects will be described in more detail in the sections that
follow the figure.
Thru
2011
2012 Shortline railroad –$40,000
net revenue
2013 School tours –$50,000
Bed tax -$400,000 Family Pass -$30,000 Buggy rides in Nevada
City
Vehicle tax -
$194,000
Gold panning -$37,000 -
$42,000
John Scott
Blacksmithing
8
Railroad –out of
service in 2011
New visitor experiences at
Nevada City (e.g., horse
buggy rides, blacksmithing
sales, visitor-made branding
irons and textiles)
Montana Picture Gallery
(lease to 12/31/13)
Nevada City Living
Museum gate fees
School tours -$50,000 2014 MHC lodging
(Fairweather Inn and
Nevada City Hotel and
Cabins)–see discussion
VN/NC Music Hall -
$25,000
Corporate sponsorship -
$100,000 (goal)
Renovate bldgs for
occupancy (no est.)
Merchandise -
$30,000
Grants -$50,000 annually
(goal)
Ruby Chang’s (lease
expires 10/31/14)
Gold panning -
$2,000
Corporate membership -
$15,000 (goal)
2015 Opera House –Virginia
City Players (lease to
1/1/15)
Virginia/Nevada City
-$118,000
Special events -$9,000 -
$15,000 (goal)
Brewery Follies (lease to
12/31/15)
Reeder’s Alley
leases -$50,000
annually
City Bakery (lease expired
10/31/12)
Overland Stage and
Horseback Rides (lease
to 12/13/15)
Residential leases at
Virginia/Nevada City
-$17,000 annually
Aunt Julia’s (lease expired
12/31/12)
2017 Bale of Hay Saloon
(lease to 12/31/17)
Tent Village (lease expired
12/31/12)
Virginia City Trading
Company (lease to
12/31/17)
Small donations -
$30,000 annually
VC Depot (The Dancing
Buffalo) (new lease)
2018 Nevada City Emporium
(lease to 10/31/18)
Wells Fargo Coffee House
(lease expired 12/31/12)
Star Bakery (lease to
10/31/18)
2023 Bob’s Place (lease to
12/31/23)
Figure 4. Timeline of revenue generators.
Note:Estimates are net revenue and annualized.
9
Operations and Maintenance of Virginia City, Nevada City, and Reeder’s Alley
In 2012, MHC started with a legacy of less-than-optimal revenues from leases and attractions.
MHC has gradually brought new or improved revenue streams online.The following business
activities have been or will be implemented in order to meet MHC’s two major goals –
operations and maintenance self-sufficiency and preservation of MHC assets and artifacts.
Critical to meeting these two missions are generating sufficient revenue, maintaining current
state revenue and support, making business-focused cost decisions, marketing appropriately
and sufficiently, and developing community support for MHC’s historical, heritage, and cultural
assets.
We divide the business and marketing programs and activities into six categories and will
discuss each in the pages that follow.They are:
1.Visitor activities
2.Promotions and outreach
3.Landlord and business partnerships
4.Marketing
5.Business operations
6.Alignment with the 2013 Montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan
1.Visitor activities
This section describes revenue generating activities focused on the visitor and operated by
MHC.
Family Pass
The Family Pass, a fixed price pass providing entrance to the Nevada City Living History
Museum, unlimited rides on the Alder Gulch Shortline Railroad, gold panning at the River of
Gold, and discounts at Virginia and Nevada City merchants, was introduced in 2012. The Pass
costs $69 for a family up to five, with a discounted pass cost of $49 for visitors staying at
Madison County lodgings, state employees, and active members of the military. County lodging
operators and concessionaires strongly support this marketing initiative.
Due to the recent introduction of the Family Pass, we will need sufficient data in the future to
analyze the effect of the Pass on overall Virginia/Nevada City visitation and the trade-offs
between Family Pass and railroad, gold panning, and Nevada City entrance visitation and
revenues. Our primary area of inquiry when more data are available will be to analyze whether
the Family Pass benefits the overall revenue picture.This analysis will have a quantitative
component –e.g., Family Pass, Nevada City Museum, Railroad, and gold panning revenue and
visitor/user estimates –and a qualitative component –e.g., anecdotes from concessionaires
10
and lodging operators on visitor numbers affected by the Family Pass;and overall visitor
numbers.
The use patterns of the Family Pass are recorded though admission gate personnel recording
the number of uses of the Family Pass for the attractions (versus collections via purchased
tickets reflecting individual attraction purchases).
Alder Gulch Shortline railroad
The Alder Gulch Shortline Railroad runs between Nevada and Virginia Cities for visitors from
Memorial Day to Labor Day. In 2011, resulting from a legal ruling, the rail line had to be taken
up and moved and therefore the railroad did not run that year and provided no revenue. In
2012, the railroad trip recommenced.
In fiscal year 2013, the railroad will gross $90,000 and net $35,000 in revenue (current
estimates). The revenue projections were far below gross revenue and therefore net revenue
expectations. We suspect that the reasons could either be due to the Family Pass resulting in
lower railroad revenues or to the fact that the railroad had been taken out of service the
previous year (and thereby being out of the minds of visitors).We also await preservation
funding to support repair of the Baldwin Number 12 Steam Engine, the return to service of
which might contribute to generating additional revenues.We will continue to analyze the
railroad revenues and expenses and the influence of the Family Pass on those revenues.
We expect stable or increasing revenue projections, although the breakdown between Family
Pass and direct Railroad ridership will not be easily predictable until we have further data from
2013 and beyond. We will also focus on expanding railroad revenues to be more in line with
historical revenues seen before the railroad was temporarily taken out of service for 2011.
Gold panning
We plan for gross revenue of $42,000 -$50,000 per year in the River of Gold gold panning
attraction. Expenses are minimal, as the garnet sand is donated and seasonal help expenses are
approximately $5,000 per year.Net revenue would therefore be $37,000 -$45,000, although
this is likely a reach goal.MHC took over this attraction in 2012; it had previously been netting
MHC $2,000 per year via rent from the attraction operator.
Historical tours, particularly admission to Nevada City (Nevada Living History Museum)
Visitors traditionally visit the Nevada City museum to view reenactments and to view the
heritage and historical buildings and artifacts displayed throughout the museum. In 2013, MHC
is introducing new visitor experiences with revenue-generating opportunities, such as horse
buggy rides,a blacksmith making toys and other saleable items,and making one’s own
branding iron and textiles. We will be trying various approaches that improve the visitor
11
experience and provide MHC with new revenue opportunities. This new approach focuses on
visitor engagement and selling,not just observing.
Merchandise sales
From visitor purchases we receive about $30,000 per year in net merchandise revenues. These
revenues are generally stable.
2.Promotions and outreach
MHC has numerous promotion and outreach programs that support MHC preservation,
community involvement, and cultural, historical, and heritage interests.
School tours
The school tours program started on 1 May 2013 and will continue this year through June 15.
We estimate that the program will bring in $50,000 in revenue annually, as we estimate that
5,000 students at an admission cost of $10 each will be visit Virginia/Nevada Cities through the
program this year. This contribution is significant to MHC not only because of the revenue but
because MHC has little visitor revenue in the May to mid-June time period otherwise.Long-
term interest in the MHC sites is also likely to foster top of the mind awareness and
appreciation of the sites in these children and their teachers and chaperones for the future.
Additional public and private funding support
We continue to introduce new projects to increase revenue, improve visitor experience, and
develop community support and involvement. Some of these activities include:
We rolled out a corporate sponsorship program in February 2013 and we have an
annual goal to raise $100,000 in gross revenue.
We hired a grant writer in 2013 and have a goal of $50,000 in net grant revenue
annually. In accordance with industry practice, gross revenue is estimated at twice the
annual loaded salary of the grant writer.
We continue to seek additional public and private funding support through grants,
donations, and appropriations to further our goals.
We expect to maintain stable year over year small sum contributions from visitors (e.g.,
dollars donated in drop boxes).Our estimate for fiscal year 2013 donations is $30,000.
Volunteer recruitment and utilization
We have 300 signed volunteers and approximately 40 volunteers present on a given weekend
during the prime visitor season. Volunteers come from a wide variety of professions and
generally from Montana, Idaho, and Utah. Volunteers are critical to reenactments at Nevada
City events.
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Volunteer recruitment benefits MHC by supporting reenactments, helping in preservation, and
supporting other activities.MHC recruits and utilizes volunteers to increase the efficiency of
operations and to leverage limited state funding.These volunteer efforts show that the MHC
sites require support in addition to visitor revenue but also that those in the community and
region support the historic, cultural, and heritage aspects of the MHC sites.Volunteers receive
a modest and capped mileage reimbursement in exchange for their contributions.
Maintain and expand education and interpretation programs
We will maintain and expand our education and interpretation programs to improve the public
enjoyment and understanding of our historic sites. As noted previously, we rely significantly on
volunteer help for education and interpretation programs, in addition to paid staff.
Additionally, in 2013, one university paid a flat fee of $10,000 in order to undertake an
archeological dig at MHC properties. This program is available to any other interested
universities or participants but revenues are not expected to be reliable due to the very low
number of expected participants. We believe that the public relations aspect of such programs
is the most significant benefit to MHC.
Membership –annual and permanent
MHC has introduced a new corporate membership program with tax-deductible contribution
levels from $250 -$5,000. Membership benefits include corporate logo and contact information
at the Virginia City Train Depot, MHC Annual Report recognition,and varying benefits similar to
the Family Pass for the $1,000 and $5,000 level. We anticipate annual memberships to bring in
approximately $15,000 in revenue but look forward to fine tuning the estimate, as 2013 is the
first year of the program.
Special Events
MHC has begun introducing special events to (i) raise funds for operations and preservation; (ii)
attract visitors during non-peak times; and (iii) to raise awareness of MHC attractions and
properties. The first such event is the All Hallows Eve event that was started in 2012. Other
possible special events include a golf tournament and a dinner auction. Each would be expected
to generate revenue or contributions of approximately $3,000 -$5,000 annually.
Other
We are analyzing the feasibility, including revenue and costs,of providing a shuttle or tour bus
to pick up visitors from West Yellowstone to visit and possibly stay in the Virginia/Nevada City
area. Much more analysis is required but we believe with a “rough order of magnitude” analysis
that it has $25,000 -$50,000 in annual revenue potential.
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3.Landlord and business partnerships
This section describes revenue generating activities focused on the MHC-as-
landlord/concessionaire relationship.
Landlord and business partnerships
In addition to owning, operating (in most cases), and maintaining all MHC properties, MHC is a
landlord to 17 concessionaires in Virginia and Nevada Cities and a number of apartments and
businesses at Reeder’s Alley and Virginia and Nevada Cities.
MHC has a variety of lease agreements for its 17
concessionaires in Virginia and Nevada Cities. The
details of each agreement are listed in Figure 6. The
timeline in figure 4 shows the points at which the lease
agreements can be renewed or renegotiated with
modifications to better reflect market forces.Figure 5
shows some of the new lease approaches or
conditions that we will consider.MHC will look at
various lease options for implementation during lease
and concessionaire turnover with a goal of and
providing well-rounded visitor amenities and
identifying market rates so that lease rates and profit
generation agreements are appropriate and support
self-sustainment of the MHC.As a current example of
what we believe to be an effective lease arrangement,
the Brewery Follies pays a base rent plus a percentage
of revenue above certain breakpoints.A portion of
new revenue-sharing income would be used by MHC
for marketing (as the first goal), operations,
maintenance, or otherwise as needed.It should be
noted that MHC shoulders all operations and
maintenance costs for leased properties.
We will also consider, for internal business operations
analysis,whether costs should be assigned to each property or concessionaire to determine the
true costs of operations and maintenance of properties. In the case of properties to potentially
renovate, we will look at the capital costs to ensure that there is net positive financial potential
(i.e., positive net present value or positive overall value to the visitor experience and MHC).
Lease agreement types under
consideration
Gross lease:A fixed monthly or
annual dollar value for a fixed
time period.
Net lease:A base monthly or
annual dollar value plus one or
more of property tax, insurance,
or maintenance.
Percentage rent:A base monthly
or annual lease plus a percentage
of gross profits above a
breakpoint(s) at which the
landlord receives a percentage of
gross profits exceeding the
breakpoint.
Figure 5. Lease agreement types under
consideration.
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Payment Info Term Date
Alder Gulch Accommodations -John & Linda Hamilton 12/31/2012
Annual rent of $22,666 to be paid in 3 installments of 7,555.33 on or before the 15th ofJuly, Aug & Sept with 1% increase over previous year added to Sept payment
Aunt Julia's -Duxbury 12/31/2012
Annual rent of $3,000 to be paid in 5 monthly installments of $600 due before
the 1st day of June, July, August, Sept,October thru 10/31/12
Bale of Hay -Gay & Kay Rossow 12/31/2017
Annual rent of 11,154.52 to be paid in 4 monthly installments due by 1st ofJune, July, Aug & Sept
Bob's Place -Kirk Belding 12/31/2023
Annual rent of $4,637 with 2,318.50 due by 15th of July & Sept
Brewery Follies -Verdon Ventures (Mike & Jill Verdon)12/30/2015
Annual base rent -$4,450; Annual liquor license lease -$2,000; $1,290. due15th of June, July, August September & October
10% of 1st $75,000 gross revenue; 5% of next $50,000; 2% of gross revenueover $125,000 Paid $12,178 gross revenue
City Bakery -10/31/2012
Annual rent of $500 to be paid on or before the 1st of July of 2011 and 2012ea
John Scott Blacksmithing
8% of Revenue TBD
Montana Picture Gallery -Tim & Stacey Gordon 12/31/2013
Annual rent of $5,000 to be paid in 4 installments of $1250 on or before the1st of June, July, Aug & Sept
Nevada City Emporium -Hamilton Family Enterprises 10/31/2018
Annual Rent of $2,000, $666.67 due 15th of July, August and September.
Increases 1% each year.NEW
Opera House -Virginia City Players (John Benedict)1/1/2015
10% of Revenues -Projected around $15,000 potential for $40,000 NEW
55 to 110k and 10% After
Overland Stage & Horseback Rides -BJ & Lisa Morgan 12/13/2015
Annual rent of $1,725.00 to be paid on or before the 1st day of July, August
and September. If operating from October-April, $15.00 per day
Ruby Chang's -Jennifer McGuire 10/31/2014
$1,000 annual, $200 due 15th of May, June, July, August, September
Star Bakery -Hamilton Family Enterprises 10/31/2018
$3,393 total; $1131 due 15th of July, August & SeptemberIncreases 1% each year.NEW
Tent Village -Duxbury (Aunt Julia's) (John Scott)-Blacksmith?12/31/2012
Annual rent of $750.00 to be paid in two installments of $375.00 due on or
before the 1st of June and July
Virginia City Trading Co.-Randy Van Dyke 12/31/2017
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Rent 15% of gross revenues for prev. month, due 15th June, July, Aug, Sept,
Oct. (Pays Bale of Hay for electrical charges)Paid $4955.37 total for year
VC DEPOT (The Dancing Buffalo) Annie and Jack McCormick NEW
Annual Rent is $1400 with Rents being paid in June,July, August and
September
Wells Fargo Coffee House -Kirk Belding 12/31/2012
$5k Base rent + 10% of gross revenue of liquor sales.
Residential Leases
Bickford House/Dan Thyer / $450 / Month
Charley Bear /$360/Month
Lightning Splitter / Gay and Kay Rosso / $1800 Annual/ $300 a month
Rehearsal Hall/ Opera House $500 month ($16 daily prorated) Beginning in May 2012
Ron Abbey Cabin/Thomas Rosenthal ($125 Month)
Kitson House/KirkBoB $2000 Annually
TOTAL RESIDENTIAL RENTAL INCOME $17,020
Projected Revenues from Rents for Virginia/Nevada City 99,698
Figure 6.Virginia City & Nevada City Concessionaires and Renters.
Fairweather Inn and Nevada City Hotel & Cabins
The MHC-owned and maintained and concessionaire-operated lodging properties are under
lease until 31 December 2013. Leading up to that time, we will be considering alternative lease
arrangements, as the lodging properties have significant revenue potential for MHC above what
we currently receive. Since MHC pays operations and maintenance costs and owns the
properties and the furniture, we believe that a market rate would result in significantly more
MHC revenue, such as percentage rent or taking over daily operation of lodging properties.
(Alder Gulch Accommodations currently operates these properties and MHC receives total
annual rents of $22,666. A 1% annual increase is added to the September payment, which is
one of three annual payments. There are 70 rooms available and a 90 day high season.)
We will look at a business plan for alternative arrangements for the Fairweather Inn and
Nevada City Hotel & Cabins. Key information would include: revenue projections with
supporting rationale, cost projections with supporting rationale, staffing needs and availability,
and risks and mitigation strategies. With these properties representing about one third of
potential MHC revenue,we will complete the due diligence on this issue.
Reeder’s Alley
We receive net rent revenue of $50,000 per year from Reeder’s Alley buildings. The MHC focus
at Reeder’s Alley is as a landlord. The total revenues are noted in figure 7. However, due to
water and related settling issues, we have recent structural repair estimates of $300,000. There
is a significant risk that Reeder’s Alley will become a significant drain on the MHC operations
and maintenance budget and will make self-sufficiency of the MHC enterprise more difficult.
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REEDER'S ALLEY -Tenant Rent and Utilities Budget Billing
Utilities Rent Total
Papa Tony's -139 & SH Kitchen 217.00 293.00 510.00
Helena Tourism District 84.00 516.00 600.00
Dundee's Barber Shop -107 110.00 330.63 440.63
Helena Vigilante -111 50.00 240.00 290.00
Theresa Boyar -119 42.00 135.00 177.00
Ted Mazzarese -121 133.00 450.00 583.00
Marca Gibson -123 & 125 71.00 275.00 346.00
Steffan Rasile -127 & 129 92.00 323.00 415.00
WELC -131 & 133 90.00 450.00 540.00
Victoria Soderberg -135 53.00 175.00 228.00
Clay Scott -137 53.00 175.00 228.00
Mt Preservation Alliance -120 #2 114.75 637.50 752.25
CASA -120 #1 136.00 765.00 901.00
Caretakers Cabin 0 700.00 700.00
Total Monthly 1,245.75 5465.13 6710.88
Total Revenue from Rents (Annually)65581.56 80530.56
Figure 7. Reeder's Alley tenant rent and utilities budget billing.
4. Marketing
In this section, we will discuss marketing activities not already discussed in the “promotions and
outreach” section.We continue to improve marketing and promoting the sites to increase
visitation to Virginia City, Nevada City and Reeder’s Alley.Positive feedback has been received
from concessionaires regarding advertising (e.g., new television ad first aired in May 2013).
MHC targets visitors from Montana, the multi-state region, Yellowstone and Glacier National
Park visitors, and heritage, Americana, cultural, and history visitors locally and nationwide.
Following is a list of the recent marketing activities that we have implemented for various
target markets with the goal of increasing visitation.
Yellowstone and Glacier National Park Visitors
To market to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park Visitors during their trips, we have:
In West Yellowstone,advertised on billboards,advertised in the IMAX theater, and
distributed brochures in local hotels and the visitor center.
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Distributed over 25,000 brochures to Madison County hotels and most hotels in West
Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Built large sandblasted wood signs to be displayed at the Bozeman airport and the
Bozeman West Yellowstone, Big Sky, Kalispell, Butte, and Jackson Hole visitor centers
(often the convention and visitors bureau).
TV and Radio Advertising
To market to primarily Montana residents, we have:
Purchased 30 second radio ads and television ads from Memorial Day through
September on “the Eagle” in Bozeman and KOPR and KBOW out of Butte (radio) and on
ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC/Optimum Cable in the Butte, Bozeman, and Helena markets.
Produced the “Where History Lives” campaign with a 30 minute radio program that is
aired on Montana PBS.
E-Commerce
We have developed and implemented the following e-commerce projects:
We developed and implemented a Virginia/Nevada City App for i-Phones and Droid
Phones. The App shows shopping, restaurants, lodging, and attractions and gives the
user an audio tour, when in proximity,of the history of individual Virginia and Nevada
City buildings, locations, and events.
We have placed QC codes linking to the Montana Heritage Commission site, Virginia City
Chamber, and “Where History Lives” youtube.com sites.
Print Advertising
We have focused our print advertising buys with a focus on a target audience looking for
authenticity of heritage, cultural, and historical experiences through the following publications:
Gold West magazine (back page ad)
Madisonian (reserved 14 weeks, Memorial Day through September, for full page color
ad and the back of the Summer Times, also a Madisonian publication)
Rediscover Montana (back page ad)
History magazine (full color ad)
Yellowstone and Glacier Journal (full color ad)
5. Business operations
MHC has many internal operations that contribute to revenue or expenses. They are described
in this section and include the sale of select real and personal property,state bed tax
18
allocations, and state vehicle tax allocations on the primarily revenue side and infrastructure
improvements,conservation of artifacts, and other expenses on the primarily expense side.
Sale of select real and personal property
In prior fiscal years (before FY 2013), we sold some excess items that we believe did not
contribute to our mission. Moving forward, we have the potential to sell excess land. We are
currently considering a potential land sale of up to ten small lots within the next two years with
potential total gross revenue of $500,000. Early analysis indicates that there might be
significant costs associated with these sales, such as archeological analysis of the lots that could
cost in excess of $50,000 (and possibly much more).Two of the ten lots might be sold in the
nearer term to the local municipality. It is noteworthy that we are now legally permitted to sell
buildings and land, when appropriate. This permission is a recent change.
Bed tax
In fiscal year 2013,MHC received $400,000 in Lodging Facilities Use Tax Revenue (often
referred to as the “bed tax”). This amount is statutorily defined at $400,000 annually and
therefore does not change in response to changing revenue of MHC or the state.Figure 8
shows that the funds should be stable, as statewide bed tax revenue has been in a general
uptrend over the past number of years. We therefore believe that the current MHC bed tax
revenue is stable.
Figure 8. Statewide bed tax collections.
Vehicle tax
MHC receives a percentage allocation of vehicle registration revenues annually. In fiscal year
2013, MHC estimates that we will receive $200,000 -$220,000 in revenue. Historically, MHC
has received about $194,000 annually. The uptrend is surprising, as the Montana Department
19
of Commerce estimated that these revenues would likely very significantly decline following a
change in state legislation that required vehicle owners to opt-in the pay the tax and permitted
a one-time opt out election. Because of the lifetime opt-out provision, it is reasonable to expect
that revenues from this source might, however, decrease in the future.
Infrastructure improvement
Currently, we spend $350,000 -$400,000 annually in repairs and maintenance of the MHC
properties. These costs include maintaining structures for safe and effective (e.g., revenue-
producing or heritage) use and occupancy by visitors and concessionaires. We spend
approximately $100,000 annually on preservation of non-property assets and artifacts. These
costs primarily are used to stabilize historic and cultural structures and to preserve artifacts. In
the future, we will see if we can assign operations and maintenance costs to individual
properties and programs to see if we obtain a better understanding of costs, benefits, and
overall return for each.
Our goal is to improve the maintenance of existing infrastructure to generate revenue, enhance
life safety, and allow public use of our properties.We produced a document titled “Montana
Heritage Commission Long Range Building Request”for Virginia City and Nevada City,
delineating $3,000,000 of project needs for various Nevada and Virginia City properties.From
this set of needs, we prioritize addressing those that generate revenue (for example, improving
buildings that could be occupied by concessionaires or otherwise improve the visitor
experience) and those that must be stabilized for safety reasons.
We have the potential for stabilizing and improving five additional small structures that could
be rented to concessionaires at $1,000 annually each. However, renovation costs could be
significant and might not make financial sense. We will carefully consider the overall benefits
and costs, as we have an historical example where the Star Bakery was renovated at a cost of
$115,000 yet earns MHC only $3,000 annually in revenue.
Preservation and conservation1 of Virginia City and Nevada City Assets and Artifacts
MHC’s second mission, in addition to the first mission of striving for self-sufficiency in
operations and maintenance, is to conserve its assets and artifacts. The preservation focused
activities and programs are described in the section.
In 2002, the Montana legislature approved $2 million preservation budget for MHC. (MHC
possesses 1.2 million artifacts, many of which are located at the McFarland Curatorial Center
for storage, research, conservation, and interpretation as well as others dispersed among the
1 Although preservation and conservation have different technical meanings, there are used here interchangeably
to describe MHC efforts to maintain its assets and artifacts.
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248 historic Virginia and Nevada City buildings.) The current balance of those funds is $17,000.
No preservation funding was approved in the 2013 budget cycle. As a result, no preservation
funds are available for MHC and any emergency or urgent preservation activities will have to be
funded from MHC operations and maintenance account. As a result, it will be more difficult to
meet the state mandate of self-sufficiency in MHC operations and maintenance with the need
to spend those funds on preservation activities (i.e., non-revenue-generating activities). With
future funding, for example,MHC’s “interpretive plan” will move the knowledge of MHC’s
artifacts from hand-written recording to an online database for access by a larger community of
interest.
Preservation of assets and artifacts
The following noteworthy information describes general business efforts to preserve assets and
artifacts.
a.MHC has $41 million in assets (including property and artifacts) to preserve.
b.MHC identifies preservation as distinct from the day-to-day operations and
maintenance of MHC properties and assets that have a focus on revenue generation.In
line with this, there is a separate funding account for preservation.
c.The preservation goals are (i) to preserve assets and artifacts; (ii) determine which
assets and artifacts can contribute to revenue generation; and (iii)preserve historically
important buildings.Preservation will have to be done within the confines of effective
overall financial management of MHC properties and assets.
d.MHC has identified and will continue to be aware of long term capital preservation
needs and priorities and h the state, visitors, and region benefit from preservation.
Financial
The MHC goal is to have a $500,000 annual preservation budget. The last state appropriation
was $2 million in 2003 of which $17,000 remains.Until further preservation funding is available,
the “supply and materials” line item from MHC’s operations and maintenance budget (i.e.,
general revenue) will be used to pay for necessary preservation of buildings, artifacts, and other
activities.Such operations and maintenance funds will directly inhibit the ability of MHC to be
financially self-sufficient.
Gaining support for preservation
MHC continues to implement activities to gain support for preservation. These have been noted
in previous sections and rely on:
a.Revenue to support preservation
b.Statewide and interest-based community support of MHC assets and artifacts
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Other expenses
The annual cost of insurance to cover artifacts is $50,000. Other insurance costs are
approximately $50,000 (for a total of $100,000 annually).
We currently have 11 full-time equivalent staff, which is a reduction from prior years and is in
line with our revenue expectations.
6. Alignment with the 2013 Montana Tourism and Recreation Strategic Plan
The Montana Heritage Commission is working directly to attain the three goals set forth in the
Montana Tourism Strategic Plan: improved economic benefits; preservation of assets and
quality of life; and an improved visitor experience. To attain operations and maintenance self-
sufficiency of Virginia City, Nevada City, and Reeder’s Alley, MHC is working to strengthen the
economic benefits of our activities by increasing visitation, adding new revenue-generating
visitor activities, analyzing the pricing of visitor activities, and working to better capture the
revenues that are generated. MHC continues to work for the preservation of Virginia City,
Nevada City, and Reeder’s Alley, including physical structures and artifacts. MHC is working to
improve the visitor experience by offering more experiential attractions to enhance and
lengthen their visit.
Montana’s second tourism strategy is to “highlight and assist in the development of vibrant and
charming small towns throughout Montana.” Virginia City/Nevada City is uniquely iconic as it is
(taken together) both a charming historic town with current residents and visitor amenities and
also a place to experience authentic Montana history. Reeder’s Alley contributes significantly to
Helena’s charm and history as the oldest intact piece of Helena. MHC is working to implement a
number of Strategic Actions to further strengthen the role these locations play as visitor
destinations.
MHC is working to raise the prominence of Virginia City/Nevada City as one of the
state’s charming small towns through marketing, promotion, and outreach efforts. MHC
also continues to work with the Montana Office of Tourism and the Southwest Montana
Tourism Region to ensure that images of and information about Virginia City and
Nevada City are incorporated into visitor information. MHC will continue to work with
the Helena CVB to ensure that Reeder’s Alley plays a prominent role in bringing the
history and culture of Helena to visitors. (Strategic Action 2.1.)
MHC has put together extensive and thorough information that provides the potential
visitor and the on-site visitor information about the many attractions and amenities that
contribute greatly to the visitor experience and the charm of Virginia City/Nevada City.
Attractions and visitor activities; historic lodging; restaurants; and cultural, historical,
and artistic experiences are all highlighted in visitor information, which is provided
22
through print, online, tours, plaques, locals, and marketing, advertising, and
promotional materials. MHC has recently developed an app for visitors use while visiting
Virginia City that provides oral descriptions of buildings and artifacts when in proximity
to them. (Strategic Action 2.2.)
MHC is pursuing many possible ways of expanding opportunities for the visitor to
actively experience Virginia City/Nevada City rather than simply observing the historic
destination. (Strategic Action 2.2)
Preservation efforts contribute to the unique curb appeal of the MHC properties.
(Strategic Action 2.4.)
MHC supports local businesses through spillover effects –marketing for Virginia City and
Nevada City bring in visitors to the Cities where non-MHC owned or lessee businesses
benefit. MHC also offers 2-day pass discounts for visitors staying at lodging within
Madison County.(Strategic Action 2.5.)
MHC develops and sustains special events that tie in with local tourism assets. Unique
weekly activities such as the Nevada City Living History events support the authentic
experiences and attract and entertain new and repeat visitors. The All Hallows Eve
celebration involves the entire community, not only generating revenues but also
extending the season.(Strategic Actions 2.6 and 2.7)
Montana’s third tourism strategy is to “integrate nature and towns to offer and deliver a
balance of ‘breathtaking experiences’ and ‘relaxing hospitality’.” MHC leadership promotes a
balanced visitor experience and places the Virginia City/Nevada City experience in the context
of other nearby attractions and amenities.
Virginia and Nevada Cities are presented in the context of the local area, with lodging
options and local area maps for Madison County prominently displayed in physical
marketing materials. MHC promotes Madison County (Virginia City serves as the
County seat) as a lodging location for visitors, including those traveling to/from the
National Parks. Key information for the county –such as weekly events, available
activities, broad heritage and historical information –is presented in online, paper, and
other visitor information. (Strategic Actions 3.1. and 3.3.)
MHC markets and promotes a rich and diverse visitor experience in Virginia and
Nevada Cities that includes unique and enjoyable historical experiences, the
performing arts and culture, and local hospitality. (Strategic Action 3.2.)
Actively promoting Virginia City and Nevada City in West Yellowstone and Yellowstone
National Park increases visitor traffic and economic benefits to Virginia and Nevada
Cities and also improves the visitor experience by enriching the Yellowstone experience
with opportunities to experience history, culture, and relaxing and authentic
hospitality. (Strategic Actions 3.2. and 3.3.)
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Montana’s fourth tourism strategy is to “serve the information and infrastructure needs of the
visitor.” MHC meets these needs in a number of ways.
MHC has developed a mobile app that permits visitors to instantly obtain oral
descriptions of buildings and attractions in Virginia City and Nevada City as the visitor
tours around the towns. MHC also maintains an online presence and provides
information to MTOT and the Southwest Region for inclusion on their visitor
information sites. (Strategic Action 4.2.)
MHC has developed a number of brochures for specific audiences and products.
(Strategic Action 4.4.)
Montana’s fifth tourism strategy is to “provide support for Montana’s tourism industry”. MHC
leadership pursues this strategy with a number of efforts to communicate and collaborate with
others in the tourism industry.
MHC works closely with its concessionaires, lessees, and independent tourism
businesses in Virginia City,Nevada City,and Reeder’s Alley and undertakes marketing
and promotion to support their success. (Strategic Action 5.1.)
MHC collaborates with and promotes lodging operators in Madison County.(Strategic
Actions 5.1. and 5.4.)
MHC has initiated consumer marketing efforts and will continue these efforts in future.
(Strategic Action 5.7.)
Outreach efforts such as promoting school tours will contribute significantly to both top-
of-mind awareness among potential visitors and public respect for the economic and
preservation role of tourism. (Strategic Action 5.10.)
MHC will continue to work more closely with MTOT and the Southwest Tourism Region.
(Strategic Action 5.1.)