Montana Promotion Division

VISITOR SERVICES PROGRAM

The Visitor Services Program is a component of an integrated and comprehensive tourism marketing strategy. Upon arriving in and traveling through Montana via highway, air, or rail, travelers need an integrated, strategic system of information from a variety of sources for a successful vacation experience.

Visitor Information Centers (VICs)

Travel Montana and nine community partners operate Montana Visitor Information Centers at nine major highway entrances into Montana:

  • Broadus
  • Culbertson
  • Dillon
  • Hardin
  • Lolo Pass
  • St. Regis
  • Shelby
  • West Yellowstone
  • Wibaux

Travel Montana has an agreement with a nonprofit organization in each community to provide an outdoor kiosk, computer and Internet service, office furniture, TV/VCR/DVD, brochures, training and annual staff funding to assist with staffing.

Special Events Grant Program (SEGP)

The purpose of the Special Events Grant Program (SEGP) is to diversify and enrich Montana’s tourism product by developing new and enhancing existing community-based tourism festivals and events. The goal of SEGP is to create and sustain economic development through the advertising and promotion of “hallmark events.”

Generally, a hallmark event is a major reoccurring event of limited duration, developed primarily to enhance awareness, appeal and profitability of a tourism destination in the short and long term.

Applicants must be a Montana non-profit entity, city, county, or tribal government. Applicant organizations must be officially recognized by the IRS as having a non-profit status. No state or federal agencies may apply.

The minimum grant funding that can be allocated to any one proposed project in any fiscal year will be $2,500. The maximum grant funding that can be allocated to any one proposed project will be the maximum of the SEGP funding set for that given fiscal year. In Fiscal Year 2009 (July 2008-June 2009), Travel Montana will provide $80,000 in SEGP funds.

For the current SEGP Overview, Application and Award Summary, go to: http://travelmontana.mt.gov/forms/

Montana State & Federal Agency Liaison

The Visitor Services Program manager serves as Travel Montana’s liaison with state and federal agencies involved in tourism & recreation. The liaison is also the official representative involved with the multi-agency partnership called the Montana Tourism and Recreation Initiative (MTRI).

MTRI is a multi-agency cooperative working together to plan and fund mutually beneficial tourism and recreation projects that serve the needs of residents and visitors, both national and international. A common goal is to facilitate excellence in tourism and recreation experiences while protecting and conserving the social, cultural and natural resource values of Montanans. By combining time, funding and other resources, MTRI provides a vehicle for coordinated government sector projects. MTRI membership includes:

  • MT Department of Commerce
  • MT Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks
  • Montana Governor's Office
  • Montana Heritage Preservation & Development Commission
  • Montana Historical Society
  • Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission
  • Montana State University Extension Service
  • MT Department of Transportation
  • MT Arts Council
  • Tourism Advisory Council
  • University of Montana - Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research
  • US Army Corps of Engineers
  • US Bureau of Land Management
  • US Bureau of Reclamation
  • USDA Forest Service
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service
  • National Park Service

MTRI ORGANIZATION

MTRI has three levels of activity: the directors level, working group level, and focus team level. Participating MTRI agencies have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Charter, which facilitate a cooperative environment.

MTRI DIRECTORS GROUP

MTRI agency directors meet as a group at least once a year for updates on organization activities, discussions regarding MTRI issues and projects, and making decisions on current and future MTRI activities.

MTRI WORKING GROUP

MTRI’s Working Group consists of tourism and recreation program or policy staff from the member agencies. The Working Group meets 4 to 6 times a year to discuss current projects, identify new issues or areas of interest to take on as projects, implements Directors’ decisions, confers with Directors regarding projects and the creation of Focus Teams to handle identified projects, conducts information sharing, and other organizational duties.

MTRI FOCUS TEAMS

MTRI’s Focus Teams implement projects identified by the Directors or Working Group. These teams involve Directors and Working Group members as well as project specific staff from member agencies. Focus Teams are project oriented and disband once the project is complete. Focus Teams are currently formed to work on coordinated Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Efforts, Electronic Media, and Research.