FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: info@voicesoftourism.com; 406-431-7814
TOURISM AMONG TOP MONTANA EXPORTS FOR 2013
BOZEMAN, MT – The state released the 2013 Commodity Export Summary, May 29, at the annual Manufacturing and International Trade Day and tourism can be rated as a top state export.
The University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research estimates tourism accounted for nearly $440 million through direct foreign visitor spending in 2013. Tourism is one of only three service exports identified in the recently published Main Street Montana Project business plan.
Only the state’s overseas trade of bulk grain in 2013 surpassed the direct economic benefits of foreign travel to Montana in the same year.
“Tourism has been a leading, multi-billion dollar industry in Montana for the last few years,” said Mike Garcia, director of Voices of Montana Tourism. “With the state’s first-ever business plan focusing so much on our commodity and service exports, tourism is well-positioned to be an integral part in the next phase of economic development and business investment in our state.”
According to the U.S. Travel Association, international travel to the U.S. is the nation’s #1 service export and generated over $181 billion in foreign visitor direct spending in 2013.
The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research estimates that international visitors accounted for only 12%, or 1.8 million, of Montana’s total non-resident visitors last year.
Over 11 million non-residents visited Montana in 2013 and generated a total of $3.62 billion in direct spending.
– ### –
Our full press release with infographic is available here: Press Release – Tourism among top MT exports for 2013
See the Department of Commerce’s Export Summary Report for 2013: MT 2013 Exports Fast Facts
Link to the Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research’s report on foreign visitor spending for 2013: http://www.itrr.umt.edu/nonres/2013DomCanInterExpend.pdf
