Tourism in Montana

Obviously, with a record 9.5 million visitors in 2000, Montana has natural allure. With parks, wilderness areas, scenery, wildlife, historic attractions and more, the state offers what more and more vacationers are looking for: an escape from their everyday lives. Montana's tourism and recreation industry is considered the state's second leading industry. Tourism is one of Montana's most important and promising industries.

In the year 2000, a study conducted by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana found that Montana attracts 1.6 billion dollars in new money from outside the state each year. This 1.6 billion dollars spent by nonresident visitors supported 32,400 jobs and resulted in more than 525 million dollars in personal income.

What do people do when they're visiting Montana? The six top activites include wildlife watching, visiting family and friends, nature photography, shopping, hiking, and visiting historic or interpretive sites. The top destinations include Glacier and Yellowstone National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield, Fort Peck Lake, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, and the National Bison Range.

Visit montanakids.com's Things to See & Do section for adventures you can enjoy in Montana.