BITTERROOT VALLEY TOURISM STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2025 MARCH 2021 RAVALLI COUNTY TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (TBID) CONTENTS Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 2 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 3 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 5 II. Bitterroot Valley Visitors ................................................................................................. 7 III. Bitterroot Valley Tourism Strengths ............................................................................ 10 IV. Tourism Challenges ...................................................................................................... 15 V. TBID Tourism Marketing Efforts and Results ............................................................. 20 VI. Tourism Values, Vision, and Goals .............................................................................. 23 VII. Partners and Roles ........................................................................................................ 24 VIII. Goals and Actions ........................................................................................................ 25 IX. Resources for Implementation .................................................................................... 31 X. Appendix A: May and August 2020 Lodging Owner Survey Results Reports ........ 33 Ravalli County Tourism Business Improvement District (RC-TBID) Board of Trustees 2020-2021 Kris Komar, Chair, Withy Gate Lodgings, Hamilton Toni Coursey, Vice Chair, Hannon House, Darby Christian Byard, Secretary, Darby Vacation Rentals, Darby Robin Dethlefson, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, City Center Motel, Hamilton Vacant Kristen Snavely, Triple Creek Ranch, Darby (term expired December 2020) James Southwell, ABC Acres, Hamilton (term expired December 2020) TBID Staff Mariya Moore, TBID Montana Aware Project Coordinator PO Box 1743 Hamilton, MT 59840 406-360-3950 [email protected] VisitBitterrootValley.com Bitterroot Valley Tourism Strategic Plan 2021-2025 1 THANK YOU! In addition to the 2020-2021 TBID Board of Trustees, the planning team expresses sincere gratitude for the time and insights of the following individuals who contributed to this Strategic Plan. Strategic Plan Contributors Airbnb: Pooja Kondabolu, Global Partnerships Ravalli County Fairgrounds: Melissa Saville, Fairgrounds Big Red Barn Design: Mike Henderson, Owner Manager, and Beth Perkins, Administrative Assistant Bike Walk Bitterroot: Matthew Rohrbach, Member Ravalli County Museum: Nancy Ann Bevins, Interim Director Bitterroot Cultural Heritage Trust: Kris Komar, Director Stevensville Civic Club: Joan Prather, President Bitterroot Mile Club: Scott Woolfolk, Owner Stevensville Historical Museum: Ruth Baker, Executive Director Bitterroot National Forest: Matthew Anderson, Forest Stevensville Hotel: Mark and Dana Bateman, Owners Supervisor; Seth Carbonari, West Fork District Ranger; Becky Stevensville Women’s Hiking Club: Loey Knapp, Member Shufelt, Recreation, Wilderness & Trails Program Manager; Town of Stevensville: Brandon Dewey, Mayor; Paul Ludington Erica Strayer, Recreation Program Manager; Joni Lubke, and Patrick Shourd, Town Council Members Executive Assistant Town Pump Hotel Group: Joan Kronebusch, Regional Director Bitterroot River Inn: Bonnie Sue Upchurch, Manager of Sales Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce: Al Mitchell, Executive Travelers Rest Connection: Molly Stockdale, Executive Director Director; Jodi Wright, Office Manager University of Montana Institute for Tourism & Recreation CHM Government Services: Margaret Bailey, Sr. Vice President Research: Norma Nickerson, Director City Center Motel, Hamilton: Robyn Dethlefsen, Owner Whitefish Convention & Visitor Bureau: Dylan Boyle, Executive City of Hamilton: Dominic Farrenkopf, Mayor; Matthew Director Rohrbach, City Planner Other groups with an interest in tourism: Daly Mansion: Darlene Gould, Executive Director Bitterroot Backcountry Cyclists Friends of Fort Owen: Margaret Gorski, President Bitterroot Backcountry Horsemen Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission: Racene Friede, Bitterroot Conservation District Executive Director Bitterroot Gem & Mineral Club Hamilton Downtown Association: Claire Kemp, Executive Bitterroot Performing Arts Director Bitterroot Trail Preservation Alliance Historic St. Mary’s Mission, Stevensville: Colleen Meyer, Bitterroot Trout Unlimited Executive Director Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot Cinda Holt, Arts, Film, and Nonprofit Development Consultant Hamilton Players Russ Lawrence, Guided Historic Tours of Hamilton Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge Lightning Bug Public Relations: Tia Troy, Owner Montana Dept. of Natural Resources & Conservation Lost Trail Powder Mountain: Scott and Judy Grasser, Owners Montana Studios: Lynn-Wood Fields Montana Department of Commerce Industry Services & Outdoor Recreation Retailers Outreach: Jan Stoddard, Bureau Chief Ravalli County (Road/Bridge, Sheriff, Disaster Response, Search Montana Lodging & Hospitality Association: Stuart Doggett, & Rescue) Executive Director Ravalli County Economic Development Authority (RCEDA) Montana Outfitters & Guides Association: Mac Minard, Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association Executive Director Ravalli County Off-Road Users Association Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks: Maci MacPherson, Park Ravalli County Park Board Manager; Loren Flynn, Regional Park Manager; Pat Doyle, Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club Marketing & Communication Manager; Kyan Bishop, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Planning & Policy Specialist Selway Bitterroot Foundation Montana Tourism Advisory Council: Rhonda Fitzgerald, Stevensville Playhouse Member, and Owner of Garden Wall Inn, Whitefish Teller Wildlife Refuge, Corvallis Quality Inn Hamilton: Pattie Rennaker, General Manager Trapper Creek Job Corps Center, Darby Quilting BnB, Stevensville: Lauree Sundahl, Co-Owner Western Montana Wedding Association, Missoula The Planning Team Lorraine Roach, Principal PO Box 656 Stevensville, MT 59870 208-660-1818 [email protected] Bitterroot Valley Tourism Strategic Plan 2021-2025 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In March 2020, COVID-19 turned the tourism industry upside-down. As “This would have been our reservation and event cancellations multiplied, Ravalli County lodging best year. We had more owners anticipated revenue declines of 75%-90%+ through the summer than $40,000 in and into the fall, according to a May survey conducted for the Ravalli cancellations, CARES Act County TBID by The Hingston Roach Group (see report, Appendix A). A backfilled only 25% of that. $100+ million industry in Ravalli County was poised to lose $75-$90+ We still will owe $6,000 in million of its annual revenue. Moreover, supply chains were disrupted, property taxes.” job losses and travel restrictions for seasonal employees created an Local B&B Owner, June 2020 unstable labor market, and state and regional tourism marketing efforts were curtailed to protect the safety of Montanans. “We could not get supplies: Fortunately, by August the situation had improved in Ravalli County, due cups, plasticware and juice in part to the arrival of Paramount’s Yellowstone production, which for guest breakfasts, booked an entire hotel in Hamilton for four months, and dozens of garbage bags, cleaning cabins, vacation rentals, and other lodging properties. The Bitterroot supplies, even coffee.” Valley is a rural “remote” destination with appealing outdoor recreation Hotel Manager, Sept. 2020 opportunities for social distancing, so both Montanans and out-of-state visitors flocked to the Valley to escape COVID-laden urban areas shut Responsible Tourism down by the pandemic. Their arrival concerned some local residents, but • Minimizes negative social, according to health officials, visitors had minimal impact on the number economic, and environ- of local virus cases. mental impacts • Generates greater economic In July 2020, the TBID received a CARES Act grant to aid the industry benefits for local people and with planning for economic recovery. The Hingston Roach Group was enhances the well-being of contracted to assist in the following planning efforts: host communities • 1. Outreach to tourism businesses, attractions, and public land Improves working conditions and access to the industry management partners to obtain their insights and ideas about the • Involves local people in current situation and future objectives. decisions that affect their 2. Analyze recent tourism and recreation trends and TBID marketing lives and life chances results. • Makes positive contributions 3. Develop a Tourism Strategic Plan for the Valley. to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage The feedback received through outreach efforts, and results of the data embracing diversity analysis, resulted in development of a vision and values leading to this • Provides more enjoyable Tourism Strategic Plan. The Plan is organized as follows: experiences for tourists through more meaningful • Introduction to the Bitterroot Valley, impacts of COVID-19 connections with local • Overview of Valley visitors and trends people, and a greater • Assessment of tourism strengths and challenges understanding of local • Review of tourism marketing performance cultural, social, and • Tourism values, vision, and