2024 Convergence

To recognize Tourism as one of our state’s leading industries, the Montana Chamber of Commerce will celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week (#NTTW24) and the intersection of tourism with the film and outdoor recreation industries at the 2nd Annual Convergence event on Tuesday-Wednesday, May 21-22, 2024 at The Finlen Hotel and Butte Depot. All harness the power of place, #TheLastBestPlace, to drive economic development and create thriving communities.

Established in 1983, National Travel & Tourism Week is an annual tradition when the U.S. Travel Association and the entire industry come together to celebrate the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses, and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day. 

Tourism is the leading service export for the Treasure State. In 2022, Montana played host to 12.5 million non-resident visitors who spent $5.82B. This contributed $315 million in state and local taxes according to the UM Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR), which supported approximately 43,900 jobs, the study estimates, a figure associated with $1.3B in direct labor income. 

Montana’s outdoor recreation heritage and brand are vital to tourism – both leisure and business travel – and the film industry. They are a draw for visitors and residents alike, coupled with their importance for business attraction is undeniable. Outdoor recreation is a substantial component of Montana’s economy. In 2022, it generated $2.9B, accounting for 4.3% of total GDP per the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Only Hawaii has a greater concentration of outdoor recreation. The sector employs 29,453 Montanans, translating to 5.6% of all employment in the state.

For the event’s first year, we honored the resilience of the Greater Yellowstone region, its Gateway Communities from Livingston to Gardiner, the greater Paradise Valley, Cooke City/Silver Gate, and West Yellowstone, which experienced a 500-year historic flooding event in early June 2022 that closed the Park.

This year, we turn our attention to Butte as we convene 150 industry allies at the #NTTW24 Luncheon.

Join 150 film, outdoor recreation, tourism, and community development leaders from across Montana as we explore topics such as the impact of SB-540 on the tourism sector, the importance of the MEDIA (Montana Economic Development Industry Advancement) film tax credit, and policy initiatives for the 2025 Legislature to expand it, the outdoor recreation landscape in Montana, air and rail service developments, and more. 

This event aims to convene Montana’s tourism industry stakeholders to celebrate as we kick off the 2024 summer tourism season and begin the countdown to January of 2025 and the 69^th Legislative Session.