More Tourists and More Customers in 2015

Montana survey shows more tourists and more customers in 2015. The Missoulian reported that approximately 11.7 million nonresident travelers visited Montana in 2015 and spent nearly $3.6 billion here, according to preliminary estimates by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. While the number of visitors increased by 8 percent over 2014, the total amount spent by those travelers decreased nearly 8 percent, mainly due to lower fuel costs and the plummeting value of the Canadian dollar.

Tourism directly supports more than 37,000 jobs, and supports 52,750 jobs total, in the Treasure State. Nonresidents contributed more than $208 million in state and local taxes last year.