Montana's Nonresident Visitor Numbers Up in 2015; Total Spending Down

MISSOULA – Preliminary estimates by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana show that approximately 11.7 million nonresidents visited Montana in 2015 and spent almost $3.6 billion in the Treasure State. While the number of travelers visiting the state in 2015 increased by almost eight percent compared to 2014 numbers, the total amount spent by those travelers decreased nearly eight percent.

Though spending did not reach the record levels of 2014, the benefits of travel-related spending coming into the state still ripple throughout the economy, supp...