State tourism office ready to release strategic plan

The Montana Tourism Office announced last week that its new statewide strategic plan is about ready for release.

This is the fifth statewide plan developed since 1991. The office spent nine months in constructive discussion, gathering comments, and reviewing and refining the new plan, which should be posted on the office’s Web site soon.

The statewide plan sets three high-level goals shared by Montana’s tourism industry — improved economic benefits, preservation of assets and quality of life, and improved visitor experience.

To achieve these goals, five high-level strategies are presented to guide the actions of stakeholders. Under each of the five strategies are more specific strategic actions. Among the many strategies:

• Establish icons of “spectacular unspoiled nature” throughout Montana.

• Integrate public lands more fully and functionally into tourism information.

• Participate in planning processes for public lands management.

• Highlight Montana’s vibrant and charming small towns.

• Improve the curb appeal of towns.

• Support local and Montana products and businesses to build economically vibrant towns.

• Develop and sustain special events that tie in with local tourism assets.

• Expand tourism seasons through local coordination.

• Build excitement about Montana among niche market enthusiasts.

• Conduct ongoing research and analysis of evolving best practices for delivering visitor information.

• Design online and mobile communication tools to meet the evolving needs of visitors.

• Stay current with social media tools to ensure effective interaction and relationship building with visitors.

• Support efforts to increase air service to Montana

• Improve skills, knowledge, and professionalism of tourism stakeholders

• Evaluate and target group and international markets

• Continue to promote Montana as a competitive, creative, and viable filming location

The statewide strategic plan was facilitated and produced by Julie and Jim Cerenzia of Open Window Consulting. Over the course of the plan’s development, they held more than 30 public meetings involving more than 300 Montanans and hundreds of online comments.

As an example of the tourism office’s focus on electronic media, the office kicked off a contest this summer in which visitors post “Montana moments” with the office via Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter using the hashtag #MontanaMoment.

Visitors can also upload photos online at http://montanamoment.tumblr.com. Weekly prizes and a grand prize for a trip back to Montana will be offered. The contest will run from June 1 through Aug. 31.