Flathead County’s jobless rate fell to 8.5 percent in June – not exactly a reason to cheer but perhaps for guarded optimism. Yes, the rate is non-seasonally adjusted. And no, it doesn’t factor in those who have given up looking for work altogether or simply left the area. But we still haven’t seen a number this low in awhile – the last time was 43 months ago.
That was November 2008, when our unemployment rate was 7.3 percent. It had nearly doubled over the previous four months. Two of the Flathead’s largest industries had just announced mass layoffs. It was a perfect storm, as manufacturing, wood products, construction and tourism all crumbled in unison. And it would get far worse.
By January 2011, Flathead County’s unemployment rate hit a staggering 14.1 percent – the highest on record. But after years of bad economic news, the job market appears to finally be improving, buoyed by a summer that is one of the busiest in recent memory.
There are actually “help wanted” signs posted on various shop windows. And beyond the anecdotal evidence, which includes increased traffic and jam-packed restaurants, there are real numbers showing that more people are visiting and more money is being spent in the Flathead.
Glacier National Park visitation is up 14 percent compared to last year. In Kalispell, hotel visitations were up 12 percent in the first quarter of this year. And in Whitefish, accommodation tax revenues have increased 10 percent.
Whether it’s effective marketing, or more tourists are simply opting for a relatively affordable vacation to a national park, there are more people here. And small-business owners are reaping the rewards.
That’s not to say the area has fully recovered from the downturn. It hasn’t. There are still several hurdles to overcome before Flathead County’s economy could be considered healthy. And lost jobs in some sectors – many tied to a sputtering global a market – may never return. But local officials in all the region’s cities have made a collective and concerted effort to grab more tourism dollars. And those efforts appear to be paying off.
Beyond the traditional festivals hosted annually, the Flathead is now gearing up to host larger-scale events outside its peak season. And with any luck, local businesses will cash in on extended summer.
Last week, the Kalispell Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted a press conference on Flathead Lake to preview September’s Montana Dragon Boat Festival. The fast-growing sport pits teams of paddlers against each other and more than 50 teams and 1,000 participants have already signed up for the race, which is expected have a huge economic impact on the valley.
Next year, Kalispell will also be hosting a Spartan Race for the first time. The competitions, voted “best obstacle course race” by Outside Magazine, will take place in May, a notoriously slow time of year. The event is expected to attract hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators and, like the Montana Dragon Boat Festival, could become an annual event.
Over the last several years, it was easy to place blame for a bad economy where it didn’t belong. Much of the suffering was beyond anyone’s control here and local officials deserve credit for continuing to find creative ways to market the area that go beyond arts fairs and music festivals.
If history is any indication, the county’s unemployment rate will continue to fall for the next couple of months and begin its steady climb through the winter. But it’s hard to imagine the number of jobless reaching the unprecedented marks set in previous years and that is reason for a little bit of hope … for the first time in a long time.