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Report: Montana Residents Spent $2.9B on In-State Travel

Report says in-state business trips contributed $1.4 billion to travel spending while leisure travel spending totaled about $1.1 billion

By Justin Franz

BILLINGS — A new study shows Montana residents spent about $2.9 billion on in-state travel in 2017 — nearly half of all travel money spent in the state.

The report by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation says in-state business trips contributed $1.4 billion to travel spending while leisure travel spending totaled about $1.1 billion. The Billings Gazette reports shopping, medical and other travel accounted for nearly $375 million in spending.

The report authors talked with more than 10,000 travelers to gather information.

The study found 50 percent of day trip spending and 48 percent of overnight travel dollars were spent in Glacier Country , which includes Glacier National Park, northwestern Montana and south to Missoula and Hamilton.

Total travel spending in Montana, including nonresidents, was $6.23 billion in 2017. Nonresidents accounted for 54 percent of travel spending.