Is Tourism the Answer?

Last fall I participated in two outstanding conferences: the Montana Economic Development Summit and Montana Main Street. Both drew dynamic speakers and provided dozens of opportunities for community leaders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and the public sector to network and brainstorm.

Tourism and what it means as part of an overall economic development strategy was a key component. As I listened to the conversations, it struck me that no one questioned the appropriateness of aggressively pursuing tourism dollars. No one was asking the fundamental question: Is tourism right for our community? Keep reading