Montana: How Friendly is the State for Tourists?
If it's summer in Montana, you can count on two things, roadwork and tourists.
Each year hundreds of thousands of folks travel to Montana to enjoy time with friends and family. Whether they plan on spending time in Glacier or Yellowstone National Parks or decide to visit Virginia City or one of our charming little towns, they will meet, mingle, and interact with Montana residents.
Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the state and for many Montana businesses, the lifeblood of how they make their living, so making sure the tourists are happy, is probably a smart move to keep the Montana economy going strong, right?
According to one source, we might want to work on our hospitality a bit. Newsweek decided to take a look at data from tourists and published the findings of where each state ranks when it comes to tourist reviews.
Before revealing where Montana ranks compared to the 49 states, here's a look at the most "Montana" towns in Montana.
The Most "Montana" Towns In Montana
Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf
Is Montana a friendly place to visit?
The data suggests that several states rank ahead of Montana in terms of friendliness toward tourists. Out of 50 states, Montana is near the bottom coming in at 36th.
While I don't go out of my way to be rude to anyone and try to be as friendly as possible, I understand the frustration of Montana locals. During tourist season traffic is a hassle, it's often hard to get into restaurants, and there are normally 3 or 4 encounters with wildlife that could have been completely avoided.
Another thing to keep in mind is that many locals are frustrated with all of the folks who come for a visit and then decide to move here. This has resulted in a cultural shift in the state that many residents don't appreciate.
READ More: Tourist makes strange request when visiting Yellowstone
Having said that, because tourism dollars are so important to the state and the local communities, I also understand why we want to ensure our guests are happy. As mentioned, many local business owners base their income on tourism.
So what's a nice middle ground? How do we welcome tourists and ensure they enjoy their trip without feeling the need to move here? Maybe tell them all about how horrible it is in Montana during the winter.
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