Tourists have concerns about recycling and casinos

Annual survey suggests half of tourists like Montana

Half the comments in an annual nonresident visitors survey conducted by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research were generally positive. About 12 percent of the comments had a generally negative statement about the visitors’ experience in Montana.

ITRR has conducted the Montana nonresident visitor survey about every five years since 1988 and annually since July 2009. The purpose is to gather information about nonresident visitors that can assist in future planning, policy and marketing ideas for Montana’s travel and tourism industry.

About 23 percent of the 9,201 visitors ITRR surveyed over 12 months in 2009-2010 returned a mail-back survey upon completion of their trip. Of those, 1,286 expressed comments on the back of the survey form.

“These are free-flowing comments and therefore represent what was on the mind of the visitor at the time of their writing,” researchers Jake Jorgenson, Norma Nickerson and Lauro Lovo said in their February 2012 report.

ITRR divided the 3,457 comments they received into eight general themes. Travel issues accounted for 13 percent of all comments; activities 9 percent; public and private land-use management 8 percent; attractions 3 percent; a specific purpose other than vacationing 3 percent; and comments about living in Montana 3 percent.

“Overall, the majority of the comments were about positive experiences nonresidents had while in Montana,” the researchers said. “Positive statements included various aspects of the travel experience, (including) friendly people, beautiful scenery, hospital feeling.”

Nearly half of those surveyed in summer and fall 2009 were on vacation, while most of those surveyed in winter and spring 2010 were visiting friends or relatives. About three-quarters of those surveyed were repeat visitors to Montana. Visitors hailed from 49 different states and nine countries.

General negative comments tended to be site specific, including casinos, and many nonresident visitors “expressed alarm at the lack of recycling in Montana,” the researchers reported.

“The tourism industry has an opportunity to step forward as a leader in recycling throughout the state,” they said. “As a state with a geotourism charter that promotes to visitors with geotouristic characteristics, the travel industry needs to make sure that what is promoted and promised is what the visitors find upon arrival.”

Open spaces continue to be a big attraction — “the antidote to city live,” the researchers said. “Promoting Montana for what it truly is will entice visitors who have a desire to experience what Montana has to offer. This creates satisfied visitors.”

Selected comments from ITRR report:

Beautiful friendly place

• I love it anytime I can spend in Montana. What a beautiful place.

• Montana is a ‘model’ state; other states could use their techniques.

• We travel from Canada to the U.S. several times a year for recreation (golfing, hiking, sightseeing, cross country skiing) and for shopping. We are always treated well and enjoy our time in Montana. People are friendly and courteous and have treated us well as foreign travelers.

• Montana is a very beautiful and welcoming state, with endless opportunities for recreation and fascinating historical sites. Thoroughly enjoyed visit (next time I hope I don’t sprain anything hiking.)

• Montana is a lovely state to visit. The people are so friendly and down to earth personalities. The people are kind and laid back and always seem so happy with whatever job they are doing.

• I live in the Dominican Republic. I just went into Montana to ‘look’ into it, but would like to come back for more. I drove up from Cooke City to Red Lodge and down again to Wyoming, so I cannot answer much. But I know there is so much to see and I certainly will be back. I want to see the Glacier National Park and more.

• We travel to Montana all year long, from ice fishing at Fort Peck to riding motorcycle in Glacier National Park (awesome). Love the open spaces, friendly people and small towns.

• Montana is like a second home. We live in Calgary and we have traveled Montana many times and many locations. This trip unfortunately was just passing through to Arizona. The history, heritage, and environmental diversity are fantastic and very enjoyable. The Montana people are always friendly and helpful.

Recycling

• I couldn’t find recycling bins anywhere and the number of restaurants, etc. that use Styrofoam for beverages and take-out was appalling. I love this part of the country and hope people who live there appreciate it enough to take care of it.

• I cannot believe you do not recycle in your beautiful state. In Ohio, we recycle everything. We won’t save the planet if we won’t take care of it. I hope on my next visit I will see recycling in Montana.

• I think most of the smaller towns are not handicapped accessible as my husband is in a wheelchair. We could not go to most shops and stores.

• Could not believe how clean the roads were of trash. Great job Montana, keep it up.

Gambling

• Gambling is a problem; get rid of it.

• Since moving from Billings in 2007, the city seems to have a more ‘Las Vegas’ feel rather than the ‘good-air-Montana’ feel it used to promote. Tacky casinos lit up like the strip litter the western side of the city and spill over into the once-peaceful country side. We hope this is good for the economy because it ruins the landscape.

• Too many casinos and bars-has to have a negative impact on family environment.

• Gambling has ruined Missoula; I cannot believe how trashy this town looks because of casinos.

• I just drove through your state; I most definitely would have stayed and gambled in your casino’s but as an American I am not allowed to smoke in any indoor structure in your state. So I obeyed your law and when I got to free America I gambled and smoked my cigar inside of a casino where the idiot politicians have not passed a law against smoking. If your state government is really interested in health, they should outlaw all tobacco, salt, and alcohol. You will be safe and healthy.

• Although the casinos may generate revenue for residents of the reservations, it seems to be more detrimental to local culture & society as a whole. Observing the people who commonly visit these locations, I wouldn’t want my kids to hang out there.

Accommodations

• Visit MT.com is a great Web site. We found almost everything we needed for our trip there.

• We had a hard time finding a nice place to stay. Once we were there we saw a lot of nice places, they are just hard to find on the Internet.

Glacier Park

• Love Glacier Park. I might move to Montana because I love it so much.

• Love Montana. Love buffalo rangers. Love Glacier Park. I might move to Montana because I love it so much.

• Obstructed and overgrown views at scenic pullouts in Glacier National Park.

• I didn’t like so much the area around Glacier N.P, dirty and neglected.

• Prices for the room in Glacier National Park seemed to be very high.

• GNP is now my favorite national park (my 38th). What a treasure.

• GNP very crowded, but NW corner of state was quiet and beautiful, will return

• Overall it was a good trip. There could possibly be more roads in Glacier, and easier access. Road delays and construction was a problem. More parking in Glacier.

• Too much road construction during park tourist season.

Wildlife and wolves

• The reintroduction of wolves has decimated the elk and deer populations and is destroying Montana’s proud hunting heritage. We had originally planned to move to Montana and build a home on the property that we purchased in the Bitterroot valley in 2002. However, based on the continued decline of elk and deer population we are now considering selling out property. As a Montana native I am deeply disappointed in Montana’s wolf management situation. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, of which I am a life member, should be astounded and all Montana’s should be embarrassed.

• Mostly OK. Bad publicity in both Montana and Idaho are plans to hunt wolves. I protect this kind of action. Wolves and grizzly’s need care, not killing. If Montana kills wolves I will boycott anything there and urge friends to do the same. Wildlife and wilderness are precious.

• I was very surprised at lack of wildlife. Saw no deer, elk, etc. Lots of bugs.

• Please keep the environmentalists out of Montana. They really do not care about the wildlife and nature; all they want to do is line their pockets with gold. The real people who are stewards of the land are the farmers and ranchers; they have no hidden agenda and truly take care of the land. The wolves were already migrating naturally on their own; we did not need to spend millions of tax payer dollars on something that was already happening.

Trashy place

• Towns along the way looked cluttered with ruined buildings and junk from cars and old equipment setting all over. Run down, houses looked in poor shape.

• Only negative comment would be the condition that private property owners kept their property in small towns along the route. A good clean up of junk lying around was very unsightly and unnecessary. People should show more pride in their front yard appearance.

• Montana is a big state yet in some ways lacks respect by the locals in cleanliness. Private property is a shambles it seems by those who live here in this beautiful state and disrespect it.

• Montana is a beautiful state when it comes to nature. It is a shame so many people ruin the appearance of the state with rusted and old junk buildings, trashed possessions, etc., on their property. It screams lack of pride, in their state, towns and love of nature.

• Could not believe how clean the roads were of trash. Great job Montana, keep it up.

• I love Montana and have for over 40 years. Since our children are now here, we plan to get here to be a part of this great state. But please, don’t get like California, New York and other large crowded states. Don’t make laws and regulations that will eventually take the quality of Montana living away-people come here because Montana is open and welcoming, not restrictive and oppressive. Keep Montana Free.

• There are too many ‘trophy’ homes going up in scenic/forested areas- too little zoning. Destruction of natural beauty by urban/suburban sprawl and factories/industry placed indiscriminately without apparent forethought. Price of goods/services pretty high.

Want to move here

• I love Montana. I was born in South Korea, raised in Oklahoma, and survived Los Angeles, Calif. I have traveled a lot and have found the beautiful state of Montana to be the best in the U.S. I’m back here to make it my home.

• I love Montana so much I am moving here.

• Montana is on our short list of potential retirement locations.

• We just closed on a condo/vacation home in Somers because we love Montana.

• We bought a house this week because we love Montana so much.

• We have a condo at Meadow Lake golf resort and we love it there.

• I love Montana and wish I could get a job here and move back. I am originally from Montana.