TRAVEL INFORMATION Know Before You Go
More Information

Advocacy

Western Montana’s Glacier Country plays a pivotal role in Montana's tourism sector by actively participating in statewide advocacy initiatives. 

Glacier Country’s Role in Advocating for Our Communities

  • Championing Community Needs: We ensure the voices of Western Montana communities are heard by state and regional decision-makers, advocating for policies and initiatives that benefit local economies, natural resources and quality of life.
  • Promoting Responsible Tourism: As a steward of sustainable practices, our organization works to balance the needs of residents with the demands of visitors, encouraging responsible tourism that protects cultural heritage and natural landscapes.
  • Collaborating for Impact: Through partnerships with Montana Travel Association, Voices of Montana Tourism, Tourism Matters to Montana and other organizations, we amplify community priorities at the state level, focusing on economic development, workforce needs and infrastructure improvements.
  • Strengthening Local Economies: By advocating for funding, resources and strategic tourism initiatives, we help support local businesses, create jobs and enhance the visitor—all while prioritizing community well-being.
  • Educating Stakeholders: Glacier Country provides communities with resources and information to understand and engage in tourism-related policies, ensuring informed participation and advocacy.

Advocacy Initiatives: Western Montana’s Glacier Country is committed to legislative advocacy, focusing on:

  • Protecting the 4% lodging tax allocated for destination marketing
  • Monitoring and taking positions on issues impacting the tourism industry
  • Collaborating with partners to provide accurate information on legislative bills
  • Assisting destination marketing organizations and their networks in supporting or opposing relevant legislation Glacier Country Partner Center

VOICES OF MONTANA TOURISM is an independent organization that serves as a united voice for Montana’s tourism stakeholders. Since its creation in 2011, Voices has led the effort with education and outreach to communicate the immense value a sustainably-grown tourism industry provides for all Montanans. Western Montana's Glacier Country was one of the many founding partners and continues to play an active role in the governance and oversight of its mission and supporting programs.

Funding for this organization comes from a variety of sources, including lodging tax. In 2017, Voices of Montana Tourism became a standalone 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It does not take positions on legislative issues.

TOURISM MATTERS TO MONTANA is a collaborative group made up of the tourism region, convention and visitors bureau (CVB) and tourism business improvement district (TBID) destination marketing organizations across Montana. It operates as a committee under the umbrella of Western Montana's Glacier Country, which is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. It acts as an independent committee with separate accounting. Funding comes from non-lodging tax sources including TBIDs, membership funds and resort tax areas.

Because Tourism Matters to Montana partners are often associated with chambers of commerce, economic development associations and other membership organizations, these two entities represent thousands of tourism businesses across Montana.

The primary purpose of Tourism Matters to Montana is legislative advocacy during both general and special sessions of the Montana legislature.

MONTANA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION (MTA) is a statewide nonprofit organization representing the diverse people, businesses and components that comprise Montana's travel industry. In 2022, nonresident visitors contributed $5.82 billion in spending, supporting an estimated 64,550 jobs and generating more than $315 million in state and local taxes.

MTA's mission is to advocate for the sustainable advancement of Montana's travel industry. As the unified voice of the industry, MTA gathers input from across the state to convey the sector's challenges, opportunities and priorities to policymakers and the public. The organization values stewardship, authenticity, drive, future focus and inclusion, aiming to balance the quality of life for residents with the quality of experience for visitors. 

Established in 2022, MTA operates as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Its efforts are supported by sponsors and donors committed to fortifying Montana's economy and fostering a robust future for the state's travel industry.

U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION is the national nonprofit organization representing all components of the U.S. travel industry—a key contributor to America's economic success. Its mission is to increase travel to and within the United States, thereby fueling the nation's economy and future growth. 

U.S. Travel advocates for policies that strengthen all segments of the travel industry, unites diverse organizations to address critical challenges, provides expert insights to guide business decisions and fosters industry-wide collaboration to shape the future of travel. 

The association represents more than 1,000 member organizations across all sectors of the industry. It offers resources, such as the U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard and economic impact reports, and events, like IPW and ESTO, to support its members and the broader travel community.

MY GLACIER COUNTRY