Community Process

Glacier Country's Destination Stewardship Strategy Plan was a community-driven process. As the strategy was developed, hundreds of regional stakeholders from over 75+ communities in 8 counties were actively included in the process through a variety of engagements including 1:1 interviews, tourism town hall meetings, resident and stakeholder surveys, and focus groups. If you are interested in learning more about the process or would like to be involved in the implementation of the strategy, please contact Racene Friede, President CEO at racene@glaciermt.com.

The objective of the process was to engage the many diverse stakeholders who collectively comprise the tourism ecosystem in Glacier Country to identify and prioritize opportunities that will balance tourism growth with the long-term health and vibrancy of our communities.

Western Montana's Glacier Country's Board of Directors and Stewardship Steering Committee took what we learned from our communities and created a long-term strategy that aligns with and complements existing community plans and initiatives. This strategic plan is about our communities and how we can work together toward common goals now and well into the future.

Focus Group Nominations

We actively invited individuals to engage in surveys, town hall meetings and focus groups. The Destination Stewardship Plan team worked to ensure our efforts were geographically representative of the Glacier Country region. 

Engagement will include:

• Community Town Halls: We conducted 16 facilitated sessions (8 in person and 8 virtual) with local residents to discuss gaps and opportunities with regards to Glacier Country’s tourism and visitor economy.
• Resident Survey: We developed an online survey to identify and gauge residents’ perceptions on a variety of key characteristics with respect to livability, culture, economy and sense of place.
• Stakeholder Assessment: We gathered input through a stakeholder online survey that combines the most wide-ranging industry research available with stakeholder input, to provide destinations with strategies for sustainable growth.
• One-On-One Interviews: Our consultants developed key questions for one-on-one consultations with key stakeholders.
• Focus Groups: These sessions included a short presentation, followed by a highly interactive discussion on the key issues and opportunities for Glacier Country’s visitor economy. Focus groups represented various industry segments (e.g. Hotels and Accommodations; Arts, Culture and History; Restaurants and Culinary; etc.) and geographical areas within the region.