Public Relations Updates
Fall 2026 Update
This quarter was a banner season for media in Western Montana. Glacier Country’s Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, hosted numerous journalists and travel writers including Lina and David Stock (@DivergentTravelers), Darley Newman (Travels with Darley), photographer Cody Conk (@codyconk), Breshell West (@Breshell) and Debbie Olsen (Fodors Guidebook).
Articles about Glacier Country appeared this quarter in publications such as America Journal (a three-page article in a magazine published in Germany), the Sydney Morning Herald, Travel + Leisure, Paddling Magazine, Wilmington Magazine, Charleston Living Magazine and Plateau Magazine (all in print publications), Yardbarker, Unofficial Networks and Prevue Meetings.
In July, Lucy attended ESTO (Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations) in Philadelphia. The event hosts professionals from the travel and tourism industry, and between networking opportunities and relevant and timely education sessions, it proves to be a very worthwhile convention to attend.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at Lucy@glaciermt.com for potential inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Summer 2026 Update
Media presence has been very strong again this quarter, and Western Montana’s Glacier Country has been featured in articles in Unofficial Networks, Meetings Today, Yahoo Travel, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Business Insider, 2TravelDads, Pride Journeys, AOL and Prevue Magazine, to name a few.
Some of the coverage was a result of a press trip or hosted media trip by Glacier Country Director of Communications Lucy Beighle, including “A Glacier Country Montana Girls Trip” by Kirsten Maxwell (Kids Are a Trip), “There’s Something Happening in Whitefish Montana” by Will McGough (Forbes), “This Small Montana Town is an Affordable Alternative to Jackson Hole” by Amanda Ogle (Travel + Leisure) and “How to Plan an Epic Summer Trip to a National Park” by Rob Annis (National Geographic).
Interest in visiting the area remains strong, including Park to Park trips, and Lucy is working on partnerships with other Montana regions, regional DMOs and the state Department of Commerce to host media focusing on road trips covering a broader area.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at lucy@glaciermt.com for possible inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Spring 2026 Update
This quarter, Western Montana’s Glacier Country was featured in the French publication Le Figaro, Travel + Leisure, The Travel, Northwest Travel Magazine, Lonely Planet, Terradrift, All About Après and Meetings Today.
In February, our Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, participated in a FAM trip in Whitefish where four journalists skied, snowshoed in Glacier National Park and ate their way through the area. The hosted media have already produced articles such as “Whitefish Mountain Resort: Big Skiing, Authentic Feel, No Mega Pass” in Unofficial Networks and “This Small Town is and Affordable Alternative to Jackson Hole—and It’s Only 30 Minutes from Glacier National Park” in Travel + Leisure, which was also picked up on MSN and AOL.
In March, Lucy participated in a media event in Chicago, in partnership with other Destination Organizations from around the state, as well as the Montana Department of Commerce. The event, which was themed “A Night in Montana,” took place at the Adler Planetarium and had approximately 80 attendees, including content creators, influencers and journalists from the Chicago area.
Lucy also hosted a couple of journalists, Johnny Motley and David Poston, on their way through Glacier Country on a “Glaciers to Geysers” road trip, focusing on the benefits of traveling in the area in the off-season. Their trip even included a chilly sunrise dip in Lake McDonald.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at lucy@glaciermt.com for possible inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Winter 2026 Update
Earned media for Western Montana’s Glacier Country has been robust this quarter, with international journalists showing a strong interest in Montana despite a projected decrease in international inbound visits nationally. Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, hosted journalists from Germany, the UK and France this past quarter, and more inquiries continue to come in.
Articles about Western Montana’s Glacier Country were published in The Brisbane Times (Australia), The Independent (London) and the New Zealand Herald, with topics such as “Why Western Montana is Best Visited Outside of Summer” and “Big skies and brotherly love: How an outdoor adventure to Montana’s Glacier National Park changed my male friendships forever.”
Domestically, articles were published in Northwest Meetings and Events, Forbes, Meetings Today and Time Out Magazine, and KINGS 5 TV featured “A Weekend of Fun in Whitefish, Montana” on its Local Lens Seattle show. This was a result of a hosted FAM trip last February.
At the end of January, Lucy attended IMM (International Media Marketplace) in NYC—her eighth year in attendance. The event is very successful in reinforcing established relationships as well as connecting with new international and domestic media.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at Lucy@glaciermt.com for possible inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Fall 2025 Update
This quarter Glacier Country’s Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, hosted numerous journalists in Western Montana, including from publications such as Lonely Planet, Australian Traveler magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, America Journal and The Independent as well as photographers/content creators Jan Keller @jpkay, Andre Alexander @formgestalter and Jacco Kliesch @jacco_kliesch.
In June, Lucy attended IPW in Chicago, where she had face-to-face meetings with 25 international journalists and networking opportunities with many more. Many of these meetings have resulted in hosting journalists in Western Montana and subsequent articles in international publications.
In July she attended the Destinations International Annual Convention, also in Chicago. The event hosts professionals from the travel and tourism industry, and between networking opportunities and relevant and timely education sessions, it proves to be a very worthwhile convention to attend.
Articles about Glacier Country this quarter have included publications such as Meetings Today, Lonely Planet, Elevation Outdoors, Outside Magazine, Get Lost Magazine, Corporate and Incentive Travel, Escape Magazine, Northwest Travel Magazine, Travel and Leisure, MSN and Sunset Magazine.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at lucy@glaciermt.com for potential inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Spring 2025 Update
This quarter Glacier Country’s Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, hosted a FAM trip in partnership with Explore Whitefish. The four-day trip took place in February and included a Seattle news station as well as travel writers from Snowboarder Magazine, Forbes, Fodor’s Travel, Backcountry Journal and Outside Magazine. The itinerary included skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort, snowshoeing in Glacier National Park, and numerous culinary and beverage experiences.
Lucy also hosted Sara McCarty (@RunWildMyChild) for a spring break in Western Montana trip. The family of five skied at Blacktail Mountain, Whitefish Mountain Resort and Lookout Pass, stayed in cozy cabins, soaked in hot springs, went dogsledding with Base Camp Bigfork and enjoyed all that Glacier Country has to offer.
In February, Lucy attended the Destinations International Marketing and Communications Summit in Austin, Texas. The event hosts communications and marketing professionals from the travel and tourism industry, and, between networking opportunities and relevant and timely education sessions, it proves to be a very worthwhile convention to attend.
Articles about Glacier Country this quarter have included publications such as Travel Weekly, 303 Magazine, Travel and Leisure, National Park Traveler, Northwest Travel Magazine, Business Insider, MSN and Forbes.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at Lucy@glaciermt.com for potential inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Winter 2025 Update
This quarter Glacier Country’s Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, hosted a FAM trip in partnership with Destination Missoula. The shoulder-season, three-day trip coincided with the Outdoor Media Summit, which was hosted in Missoula. The journalists and bloggers who attended write for publications such as Elevation Outdoors, Men’s Journal, Sierra, Gear Junky and Field and Stream. The itinerary included fly-fishing and llama trekking as well as numerous culinary and beverage experiences that represented the region well.
Following the FAM trip, Lucy participated in the Outdoor Media Summit that took place on October 12-14, 2024.
Lucy also hosted Kirsten Maxwell (@KidsAreATrip and @GroupsAreATrip) and Meagan Wirsten (Mommy Travels) for shoulder season ranch stays in Superior and Plains.
At the end of January, Lucy attended IMM (International Media Marketplace) in NYC—her seventh year in attendance. The event is very successful in reinforcing established relationships as well as connecting with new international and domestic media.
Articles about Glacier Country this quarter have included publications such as Group Tour Magazine, Smart Meetings, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, MSP Magazine, Outside Magazine and Northwest Meetings and Events, which featured Western Montana as its cover story.
Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at lucy@glaciermt.com for potential inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
Fall 2024 Update
This quarter Glacier Country’s Director of Communications, Lucy Beighle, assisted in the creation and launch of a new on-line crisis communication course. Don’t Add Fuel to the Fire is a free, 30-minute course designed for Western Montana visitor-centric businesses and front-end staff who may receive questions about wildland fire and smoke conditions. 45 individuals have completed the training, and the press release announcing the programs creation was picked up by six publications throughout Montana.
FY 2024 Earned Media numbers were finalized at over $8.7 million in total publicity value. Last year 72 articles were created from media trips, interviews, press releases and assistance Lucy provided to media. With the new FY 2025 beginning, Western Montana continues to be featured in blogs and articles, and oftentimes with a Recreate Responsibly or sustainability component to the feature. Upcoming media trips include Kristen Maxwell @KidsAreATrip and Meagan Wristen @MommyTravels. In October, Lucy will attend the Outdoor Media Summit and co-host a pre-FAM for journalists with Destination Missoula. Partners interested in hosting media or showcasing their business can reach out to Lucy at lucy@glaciermt.com for potential inclusion in a FAM or media trip.
