Montanans Reveal Tourist Myths About Montana

Montana's tourist season is pretty much all year round these days.

Of course, summer is still one of the busiest times of the year, especially with Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park bringing millions of visitors to the region.

The Impact of Tourism on Montana’s Economy

Tourism is also a big part of Montana's economy, so having visitors come to our state isn't exactly a bad thing.

Now that we're heading into one of Montana's shoulder seasons, it's a good time to look back at the tourists who came to Montana this summer and ask a simple question:

What's one thing tourists get wrong about Montana?

We recently talked about a tourist from North Carolina who seemed to really understand Montana. He came here, had a great time, enjoyed the state, and then went home.

That's pretty much the definition of a tourist: someone who travels to a place to visit without intending to move there.

Of course, there are plenty of people who believe Montana is already full and would rather not see anyone else move here. That's a completely different conversation.

Defining the Tourist Experience in Montana

We're talking about tourists.

Montana needs tourism. It is an important part of our state's economy, and there are plenty of great reasons for people to come here, experience Montana, and then head back home.

With that in mind, we asked our listeners:

What's one thing tourists get wrong about Montana?

They came up with some pretty good answers.

Debunking Montana Stereotypes: The Truth About Daily Life

We don't all ride horses to work, or tractors to school.

I have to admit, I've only ridden a horse once in my life, and that was in Mexico.

Yes, Montana has plenty of farms and ranches, and tractors are obviously an important part of life for many people who work in agriculture.

The rest of us aren't exactly firing up the tractor to get to work every morning.

Western clothing is certainly part of Montana's culture, and you'll absolutely see people wearing cowboy boots, jeans, and occasionally cowboy hats.

That doesn't mean every person you meet in Montana is going to be wearing a cowboy hat and boots.

Most of us have regular clothes, too.

A Multifaceted State: More Than Just Natural Beauty

Montana has ranches, rodeos, farms, cowboys, mountains, wildlife, and plenty of Western history.

It also has cities, restaurants, breweries, college campuses, concerts, traffic, shopping centers, and people who spend way too much time sitting in front of their computers.

In other words, we're a little more complicated than what you might see in a postcard.