Tourism goes up in Havre

More travelers have been stopping in Havre this past year, and it could be due to nearby tourist attraction, Glacier National Park.

According to The Associated Press, Glacier National Park has had a record number of tourists visiting this year, with 2.25 million people visiting so far in 2014.

The last record-breaking year was in 1983, with 2.2 million visitors.

With Havre being so close to Glacier, local businesses have been noticing an increase in their visitor rates as well.

Christi Owens, the office manager for Havre Beneath the Streets said she has noticed an increase in tourism.

"A lot of people stop here to Glacier and coming from Glacier. They hear about us through one way or another," she said.

Owens said that she likes to promote other tourist attractions that are in Havre, or near the surrounding area.

"We ask people as a whole when they are coming in here, like, 'What are you doing?' 'Where are you headed?'"

Depending on where her guests are headed, Owens makes suggestions of places for them to visit next.

“We like to point out points of interest,” she said.

Becky Miller, the general manager of The Great Northern Inn has also noticed a spike in the number of guests that have checked-in to her business over the past year.

“I do think that a lot of it has to do with Glacier National Park,” Miller said.

Miller is also involved with the Havre Tourism Business Improvement District board. “I help promote the tourism,” she said.

Jim Spangelo, the manager of the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum has noticed an increase in tourists across the town as well.

“The visitors we get tend to be people who have made long-term plans to go to the park and visit people along the way and go back.”

Spangelo believes that having more tourists stop in Havre will benefit the area in the long run.

“Tourism puts jobs on the table and food in the refrigerator.”

Much like Owens and Miller, Spangelo makes an effort to promote other tourists attractions.

“We actually have a handout of the seven to eight museums that we have in Havre.”

The Clack museum, The Fort Assinniboine Preservation Association and the Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump are currently working on trying to make Havre a destination stop, rather than just a place to travel through.