Hi-Line Living: The Faces of Tourism in Havre, MT

The summer season is fast approaching and with it will likely come scores of tourists who spend money at area businesses.

This week is National Travel and Tourism Week, with a theme this year of "The Faces of Tourism."

Tourism is Montana's second largest industry. The Institute for Tourism and Recreation says in 2016, nonresidents brought $3.5 billion in spending and supported 52,630 jobs.

With U.S. Highway 2 running through Havre, the town is well-positioned to be a stop for travelers such as those heading west to enjoy the scenic beauty of Glacier National Park or people looking to camp out at Beaver Creek Park or attend the annual Rocky Boy powwow.

People traveling in the summertime, whether to visit sites in Havre or stopping here en route to somewhere else, shop at local stores, eat at restauarants and stay in hotels.

One of the business segments with obvious benefits from tourism are the hoteliers in the area, with the smaller hotels as well as larger establishments - like Great Northern Inn, Havre Inn and Suites, Siesta Motel, Park Hotel and Super 8 - all seeing visits from out-of-area travelers.

Mischelle Fisher, manager at the AmericInn, said tourism is vital to her hotel business.

The same is true for gasoline and convenience stores in town, especially those on First Street like Zip Trip, Stromberg's Sinclair, Cenex, Ezzie's and Holiday.

At the Town Pump Food Store in Havre, Manager Robin Meyers said her store benefits greatly from tourists, especially between May and Labor Day weekend.

"They are a lot of our sales because in the summer, when the tourism starts, that is when we start picking up our business," she said.

Meyers added that, during the tourism season, purchases of gas, food and souvenirs jump and tourists make up at least 50 percent of business at Town Pump during that period.

Scott Young, owner of Norman's Ranch and Sportswear, which focuses on western-themed clothes and merchandise including boots and cowboy hats, said each year many people stop in on their way to Glacier National Park or who have come to the area for the powwow.

Businesses often serve as points of local reference for visitors, furnishing them with directions, information on attractions, event, places to shop, places to dine and local history.

Havre businesses are no exception,

"Every guest asks us where to go and where to eat," Fisher said.

Young said he tells tourists about local sites they can go to such as Havre Beneath the Streets, Fort Assinniboine, Bear Paw Battlefield, Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump, and the H. Earl Clack Museum, as well as other local attractions and events.

He also likes to mention other businesses to tourists heading in a given direction such as a Mexican restaurant in East Glacier where they can stop while they are in the area. Some of the same businesses do the same for him.

Young said many people who stop at his store from outside the area will do so again when they return to the area.

"We get quite a few repeat people coming back that stop over time they come through, and they tell a lot of other people to stop too," he said

With outdoor attractions like Beaver Creek Park and Fresno Reservoir nearby some businesses, such as Bing 'N' Bob's Sports Shop, focus on catering to the outdoor enthusiasts especially visitors to the area who fish and camp.

Jim Evans, co-owner of Bing 'N' Bob's, said his store does not get a lot of tourism travelers, though they do get some. Outdoor recreationalists are more likely to visit Bing 'N' Bob's.

In addition to fuel and refreshments, Stromberg's Sincair and E-Fish-Hunt Sports sells recreational items including licenses, hunting gear, fishing gear and bait. Like Young, co-owner Howard Stromberg said he has a good number of returning customers, too.

Sinclair said most, though, are from Great Falls or Canada. He said about 20 years ago people from throughout the country - visitors from Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado and elsewhere - were more likely to visit the store. Stromberg said a good portion of that traffic now travels I-90 to go to Glacier.

Stromberg said much of the business he gets now from out of the area is from people from looking to fish at Beaver Creek Park or Fresno or camp in the Bear Paw Mountains. He will also get some nonresident bird hunters from Canada.

"So the type of tourism has changed a lot, but it is still a good, viable business," Stromberg said,

During the summer season, businesses try to offer incentives for guests and customers

In summer months when tourism is heaviest, Young opens earlier because he says "tourists like to get up and get moving."

Fischer said that along with providing clean rooms, her hotel offers guests a free dinner Monday through Thursday and free drinks from 4 to 6 p.m.

Since a remodeling about two years ago, Meyers said, Town Pump has been able to offer more to travelers including a wider variety of merchandise, camping equipment and souvenirs.

People traveling in RVs also have access to an RV dump, enabling them to dispose of waste and refill water tanks.

Many of the souvenirs Town Pump sells are made in Montana or are Montana-themed.

Meyers said the store will soon be getting a line of merchandise from a Glendive-based vendor with a "Havre" stamp. Items will include cutting boards, key chains and picture frames.