Convention and visitor bureau kicking off in Havre

Press release

The community of Havre will have new resources for promoting travel to the area after forming the state’s newest convention and visitor bureau.

The nonprofit Havre Area Chamber of Commerce will receive state lodging facility tax, also known as the bed tax, funds collected in fiscal year 2019 to promote tourism through a CVB.

“The Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development is excited to welcome the Havre CVB to the existing network of seven tourism regions and 24 CVBs across Montana,” said Jan Stoddard, Industry Services and Outreach bureau chief for the Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development.

“CVBs focus on promoting and marketing local activities, attractions and businesses. Working together, we can collaborate between our national level of inspirational marketing and local facilitation to empower nonresident visitors to find incredible experiences here in Montana,” she added.

Cities initially become eligible to form a CVB by maintaining bed tax collections above a certain threshold. They are then required to develop a marketing plan and present it to the governor-appointed Tourism Advisory Council, which approves plans every June. The council approved and officially recognized the Havre CVB at its June 12 meeting in Helena.

With this approval, the Havre CVB is now qualified to receive a percentage of bed tax funds once collected.

Presiding TAC Chair Glenniss Indreland welcomed Jody Olson, executive director of the new Havre CVB. Olson also serves as the executive director for the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce and the Havre Tourism Business Improvement District.

The impact of non-resident visitation on the state continues to grow. In 2017, 12.5 million non-residents visited Montana and spent $3.4 billion. That’s a one percent increase in visitors and a nearly 11 percent increase in spending over 2016.