Montana Promotion Division
Montana Governor's Conference
on Tourism and Recreation
Below is the agenda for the 2008 Conference held in West Yellowstone, MT, April 17-18. We’ll begin developing the 2009 conference agenda in the Fall of 2008.
Next Conference: March 30-31, 2009, Red Lion Colonial Hotel, Helena, MT
2008 Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism & Recreation
All Governor’s Conference events, unless otherwise noted, take place at:
Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort
315 Yellowstone Avenue
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-7365, FAX 406-646-4094
www.DoYellowstone.com
Pre-Governor’s Conference Events
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
4:00-7:00 p.m. Conference Registration
Location: Conference Registration Desk
Pen Sponsor: Brown & Bigelow
JumpDrive Sponsor: Outside Magazine
3:00-6:00 p.m. “Passport to Service” -- Sneak Preview of Montana’s New Statewide Customer Service Training Curriculum
Location: Canyon/Dunraven Rooms
Host: Montana Superhost
Get a first look at the new customer service training seminars being offered statewide this year, created from input provided by many Montanans in the hospitality industry. Preview it for your community or your business! For more information, contact Jodi Smith, Montana Superhost Coordinator, Flathead Valley Community College, superhost@fvcc.edu, 406-756-3374, www.travelmontana.mt.gov/OURPROGRAMS/Superhost.asp
6:00-7:00 p.m. National Tourism Association Delegates Meeting
Location: Room 125
Host: Marlee Iverson, Group Travel Specialist, Travel Montana
Special Feature:
6:30-8:00 p.m. Travel Industry Association of Montana Welcome Reception
Location: Geyser Room
Hosts: Travel Industry Association of Montana
Join your colleagues and industry partners at the welcome reception hosted by the Travel Industry Association of Montana. Beverages and hors d'oeuvres served.
Conference Agenda
Thursday, April 17, 2008
7:00 a.m. Registration
Location: Conference Registration Desk
8:00-5:00 p.m. Travel Montana Web Room
Location: Room 123
Travel Montana’s Electronic Marketing Staff will be on hand during conference breaks and afternoons to help update your www.visitmt.com listing and address other questions.
8:30-9:45 a.m. Conference Welcome and Feature Presentation: Top Trends in Travel and Tourism & How They Relate to Montana
Location: Yellowstone Room
Host: Betsy Baumgart, Administrator, Promotion Division, MT. Dept. of Commerce, Helena, MT
Feature Presenter: Judy Randall, Randall Travel Marketing, Inc., Mooresville, NC
Opening Video Sponsor: Mercury Advertising
Presenter Sponsor: Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Xanterra Parks & Resorts
Travel Industry “Futurist” Judy Randall takes a look at the top trends in travel and tourism and how they fit with Montana’s new strategic plan, the focus on Geotravelers, Montana’s branding initiative and other Montana marketing and development strategies.
9:45-10:30 a.m. Break in Exhibitor Area
Location: Hayden Hall
Sponsor: National Geographic Adventure & National Geographic Traveler
10:30-11:45 a.m. Feature Presentation: Geotourism: The Concept, The Crown, and The Next Steps
Location: Yellowstone Room
Host: Betsy Baumgart, Administrator, Promotion Division, MT. Dept. of Commerce, Helena, MT
Feature Presenters: Jim Dion, Center for Sustainable Destinations, National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.; Steve Thompson, National Parks Conservation Association Crown of the Continent Coordinator, Whitefish, MT
Sponsor: Glacier Park, Inc.
With Montana’s focus on Geotravelers, National Geographic’s Jim Dion will give us a good understanding of what Geotourism is while Steve Thompson highlights Montana’s first regional project based on the concept – the Crown of the Continent Geotourism MapGuide.
Noon -1:30 p.m. Luncheon & Feature Presentation: National Parks: A Priority for Montana. A Priority for the Nation
Location: Union Pacific Dining Hall
Host: Betsy Baumgart, Administrator, Promotion Division, MT. Dept. of Commerce, Helena, MT
Feature Presenters: U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Montana; Bill Berg, CoolWorks.com, Gardiner, MT
Luncheon Sponsors: National Parks Conservation Association with support from Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies, Glacier Park, Inc.
Table Centerpiece Sponsor: The Sapphire Gallery/Sweet Palace
The Centennial Initiative aims to get our nation’s parks into prime shape for the National Park Service’s 100th year celebration in 2016. Montana U.S. Senator Jon Tester (via video) shares his thoughts on the opportunities the initiative provides and Bill Berg talks about its importance to tourism.
1:45-3:00 p.m. Concurrent Break-Out Sessions
Follow the Money – Marketing Segment Approach to Tracking & Growing Travel & Tourism
Location: Geyser Room
Presenter: Judy Randall, Randall Travel Marketing, Inc., Mooresville, NC
Learn how to identify your most likely and profitable customer market segments, what it takes to get them to your destination, and how to track and demonstrate your ROI to your community.
Greening of Yellowstone (& Montana Tourism)
Location: Canyon/Dunraven Room
Presenters: Jim Evanoff, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY: Beth Pratt, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Yellowstone National Park, WY; Deb Friedel, Delaware North Companies, Bozeman, MT; Jan Brown, Yellowstone Business Partnership, Idaho Falls, ID
The Greater Yellowstone Region has a great group of partners engaged in “green” activities including reducing waste and energy, and using local products. Learn the cost/benefit of these “green” activities and take home useful ideas for your tourism operation.
Montana’s International Markets: Japan & China
Location: Electric/Faithful Room
Presenters: Mei Mei Wang, Montana-Asia Pacific Trade Office, Taipei, Taiwan; Mako Sakaguchi, Montana-Japan Trade Office, Kumamoto, Japan; Pam Gosink, Marketing Program Manager, Travel Montana, Helena, MT
The Montana Commerce Department’s International Trade Officers Mei Mei and Mako will update us on their activities promoting Montana to the Chinese and Japanese markets. Pam will provide an overview of Montana’s European efforts.
Web Trends for Business Professionals: Getting Started Leveraging the Power of Web Analytics
Location: Bear’s Den Theater (across street from Holiday Inn)
Presenter: Andrew Scott, WebTrends Corp., Portland, OR
Your website can tell you a lot about your customers and prospects. Learn how to gather the data, analyze it and put it to work for you.
Field Trip – Where Did West Begin? Historic Walking Tour
Location: Meet at the 1903 Executive Train Car Museum, near hotel’s Oregon Short Line Restaurant
Host: Paul Shea, Yellowstone Historic Center
Yellowstone Historic Center Curator Paul Shea leads this tour through West’s Historic District sharing the community’s history. Tour limited to 25.
3:00-3:45 p.m. Break in Exhibitor Area
Location: Hayden Hall
3:45-5:00 p.m. Concurrent Break-Out Sessions
Follow the Money – Marketing Segment Approach to Tracking & Growing Travel & Tourism
Location: Geyser Room
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
Greening of Yellowstone (& Montana Tourism)
Location: Canyon/Dunraven Room
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
Montana’s International Markets: Japan & China
Location: Electric/Faithful Room
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
Web Trends for Business Professionals: Getting Started Leveraging the Power of Web Analytics
Location: Bear’s Den Theater (across street from Holiday Inn)
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
Field Trip – Where Did West Begin? Historic Walking Tour
Location: Meet at the 1903 Executive Train Car Museum, near hotel’s Oregon Short Line Restaurant
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
5:00-6:00 p.m. No Host Reception in Exhibitor Area
Location: Hayden Hall
5:15-6:15 p.m. Friends of the Museum of the Plains Indian Museum Meeting
Location: Electric/Faithful Rooms
6:00 p.m. Night in West Yellowstone
Feature Activities:
6:00-9:30 p.m. West Yellowstone’s Geocache Food & Treasure Hunt ($15 to participate, covers food and beverages)
Location: Pick up GPS Units and Maps at Conference Registration Desk – Credit Card Required to check out GPS, no charges put on card.
Thanks Steve Winden, Virtual Tour Guide, for providing GPS units.
Find Treasure in West! Teams of four will be loaned a GPS and a treasure hunt map for the evening. On the hunt there’ll be food and beverages of all sorts to keep your energy and interest alive. Each team completing the hunt will be entered into a drawing for great prizes!
9:30-11:30 p.m. Open Mic Night featuring Travel Montana’s Blue Sky Day band
Location: Canyon/Dunraven Rooms right next to Iron Horse Saloon
Come share your songs, stories, and talents with your friends. Let’s entertain ourselves with this open mic night opportunity.
Conference Agenda
Friday, April 18, 2008
7:00 a.m. Conference Registration
Location: Conference Registration Desk
8:00-5:00 p.m. Travel Montana Web Room
Location: Room 123
Travel Montana Staff on hand during conference breaks and afternoons to help update your www.visitmt.com listing and address other questions.
8:30-9:45 a.m. Feature Presentation: Montana’s Branding Initiative
Location: Yellowstone Ballroom
Host: Betsy Baumgart, Administrator, Promotion Division, MT. Dept. of Commerce, Helena, MT
Feature Presenters: Mike Bento, Michael Bento Marketing & Communications, Washington, D.C.; Kevin Schulman, primegroup, Washington, D.C.
Sponsor: Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yellowstone
Montana’s Branding Initiative consulting team, Mike Bento and Kevin Schulman, will share the steps taken since June 2007 to uncover Montana’s brand, unveil the final brand positioning statements, and reveal next steps needed to successfully execute the brand.
9:45-10:30 a.m. Break in Exhibitor Area
Location: Hayden Hall
10:30-11:45 a.m. Feature Presentation: No Child Left Inside – the Children & Nature Movement
Location: Yellowstone Ballroom
Host: Betsy Baumgart, Administrator, Promotion Division, MT. Dept. of Commerce, Helena, MT
Feature Presenter: Cheryl Charles, President, Children & Nature Network, Santa Fe, NM
Sponsors: Custer Country RTC, MARS STOUT
Reconnecting children and nature offers benefits in so many ways – children’s health, understanding good stewardship, visitation to outdoor recreation state’s like Montana. Cheryl Charles will tell us about the Children and Nature movement and its importance for Montana’s tourism and recreation future.
Noon -1:30 p.m. Luncheon, Exhibitor Giveaway, Feature Presentation: Governor & First Lady’s Math and Science Initiative – The Roadside Geological Markers
Location: Union Pacific Dining Hall
Host: Betsy Baumgart, Administrator, Promotion Division, MT. Dept. of Commerce, Helena, MT
Feature Presenters: First Lady Nancy Schweitzer, Helena, MT; Jim Lynch, Director, MT Dept. of Transportation, Helena, MT
Luncheon Sponsor: Meredith Travel Marketing
Table Centerpiece Sponsor: The Sapphire Gallery/Sweet Palace
First Lady Nancy Schweitzer and MDT Director Jim Lynch will highlight the state’s new geological road signs that invite Montana kids to explore Montana’s splendid surroundings as part of the Governor & First Lady’s Math and Science Initiative.
1:45-3:00 p.m. Concurrent Break-Out Sessions
The Power & Pitfalls of Email Marketing
Location: Geyser Room
Presenter: Reggie Brady Marketing Solutions, Norwalk, CT
Email is a vital, cost-effective way to communicate with prospects and customers. The challenge is to break through the clutter. In this session you’ll learn the “rules of the road” and effective strategies through case studies and Montana examples.
How To Create a Tourism Business Improvement District – the New Tourism Funding Source
Location: Canyon/Dunraven Room
Presenters: John Brewer CAE, Executive Director, Billings Chamber of Commerce/CVB, Billings, MT; Steve Wahrlich, Yellowstone County Lodging Association President, Best Western Clock Tower Inn Owner, Billings, MT
Billings led the charge in implementing the Tourism Business Improvement District program, a new tourism funding tool for Montana communities. In this session, John and Steve share their experience and tips to help you create this resource for your community.
No Child Left Inside Montana Work Session
Location: Electric/Faithful Room
Facilitator: John Keck, Montana Tourism & Recreation Initiative (MTRI) Co-chair, National Park Service MT/WY Liaison.
Discussion Assistants: Cheryl Charles, President, Children & Nature Network; Ken Soderberg, Tom Baumeister, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Margaret Gorski, MTRI Co-chair, U.S. Forest Service
Building on Cheryl Charles morning presentation, Montana agencies, communities, organizations and individuals interested in creating “No Child Left Inside” activities will join to share what’s currently going on, what they want to happen and plan for implementation.
Understanding Montana’s Non-Resident Visitors: Expectations, Satisfaction & Trends
Location: Bear’s Den Theater (across street from Holiday Inn)
Presenter: Norma Nickerson, Director; Christine Oschell, Interim Director; Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research (ITRR), Missoula, MT
Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research studies reveal what potential and actual visitors think their Montana vacation will be like. Norma and Christine will walk you through the Montana-specific visitor expectations and satisfaction levels and what the trends say for the future.
Field Trip: Madison River Nature Walk
Location: Meet in hotel lobby near entrance door.
Host: Yellowstone National Park
Learn about Yellowstone’s environment and enjoy nature with a National Park Service Naturalist on a guided walk along West’s Riverside Trail. Snowshoes or boots may be needed. Snowshoes are available for rent ($5). Tour limited to 20.
3:00-3:45 p.m. Break in Exhibitor Area
Location: Hayden Hall
3:45-5:00 p.m. Concurrent Break-Out Sessions
Montana Trails Showcase: National Folk Festival-Butte & “Of Sage and Stone” Heritage Trails of SW Montana
Location: Electric/Faithful Room
Presenters: Julia Olin, Executive Director, National Council of Traditional Arts, Washington, D.C., Brendan McDonough, Festival Coordinator, National Folk Festival, Butte, MT; Chere Jiusto, Executive Director, Christine Brown, Staff Historian, Montana Preservation Alliance, Helena, MT
The National Folk Festival – Butte begins a three-year Montana run July 11-13, 2008. We’ll hear about the featured acts, activities, and how to get involved. Presenters will also share information about the developing “Of Sage and Stone” heritage trails looping around southwest Montana
The Power & Pitfalls of Email Marketing
Location: Geyser Room
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
How To Create a Tourism Business Improvement District – the New Tourism Funding Source
Location: Canyon/Dunraven Room
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
Understanding Montana’s Non-resident Visitors: Expectations, Satisfaction & Trends
Location: Bear’s Den Theater (across street from Holiday Inn)
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
Field Trip: Madison River Nature Walk
Location: Meet in hotel lobby near entrance door.
(Repeat of 1:45 p.m. Session)
5:00-6:00 p.m. Free Time
6:00-7:00 p.m. No Host Reception
Location: Union Pacific Dining Hall
7:00-9:00 p.m. Conference Banquet with Featured Guest Lt. Governor John Bohlinger
Location: Union Pacific Dining Hall
Host: Stan Ozark, Tourism Advisory Council member, Glasgow
Featured Guest: Lt Governor John Bohlinger
Dinner Sponsor: Montana Innkeepers Association
Wine Sponsor: Certified Folder Display Services, Inc.
Montana Lt Governor John Bohlinger joins us to close out the 2008 conference with good Montana food, beverages, enjoying each others company and acknowledging the good works of our Montana tourism and recreation partners, communities, events and individuals.
9:00 p.m.-Midnight Entertainment: Wylie and the Wild West
Location: Union Pacific Dining Hall
Sponsors: Audubon, Good Housekeeping, Media West, Madden Media, Mercury Advertising
This “old school cool” country western group is led by Montana born and raised singer, songwriter, rancher, horseman, and the original, world-famous Yahoo® yodeler, Wylie Gustafson. Enjoy!
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