Contact: Barb Sanem

Montana Department of Commerce
     MT Promotion Division
406-841-2769

Nominations Requested for Montana's Tourism Awards

Helena, MT – January 11, 2005 – The Governor's Tourism Advisory Council (TAC) is accepting nominations for the Montana 2005 Tourism Awards.  Nominations for Tourism Person of the Year, Tourism Community of the Year, Tourism Event of the Year and Partnership of the Year will be accepted. 

The awards recognize individuals, events, or communities whose efforts to promote or develop Montana's tourism opportunities, this year or for a series of years, have preserved or enhanced tourism's role in Montana's economy.

The award winners will be announced at the 31^st Annual Governor's Conference on Tourism and Recreation scheduled for March 21-22, 2005, at the Colonial Hotel in Helena, Montana.  Governor Brian Schweitzer will present the awards.

Nomination forms are available from the Department of Commerce Montana Promotion Division by calling Barb Sanem at 406-841-2769 or e-mail barb@visitmt.com. The forms are also available electronically at www.travelmontana.state.mt.us/conference/awards.shtm.  The deadline for nominations is February 25, 2005.

The 2004 Tourism Person and Community of the Year Awards were given to Christopher Kortlander of Garryowen and Malta, MT respectively.  Tourism Event and Partnership of the Year Awards were given to the 36^th Annual C. M. Russell Art Auction and the 2003 Fire Season Media Task Force. 

Tourism and recreation is Montana's 2^nd largest industry. In 2003, 9.67 million people visited Montana spending $1.87 billion during their stay.  Nearly 37,000 jobs are directly and indirectly supported by nonresident travel, resulting in $739 million in total personal income for Montana residents

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