Montana's Tourists Getting Older, Richer, Rarer

While Montana saw fewer tourists in 2025, they came with more gray hair — and more dollars for Montana businesses.

That’s according to visitor surveys conducted by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, presented by economist Melissa Weddell at a seminar organized in Helena Tuesday by the university’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

According to Weddell’s figures, the number of people who visited Montana last year declined by 3.6% to 13.8 million, down from 2024. However, nonresident spending in Montana jumped 12% to an estimated $5.6 billion.

“Les...