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Journal of Travel Research
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Collecting and Using Visitor Spending Data

James J. Wilton

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana

Norma Polovitz Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana

Visitor spending is a necessary component of economic-impact analysis, but detailed expenditure categories rarely are reported and used as tools for marketing and policy decisions. This article shows that spending by visitors attracted to Montana’s natural resources accounted for 76% of traveler spending in the state. Average daily spending by visitors primarily attracted to fishing was the highest per-group per-trip expenditure ($1,641.26) and the longest length of stay (9.3 nights), with fishing outfitters and guides receiving the largest share of these visitors’ dollars. Visitors attracted to Glacier National Park had the highest total contribution of dollars to the state. Implications of the study suggest that conservation of Montana’s natural resources is paramount to a thriving tourism industry. Policies and regulations related to waterways, mountain view sheds, and open space need to reflect the important economic contribution of what attracts visitors to the state.

Key Words: attractions • expenditure-based segmentation • market segmentation • Montana • natural resources • policy • spending

Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 45, No. 1, 17-25 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0047287506288875
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