Missoula travel outlook: Gas prices may not slow Montana tourism

MISSOULA, Mont. — As tourism season picks up across Montana, questions grow about whether shifting weather and higher gas prices could change travel plans.

NonStop Local spoke with Genie Ladd, a certified travel consultant at Destination Montana, about how weather and fuel costs were affecting tourism in the state.

Ladd said the winter season did not bring the snowpack Montana usually sees, and she said that affected one of the state's biggest tourism draws.

“Now, as far as tourism, I feel, well, this winter, I don't think was a good winner for us. We did not have near the snow pack we usually have. And obviously being, you know, snow skiing being our number one winner. Um, that was, um, definitely, I would say down a little. Most of our visitors are coming from out of state, where gas prices are, are generally over $4 and then even California, what up to almost $6 ago? Montana, we are still at $3.80. So anybody coming into Montana is still going to be paying less for gas than they are from where they came from. At this, at this moment in time. So do I feel that that is going to be a deterrent, you know, the gas prices? I don't, I don't feel that that's a deterrent,” Ladd said.

She also explained that planning ahead mattered, especially as travelers considered weather changes and gas prices before visiting or driving through Montana.