Agenda
1:00 pm - 8:00 pm > Check in
3:00 pm-4:00 pm > Tours
Hotels & Hooligans
This 90-minute walking tour focuses on daily life and culture in Missoula during the city’s railroad boom, the Hotels & Hooligans Tour looks at how the average Missoulian lived and created. Hotels & Hooligans uncovers the scandals and other sketchiness from the Courthouse to the seedy underbelly of Missoula’s railroad hotel district.
Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium Tour
Visit Montana's first and only tropical butterfly house. Opened in November 2023, the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium is home to butterflies and other live arthropod species from around the world. Take a tour of the museum's exhibits and learn a little bit more about "the little things that run the world.
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm > Opening Reception
Get ready for an unforgettable kick to the 2024 Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism. Prepare to mix and mingle with fellow attendees at Caras Park.
7:00 am - 10:00 am > Registration/Help Desk
7:00 am - 8:00 am > Breakfast w/ Exhibitors
8:15 am-8:30 am > Opening Remaks
8:30 am - 10:00 am > Featured Presentation: Shift Happens
In this eye-opening, engaging and inspiring keynote address, Roger Brooks unveils the ten keys to energizing every city and town, ultimately sowing the seeds of prosperity. Revealing new trends and the largest demographic shift in American history, you will come away with fresh ideas and a new outlook on what it takes to become a successful destination that will easily attract new investment, a growing population, and increased visitor spending.
10:30 am - 11:45 am > Breakout Sessions
11:45 am - 12:45 pm > Neworking Lunch
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm > Featured Presentation
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm > Breakout Sessions
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm > Pre-Social
Monday Awards Dinner , Step into a night of celebration and reflection at the Montana Tourism Awards Dinner! As we honor the shining stars of our tourism industry, we invite you to don your best black and gold attire, commemorating 50 golden years of film and tourism in Montana. Your presence will truly add sparkle to this milestone evening!
Attire: Black and Gold
Sponsored by: Windfall
7:00 am - 8:30 am > Registration and Help Desk
7:30 am - 8:30 am > Breakfast with the Exhibitors
7:30 am - 8:30 am > Region Rendezvous
Grab your coffee or tea and kick-off the day with your region’s DMO during this round-table networking event. Meet with fellow business owners, spark conversation, and make lasting professional connections during Tuesday morning's Region Rendezvous.
8:45 am - 10:15 am > Day Two Conference Kick-Off & Featured Presentation
10:15 am - 10:30 am > BREAK
10:30 am - 11:45 am > Breakout Sessions
11:45 am -12:45 pm > Networking Lunch
12:45 pm - 2:00 pm > Featured Presentation
2:15 pm > Conference Adjorns
3:00 pm > Tours
The Smokejumper Center
The history of smoke-jumping has been intertwined with the city of Missoula and the state of Montana since the first smokejumpers took off in a wooden-framed, fabric-covered aircraft in 1940.
The Montana Museum of Arts and Culture
Join us for a tour of the brand-new Montana Museum of Arts and Culture! The Montana Museum of Arts and Culture opened its doors in September 2023. The 17,000-square-foot structure displays some of the museum’s most powerful exhibitions. The Batts Gallery houses “Rising from the Ashes: Selections from the Three Chiefs Cultural Center Collection.” Formerly known as the “The People’s Center,” the original building burnt down in an arson fire in 2020. MMAC shows the story of their rise from the ashes and exhibits some of the recovered collection.
River Road Tour and Mini Workshop
Join us on River Road for an afternoon exploring local food! With over 20 sites throughout Missoula, Garden City Harvest provides individuals with the raw materials to grow, cook, and preserve the harvest. Their River Road site gives you a taste of their farms, community gardens, and community gathering space all in one. We invite you to participate in a tour followed by a hands-on activity that will deepen your connection to your food and our community.
Keynote Speakers
Roger’s 40-plus year career has been highlighted by successfully assisting cities, towns, businesses, states and provinces with their destination development needs, including urban planning, downtown revitalization and development, place-branding, as well as tourism development and marketing. He has secret-shopped more than 2,500 communities, assessing their assets and liabilities, offering practical solutions to help them become better destinations and increase quality of life. Roger knows what needs to be done to attract new business, investment, visitors and residents. He brings that knowledge and wealth of experience to each community presentation, inspiring people with humor and insightful stories to make successful changes and achieve success.
As one of the world’s most dynamic speakers, Roger Brooks has been the top-rated featured keynote speaker at conferences throughout North America, Western Europe, and Scandinavia.
Breakout Sessions
The top activity of visitors, in the world (not the reason they come, but the top activity once they arrive) is shopping, dining and entertainment in a pedestrian-friendly intimate setting--Your downtown. This is where 80% of the non-lodging tourism spending takes place. In this fast-paced, enlightening, and how-to-make-it-happen session, you’ll see how tourism and downtowns can come together to create powerful partnerships with stronger, more successful marketing and increased local spending, all while saving money in the process. This is a perfect followup to the opening keynote “Shift Happens.”
About the Speaker: Roger Brooks
Roger’s 40-plus year career has been highlighted by successfully assisting cities, towns, businesses, states and provinces with their destination development needs, including urban planning, downtown revitalization and development, place-branding, as well as tourism development and marketing. He has secret-shopped more than 2,500 communities, assessing their assets and liabilities, offering practical solutions to help them become better destinations and increase quality of life. Roger knows what needs to be done to attract new business, investment, visitors and residents. He brings that knowledge and wealth of experience to each community presentation, inspiring people with humor and insightful stories to make successful changes and achieve success.
As one of the world’s most dynamic speakers, Roger Brooks has been the top-rated featured keynote speaker at conferences throughout North America, Western Europe, and Scandinavia.
Delve into the world of cinematic influence with "Reel Influence," a breakout session designed to unpack the dynamic role of film in our community. In this session, we will navigate the narrative currents of film to understand its ripple effect on community identity, engagement, and economic development. Through expert-led discussions, collaborative workshops, and interactive activities. "Reel Influence" promises to be an eye-opening experience that will empower you to harness the storytelling power of film to script the next chapter of our community's narrative.
About the Speaker: Mike Fantasia
The allure of film and TV production can have a significant impact on a community, from boosting the local economy to putting it on the cultural map. Making our community "camera ready" means ensuring that when production companies scout for locations, our area stands out as an ideal setting. This comprehensive workshop will equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to attract and support film and TV projects, highlighting the community’s best features and ensuring it meets the logistical needs of a bustling production set.
About the Speaker: Mike Fantasia
