Billings is full of good sports, and that’s attracting a whole new segment of visitors to town.
Whether they’re traveling in to watch a big event or to participate in a tournament, sports tourists are a quickly growing market, generating significant revenue for the city.
“In the last 10 years or so, our board has been working hard to position Billings as the sports destination of Montana,” said Aly Eggart, executive director of Visit Billings. “Making sure we have a diverse stream of people coming here for group tours, conventions, leisure travel and sports is what feeds a steady visitor economy.”
Sports tourism infuses dollars into the community in a different way than business travel or vacation spending. For example, tournament attendees have very specific needs such as blocks of hotel rooms or reservations at restaurants that are equipped to accommodate large groups. Games, matches and other events also put host venues under pressure to deliver a positive visitor experience.
“Sports guests are going to be in those facilities most of the time, so the money they spend impacts differently than a family who might be coming here for a vacation,” Eggart said. “During their downtime between games, they often like to shop at local sports retailers and outfitters. They just navigate the city in a different way.”
Locals benefit, too. Eggart said that wrestling and basketball tournaments held over a recent six-week stretch injected some $7.5 million into the local economy during what is traditionally a sluggish time of year. Some of that money cycles back into improving existing facilities, strengthening infrastructure and supporting the development of new venues like the Signal Peak Energy Ice Arena.
“To see this kind of growth happening is really incredible,” she said.
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