Billings attracts more than 2.6 million visitors each year with a winning combination of stunning natural scenery, outdoor recreation, great food and cultural attractions. And the $621 million they spend while they’re in town feeds a healthy local economy.
“In addition to people driving and flying in for vacations and events, we draw a large regional audience that comes here to utilize our services and make a weekend of it,” said Aly Eggart, executive director of Visit Billings. “We are the biggest city around for 500 miles in every direction, so we really service a large geographic area.”
Many visitors consider Billings the gateway to Yellowstone or Glacier National Park, but the area also offers its own historic monuments and outdoor recreation to explore.
“We really benefit from a balanced mix of leisure, business, and sports travel,” Eggart said. “That’s what helps keep our industry strong year-round, with meetings, conventions and tournaments playing a big role during our shoulder seasons like winter and early spring.”
Because Montana offers plenty of natural space for social distancing, it was one of the rare destinations that stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a 2024 travel industry report from the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, mountains/forests, wide open spaces and rivers are what most visitors come to experience.
“We tend to draw a lot of people from Idaho, Seattle, Salt Lake, Minneapolis, Denver, Chicago and Texas,” Eggart said.
Accessibility and inclusivity remain high priorities, with Billings recently becoming a certified autism-friendly destination across restaurants, hotels and attractions.
“We offer free frontline training, and we’re working on launching a new digital platform to help people find those resources,” Eggart said.
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“We really benefit from a balanced mix of leisure, business, and sports travel,” Eggart said. “That’s what helps keep our industry strong year-round, with meetings, conventions and tournaments playing a big role during our shoulder seasons like winter and early spring.”