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MONTANA MAKES "DELIGHTFUL DOZEN" LIST
OF SATISFYING Helena, MT -- February 25, 2003-- Montana is one of the top twelve states chosen as the best places to vacation according to a recent survey of travelers. Montana's ranking on the list is attributed to its outdoor beauty, activities, well-maintained lodging and attractions, and weather according to NFO Plog Research , a New Brunswick, NJ based market research company specializing in travel and tourism research. "States on this list set the bar for others who want to compete for leisure and business travelers," said Scott Ludwigsen, NFO Plog's Executive Vice-President. He added that states making the list must be doing a good job of attracting visitors with marketing and advertising and taking good care of travelers during their stay. NFO Plog's Satisfaction Index measures satisfaction with the vacation experience rather than just counting the number of visitors to each destination. "It is great to be officially recognized for the hospitality we offer," said Betsy Baumgart, administrator of the Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Promotion Division, "but I'm not surprised." "Montanans, in general, and especially those in our tourism and recreation industry, go out of their way to welcome visitors." In addition to the advertising and marketing programs of the Department of Commerce Montana Promotion Division, they also offer SUPERHOST! customer service training. This comprehensive training/visitor information program is designed to create an awareness and understanding of Montana's travel industry and to enhance the level of customer service provided by the industry. "It's all about encouraging the state's visitors to stay longer, to tell their friends about the positive experiences they found here and the great people they met, and to make plans to return to the state year after year," explains Baumgart. "Tourism and recreation brought $1.8 billion dollars into the Montana economy last year and supported 33,500 jobs." Information on the SUPERHOST! Program is available at http://travelmontana.state.mt.us/OURPROGRAMS/Superhost.htm
PLOG'S 2002 DELIGHTFUL DOZEN TOP 12 U.S. STATES,
Results of the NFO Plog Research "2002 American Traveler Survey" are based on surveys with over 9,000 US households. This study yields a confidence level of 95% with an error margin of +/- 1%.
*Not represented but included on the list are Hawaii and Alaska.
***This map is available from Travel Montana as a JPG file
or as a GIF file. Either can be sent electronically by contacting
Lonie Stimac at lonie@visitmt.com or 406-841-2893.*** |
