MISSOULA — The Missoula Marathon is on its way to town, bringing in a large number of travelers to Missoula. These visitors are expected to have a significant economic impact on the local businesses in the area.
The travelers not only come for the marathon but also explore Missoula itself, spending millions of dollars at various local businesses throughout the town.
“We’re looking at an estimated economic impact of about 3 million to 3.5 million for Missoula,” Destination Missoula Sales Manager Emily Rolston mentioned to MTN.
Local businesses experience a noticeable increase in sales compared to the rest of the year.
“We see around a 30-35% increase. We notice new faces, including many families from the marathon attendees who may not typically visit downtown or are from out of state,” Market on Front owner Dennis Round stated.
While the marathon only happens for a day, travelers often arrive a few days earlier and spend time exploring local businesses, contributing to the financial boost.
Some businesses, like the Holiday Inn, have sold-out weekends and eagerly anticipate this time of the year.
“In hospitality, we are always excited to welcome guests during these busy weekends. It gives us the opportunity to showcase the restaurants, shops, and hotels; everyone benefits and we all get excited about it,” said Annie Darby, general manager of Holiday Inn in downtown Missoula.
However, the increase in traffic may lead some locals to avoid their usual businesses due to the crowds in town.
“I believe some of our regular customers tend to steer clear because it’s challenging to reach us and it gets crowded. So, I’m sure they avoid us that weekend because of that,” Round added.
Besides the immediate impacts of increased traffic, the Missoula Marathon also generates positive word-of-mouth from visitors worldwide. Some return to further promote Missoula on a global scale.
“The marathon has a fantastic reputation and has been a top marathon in the United States for several years. People have an amazing time participating in the race, which serves as great PR for our community and Missoula,” Rolston mentioned to MTN.
In conclusion, the Missoula Marathon significantly drives the local economy, providing businesses with a revenue boost that helps them navigate through slower winter months, as stated by Destination Missoula.
The Missoula Marathon is happening this weekend, and KPAX is once again a proud partner of the event.
Join Jill Valley, Lewis Dortch, and Kyle Hansen live from the finish line on Sunday at 8 a.m. to catch all the race day excitement.
Tune in at 8 a.m. on MTN and the KPAX Streaming App. To find where to watch MTN, visit https://mtnmontana.com/.
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