Not only does this time of year bring the inevitable thoughts of personal resolutions (ahem, go to the gym), but it is also a perfect time for an MNW Destinations Year in Review.  MNW Designations (a sister company to Meetings Northwest, Inc.) launched at the end of January 2018 as a solution to groups coming to Montana and needing on-site help from Montana experts.  We focused our efforts on the regions we know best: Bozeman/Yellowstone, Missoula, and Flathead Valley/Glacier.  Destination Management is not a new concept in the travel and meeting world, but there does seem to be a need in Montana as it grows as a meeting and group travel destination.

Turning Challenges into Successes

One of the challenges of Destination Management, or any business really, is building relationships (putting on our social butterfly pants, as we jokingly call it in our “virtual office” banter over Skype).  We started with our regional contacts.  I reached out to the Missoula, Kalispell and Glacier Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor Bureaus.  Genevieve did the same in the Bozeman and Yellowstone.  She attended the Montana Governors Conference on Tourism and Travel and I attended a couple of CONNECT meetings to engage with and learn from other Destination Management professionals.  We also dabbled in social media, connecting with our audience and promoting Montana as the best place to meet to really connect with participants (#meetinmontana).  Our networking paid-off with a partnership with an incentive group referred by Destination Missoula and more recently with the Glacier Conservancy and National Parks Friends Alliance – a partnership formed from a Chamber event in Kalispell.

What’s Next?

Moving forward, we’ll be doing more of the same.  Genevieve is working hard to strengthen our relationships in the Bozeman area as its Chamber and CVB continue to rebuild and reorganize.  I plan to continue my efforts with our partners in Missoula and Glacier Regions, but also hope to expand marketing efforts to venues and tour operators who may be in contact with groups considering Montana as a conference or meeting location.  I’ll take my turn at the Montana Tourism Conference in April and work to expand our reach.  One challenge I’ve given myself is developing a quick elevator speech explaining who MNW Destinations is, what we do, and why our services are worth investing in.  Destination Management is a familiar term with Chambers and CVBs, but not too familiar outside of the inner circle of tourism professionals.  I think I can do a better job of selling our services in 3-minutes or less.

Happy New Year!

As we kick off 2019, I’m thankful for all our partners.  I’m also incredibly thankful for my coworkers (who are actually virtual office partners dispersed throughout Montana) who are creative, smart and so fun to collaborate with on such amazing projects.  I have the best job.  Bring on 2019…our best year yet!  What are your goals for 2019?  Let’s all #meetinmontana.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Moore Photography

About the Author:

Amy LuckeFlathead/Glacier Destination Manager
Amy has been lucky to call Montana home for almost her entire life. Growing up in Missoula fostered her love for hiking mountains and floating rivers. Her best memories are summer days spent just north on Flathead Lake and one of the reasons she now calls the Flathead Valley home.