Montana is using data to highlight attractions other than national parks

HELENA – Data is driving new ways to market Montana as a tourist destination and is helping to convince visitors to find new adventures outside of Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.

The main challenge of tourism marketing in Montana in the past was to get people to drive all the way to Big Sky Country — and that meant marketing the two national parks as once-in-a-lifetime trips.

But today, with Glacier and Yellowstone headed for another record, or near-record summers, Internet fame is taking care of that job, with social media changing how people share their experiences.

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