Hot Springs chamber talks tourism

HOT SPRINGS – Finding ways to attract visitors and travelers to Hot Springs dominated the discussion at the August chamber meeting last Thursday.  

“We have got to get them to turn into town. They need to turn at the sign,” Leslee Smith, president of the Hot Springs chamber said.

The potential purchase of an advertising billboard on U.S. Route 93, in the town of Elmo was brought up during the July chamber of commerce meeting and discussion on the subject continued during the most recent meeting.

Route 93 connects Glacier National Park with Missoula, running along the western side of Flathead Lake, and is frequented by tourists during the summer months, making it an attractive target for advertising.

The initial price tag to rent the sign, a 12 x 12 foot space, was $200 a month but through negotiations the price has been dropped to $125 a month, including a first month of advertising for free, bringing the total to under $1,400 a year.

Though no decision was made the chamber was clearly interested in pursuing the matter in an attempt to increase business traffic in the community.

In addition to the sign in Elmo there were initial discussions on the potential impact of placing a sign on Montana Highway 28, which connects Elmo to Plains and passes right outside of Hot Springs at the intersection of Montana Highway 77.

Smith remarked on the sparse amount of signage featured on Highway 28, leaving visitors from outside the area with no knowledge of Hot Springs a few miles down Highway 77.

“All they see is what is on the highway. There is not much out there and we have had a very slow month,” Smith said.

Other matters of business at the meeting included an update on the chamber’s Facebook page, which has proved to be a successful tool to connect with past and present members of Hot Springs.

According to Rachel Hulce of the Hot Springs chamber, the group’s page has been especially effective in connecting with former residents and has proved useful in setting up reunions.

“A lot of people who have moved away from Hot Springs, have found the commerce’s Facebook page and like it,” Hulce said.

The final talking point of the meeting dealt with the upcoming Sanders County Fair.

As has been the case in years past, the chamber will be running a booth at the county fairgrounds during the course of the fair.

Several nonprofits throughout Sanders County come together to run different concession stands in Plains and pool their money following the annual event.

Smith noted the importance of the fair for the Hot Springs chamber’s budget.

“A big bulk of our chamber budget comes from this every year,” Smith said.

This year the chamber will be running a pop stand for the duration of the fair.

Emphasizing the importance of this fundraising event for Hot Springs, Smith implored those in attendance at the meeting to sign up for a shift at the booth during fair week.

“This is our money-maker. If you want to spend chamber money we need to have money to spend,” Smith said.