Chamber hosts SE MT Tourism Board

The Powder River Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture hosted the Visit Southeast Montana Tourism Board in Broadus, on June 20th for their quarterly board meeting. The SEMT board rotates meeting locations throughout the 13 counties & 2 Indian Reservations in the region, and it has been many years since they visited Powder River County. Visit Southeast Montana is a tourism region managed by the Billings Chamber of Commerce, funded in part by a portion of the state "bed tax" revenue. Their mission is to promote tourism by increasing awareness of our region, showcasing our cultural heritage, developing memorable experiences, and educating our residents about the economic benefits of tourism.

One of the topics discussed was the launch of the newly designed Visit Southeast Montana website http://www.southeastmontana.com. Although the site will have links to the MT Dept of Tourism website (www.visitmt.com), the SE Montana site is managed independently and dedicated solely to promoting tourism within our region of the state to give a more detailed look at our communities. The site highlights local businesses and attractions under the categories of "Places to Eat & Drink", "Places to Stay", "Things to Do", and "Places to Go". To have your business listed on the site, please contact the Powder River Chamber of Commerce for additional information.

Positions on the SEMT board were also reviewed. As his term came to a close, Chip Watts of Big Horn County was recognized by John Brewer, President & CEO of Billing Chamber of Commerce, for his leadership as Board Chairman. Dale Galland of Prairie County will succeed him as Board Chairperson. Several new members will join the board, including Jessica Malone representing Powder River County.

Following their meetings, board members typically enjoy a short local tour of the host community in order to learn and experience what each county has to offer and become better regional ambassadors. Volunteers at the Powder River Historical Museum were pleased to welcome the group for homemade refreshments and a tour of the museum, following the meeting's adjournment.

Hosting this event was a big opportunity to showcase our community and we thank everyone who helped organize. The Powder River Chamber looks forward to working with Visit Southeast Montana to highlight our area to the many visitors that pass through and to develop contacts and resources to benefit our community. For additional information or questions, please contact Jessica Malone or email the Chamber at [email protected].