News Around the Region

Big Timber Begins Community Initiative to Increase Business to the Area

The community of Big Timber is coming together to build their tourism and business base. Knowing that destination marketing expert and author Roger Brooks would be the keynote speaker at the Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism, the Big Timber Chamber of Commerce contacted him to see if he could do a community assessment and workshop on his findings prior to the conference. He agreed and arrived in town on Easter Sunday to begin “his assessment and secret shopping.” 

Community members, business owners, representatives from the state and other tourism partners gathered to hear the results. Suggestions included simple things, like posting operating hours, to more complex endeavors, such as utilizing Sheepherder Square as a gathering place for concerts, meetings and a kid’s play area. 

Brooks also suggested that Big Timber increase its online presence, with ideas for what to do in the area and resources like an RV guide with helpful information, for example, about where to buy propane. 

Sweet Grass Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Christine Bakke, explained, “It was a great way to get all the players together. Now we know what we need to do and can push forward.” 

The Big Timber community recently applied for the Pilot Community Tourism Program Grant from the Department of Commerce, and this assessment was crucial to that process. As part of the grant application, they were required to form a steering committee, which is now overseeing these new efforts. We’re excited to see how things evolve for Big Timber!