By the Numbers: Montana Skiing

The sport's economic impact.

The last decade or so has brought major changes to Montana, especially when it comes to population growth and tourism. Bozeman is more popular than ever, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the ski hill. But just what kind of an impact are all these visitors having? Economically, it’s a boom. Here are some numbers to think about.*

-475,000 nonresident skier visits
-$83,336,000 spent by nonresident skiers
-$1,272.72 spent per ski trip by nonresidents 

-6.66 average number of nights nonresidents spent per trip
-$303 spent on accommodations per trip for nonresidents
-56% of nonresidents stayed in a hotel or rental unit
-$210 spent at restaurants/bars per trip for nonresidents 

-$1,496 spent per nonresident group per trip to Big Sky
-$1,333 spent per nonresident group per trip to Bridger Bowl
-$272 average nonresident expenditures per group per trip to Discovery

-$19,700,000 contributed to Montana economy from expenditures at Big Sky

-53% of nonresident skiers earn more than $100k per year
-20% of resident skiers earn more than $100k per year 

*All numbers are from a study by the Institute of Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana, based on the 2009-10 ski season, the second highest on record.