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Discover Kalispell outlines FY25 wins and FY26 marketing and sports-tourism priorities
Summary
Discover Kalispell (the tourism TBID) reported FY25 results — ski package bookings, event grants and national media placements — and presented FY26 priorities emphasizing sports tourism, market diversification and responsible visitor stewardship.
Discover Kalispell, the tourism arm funded by bed tax and the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID), presented a FY25 recap and FY26 priorities to the City Council on June 16.
Diane Medler, executive director, said FY25 marketing and sales work produced 212 ski-package room nights across 13 TBID hotels and delivered 10 event grants totaling more than $66,000 for local sports tournaments and events. Media placements cited in the presentation included national outlets such as Forbes, the Los Angeles Times and Travel + Leisure; Medler said one public-relations campaign had an earned reach of about 236 million impressions.
Medler outlined FY26 priorities: continuing destination marketing, expanding sports tourism and group business, stewarding visitor behavior through responsible-recreation messaging and investing in workforce development (including an ambassador program and internships). She said TBID revenue projections for FY26 were slightly below FY25, citing a decline in Canadian visitors, growth in lodging supply, and traveler price sensitivity. The TBID moved its per-night assessment to $4 beginning Aug. 1; staff presented room-night equivalents to help council compare year-over-year figures.
Medler also said the TBID has funded summer promotions, a Huckleberry Treat Trail and other campaigns to direct visitors to downtown businesses and outfitters, and that FY26 will include further work on sports event recruitment including tournaments such as a new 3-on-3 Big Sky Battle basketball event in August.
Council asked a few clarification questions about long-stay (30-plus-day) hotel stays and geographic scope of credit-card spending data; TBID staff said the 30-plus-day stays likely included construction workers or new residents and that some spending metrics covered zip code 59901 (Kalispell).
