Audit: Hiring Wisconsin agency to market Montana followed process

Watchdogs reviewing the three-year-old decision by the state Office of Tourism and Business Development to hire a Wisconsin agency to promote Montana to tourists found the office went about the process properly and administrated the contract well, though there have been some concerns with the company’s performance.

Audit dings Montana Commerce Department’s tracking of tourism grant impacts

Poor record-keeping makes it hard to tell if bed tax money is actually drawing out-of-state dollars into the Montana economy, state auditors told lawmakers at a Legislative Audit Committee meeting Oct. 30.

The Montana Department of Commerce spends millions in bed tax revenues each year to promote the state as a tourism destination for out-of-state visitors. But does that spending actually draw out-of-state dollars into the Montana economy?

The department’s poor record-keeping related to tourism-promotion grants makes it hard to tell, state auditors told lawmakers at a Legislative Audit Committee meeting Oct. 30.

By Eric Dietrich

Audit dings commerce department’s tracking of tourism grant impacts