A rising, though still relatively small, number of Montanans hold negative perceptions toward tourism, according to an update to a University of Montana report released Friday.

UM’s Institute of Tourism and Recreation Research says survey data from November and December indicate a majority of Montana residents believe the overall benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts and that tourism promotion by the state benefits their local economies.

But Jeremy Sage, ITRR’s Interim Director, says the most recent survey, along with two from the summer, show a shift in how residents think about visitors.