March 10, 2021

To: Missoula City-County Health Department

The Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a roundtable discussion with members of the
accommodations industry, Missoula Tourism Business Improvement District and Destination Missoula.
Many on the call praised the City/County Health Department for interactions they have had one-on-one
in addressing specific events at their business. The call also brought to light some challenges the
industry in Missoula is facing, some of which we hope can be mitigated by the Missoula City-County
Health Department.

As with many industries, the accommodations industry in Missoula has faced extreme challenges over
the past year due to Covid-19. The pandemic has meant less travel and the cancellation of hundreds of
conferences and events that these businesses have traditionally benefited from. Over the past year,
they have worked hard to adapt to a different world by implementing enhanced cleaning/disinfecting
procedures and utilizing technology to limit contact during check-in and throughout a guest’s stay.

In addition to the decreased visitor stays due to limited travel during the pandemic, the
accommodations industry has seen a virtual elimination of banquet, conference and convention
bookings over the past year. Meeting spaces that were once filled regularly have sat empty.

Now, as Covid-19 numbers across the State have been dropping, Missoula businesses are finding
themselves at a disadvantage as other communities around the State loosen restrictions. Conferences
that were once booked in Missoula are now moving to other communities that are not as restrictive.
This means our local establishments are losing business. This impacts the greater business community
as visitors and conference-goers would also visit food, retail and numerous other businesses within the
community. Additionally, it forces local businesspeople who would attend these conferences and
meetings in Missoula to travel outside of the community to areas where Covid-19 protections may not
be as strong.

The blanket limit for indoor meetings of 50 people does not seem to take into consideration the wide
variety of square footage in our conference facilities that could double or triple that number and still be
safely distanced. Having a set of rules for the facilities to adhere to that allow larger indoor meetings
when certain square footage and safety requirements can be met would help the hotels to retain more
of their booked business and work with meeting planners on a more definitive basis.

The second challenge our local hoteliers are facing is the unpredictable nature of the pandemic. While
we recognize the health department cannot control the direction of the pandemic, there is something
that would help the accommodations industry professionals. They have expressed a desire for a better
understanding of when restrictions will be loosened. They recognize those restrictions are based on
metrics health officials are monitoring, however would appreciate better communication from the
department on expected changes to local health orders. This allows them to work with clients to
provide some level of predictability in booking events and meetings and helps with staff communication
and expectations.
The Chamber, Missoula Tourism Business Improvement District and Destination Missoula hope you will
follow the model established with restaurants/bars and Missoula hockey programs, to work with these
important local businesses and find ways to allow them to fairly compete with hotels in surrounding
communities. They have made significant changes to protect the health of their employees and guests.
We hope you can work with them to safely hold larger events and keep that business in our community
so businesses can keep their doors open and people employed.

Sincerely,

Kim Latrielle Barbara Neilan

CEO Executive Director
Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce Destination Missoula