The 2025 Tourism Problem – Flathead Beacon

U.S.-Canada border crossings at Roosville have been down 25% this spring whereas companies are reporting a spike in last-minute, short-term journeys as vacationers navigate the unknown

By Maggie Dresser

As summer time journey peaks within the Flathead Valley, companies are reporting flat home tourism in comparison with 2024 with an uptick in last-minute journeys and a 25% decline in Canadian journey amid a weak foreign money, financial uncertainty and tense border relations.

Northwest Montana is following nationwide tendencies of robust home journey and a drop in worldwide journey, which tourism bureau specialists say is straight correlated to the unpredictability surrounding tariffs and worry of inflation.

Read the remainder of the story right here.

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Flathead Valley property homeowners are including tourism to their crop rotation as they search to maintain their agricultural land and diversify income streams

By Maggie Dresser

After years within the cultivating enterprise, rising cherries on the east facet of Flathead Lake and flowers in central California, Mike Sullivan returned to Montana about twenty years in the past and bought 5 acres in Somers off MT Highway 82.

The plot had most just lately been used to develop alfalfa and when Sullivan purchased the property, he grew pumpkins, winter squash and greens. But as visitation to Glacier National Park continued to carry extra individuals to the Flathead Valley yearly, he began trying into crops that might appeal to vacationers to the farm and landed on lavender.

Read the remainder of the story right here.

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This Month’s Market Metrics

Gas Prices (July 24)
California (highest) – $4.45/gal | Mississippi (lowest) – $2.69/gal | Montana – $3.23/gal

Glacier Park International Airport Passenger Stats (June)
Departures 2025 61,377 | 2024 54,879 Arrivals 2025 67,593 | 2024 62,161

Unemployment Rates (June)
U.S. 4.1% | Montana 2.8% | Flathead County 2.8%

Flathead County Residential Sales (June)
2025 175 | 2024 125 | 2023 158 | 2022 161

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If you don’t rebalance often, you could be taking over an excessive amount of (or too little) threat

By Jesse Rigler

In life, stability is every thing — whether or not it’s discovering time between work and household or sustaining a nutritious diet. The similar goes to your investments. Keeping your monetary portfolio balanced is a brilliant option to keep on observe towards your long-term targets, even because the markets shift.

Read the remainder of the column right here.