Serving up authenticity to tourists in Montana

Selling the experience of visiting Montana is paramount to growing the state’s tourism industry, an Ohio-based author and consultant said Monday.

At the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation, Jim Gilmore told more than 300 tourism professionals from across the state that in an experience-based economy, how goods and services are provided is at least as important as the goods and services themselves.

"Experiences are a distinct form of economic output," Gilmore said. "Experiences are as distinct in kind from services as services are from goods. A service mentality focuses on what you do; an experience mentality focuses on how you do that what."

By JOHN HARRINGTON – Independent Record

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2009/03/31/state/top/70st_090331_tourism.txt