Boundary County has significant tourism assets, from its outstanding natural environment for outdoor recreation, to its historic downtown and destination resort casino. However, most tourists spend only one or two nights in the area. Many others pass through without stopping. In order to realize a larger return from tourists already coming to Boundary County, the community needs to offer more reasons for them to stop and to stay longer. To accomplish this goal, a "Ready-Aim-Fire" strategy is needed. Figure 4.3 outlines eleven actions described in this section that will implement this strategy.

    Boundary County has four key segments of visitors:
* Leisure Travelers: pass-through tourists, sightseers, casino visitors, retirees, family and friends of local residents, private pilots
* Recreationists: destination visitors seeking outdoor activities
* Heritage/Cultural Travelers: more affluent travelers seeking enrichment from local history and cultural activities
* Commercial and Business Travelers: international trade, agency/business travelers (medical, agriculture, federal/state), CEDU parents/relatives

    These visitors come primarily from Canada, the states surrounding Idaho, and Idaho itself. Tourism development efforts should focus on serving these markets more effectively by anticipating and fulfilling their needs. Casino visitors need better linkages to local businesses, events and attractions (museum, golf, Refuge, river walk). Pass-through tourists need visible information and activities (e.g., farmers market, hikes), and improvements to entrances/community appearance to entice them. Heritage and cultural travelers seek local history, culture and the arts (historic buildings, community/tribal culture, local artists/craftsmen, events). Recreationists need maps, brochures, web sites, outfitters and travel packages (including hotel, meals, activities). Commercial travelers need business support services (data ports in hotel rooms, access to copying/printing services, meeting rooms, cell phone coverage). All of these segments seek good quality dining and shopping experiences.

a. Enhance Entrances to Entice More Visitors to Stop
    Visitors will not stop if they do not feel welcome or receive a bad "first impression" of the community. "Entrances" to Boundary County and Bonners Ferry include a number of locations where visitors are likely to make decisions:
* The Canadian border
* Libby and Troy, Montana
* The Montana border
* Junction of U.S. 95 and U.S. 2 (Three Mile)
* Bridge over Kootenai River, junction of U.S. 95 and Main Street
* Sandpoint
* South entrance to Bonners Ferry (from golf course north)
* Junction of U.S. 95 and Kootenai Street

    All of these locations should tell visitors that they are welcome in Boundary County and Bonners Ferry. The places where visitors are likely to be "one stop away" from Bonners Ferry (Eastport, Porthill, Troy, Libby, Sandpoint) should be targeted to ensure that information about Bonners Ferry is available. Closer in, welcome signs (or even billboards) should be placed between Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint northbound, on U.S. 2 westbound and between the Canadian border and U.S. 2 southbound.

    Once someone has arrived in Bonners Ferry, entrances on U.S. 95 south (near the Idaho Dept. of Lands office) and at Main and Kootenai Streets should be enhanced to capture visitors' attention and draw them in.

b. Link Casino and Hotels to Local Businesses, Services and Attractions
    Thousands of tourists visit the Kootenai River Inn annually for gaming. One in three who arrives in a group does not gamble, and is seeking other things to see and do. Physically, the casino is cut off from the Downtown, and practically, it is cut off by lack of information about area businesses and attractions. A pedestrian underpass should be constructed beneath the highway to connect with Downtown. A shuttle service (see item i) could link the casino with other businesses and area attractions.

    The lack of information is shared by guests in other hotels. A promotional piece highlighting local businesses and attractions could be placed in all guest rooms, encouraging hotel guests to patronize local businesses and extend their stays. Coupons or other incentives also could be added.

c. Provide Customer Service, Sales and Host Training to Better Serve Visitors
    Good customer service is key to retaining visitors and encouraging them to come back. When visitors are served by knowledgeable, friendly service providers, they spend more money. Word of mouth is the best advertising: satisfied visitors will tell their friends and family to visit. Customer service and sales training is available through many sources, and can be funded through Idaho Travel Council grants. Incentives such as window stickers/posters, lapel buttons, certificates and recognition in the Chamber business directory could be offered to encourage owners and their employees to participate. It is important for all "front-liners" - those directly serving tourists - to be well-informed about local businesses, events and attractions.

d. Become a True "Gateway": Cater to International Guests
    More than one-third of Boundary County's visitors are Canadian, and other international visitors include those from Germany, the U.K., Australia and the Pacific Rim. The Visitor Center and local businesses should display welcome signs in several languages, and offer currency exchange for most common currencies (with an exchange fee). Depending on the exchange rate, businesses who offer Canadian at par will attract more transactions from northern visitors. Simple brochures could be printed in most common languages to express recognition and appreciation for international guests.

e. Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities - Especially Day Trips
    Many visitors seek "things to do" that require only a few hours. Guided hikes or interpretive tours, trail rides, canoe rentals, and other activities would offer guests the activities they seek and encourage them to extend their stays. Opportunities exist both for guided and self-guided activities in the Wildlife Refuge and on private property. Guided activities can be offered by outfitters (who must be licensed). Self-guided activities can be provided with some coordination, such as a walking tour of historic Downtown buildings and neighborhoods, a river walk or canoe/paddleboat rentals.

f. Maximize Events: Focus on Heritage, High Value Recreation, Off-Peak Days
    Like promotion efforts, events should be targeted to specific markets, and tailored to serve them. Some events currently held in Boundary County (e.g., fair) are targeted primarily to local residents. Other events are intended to draw visitors. Events targeting visitors should focus on heritage, culture, and high value recreation. This is to maximize the return on investment to the community and local businesses. Heritage and cultural tourists spend significantly more (up to four times) than many recreation tourists. However, some segments of recreationists tend to have higher return, such as snowmobilers, non-resident hunters and fishermen, outfitted guests, downhill skiers, golfers and birdwatchers. Events that are scheduled in off-peak seasons will encourage more weekend or mid-week business during slow times of the year.

g. Enhance Partnerships for More Effective Promotion
    Bonners Ferry has limited resources for tourism promotion. To stretch each dollar, the community should enhance partnerships with groups like the International Selkirk Loop, North Idaho Tourism Alliance, Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, Libby Chamber of Commerce, Montana's Glacier Country, B.C. and CEDU. Idaho Travel Council grants for tourism promotion can be leveraged by cooperative efforts with these groups and the private sector (Kootenai River Inn and other hotels, outfitters, etc.).

h. Track Visitor Counts and Revenues to Evaluate Performance
Tourism trends can be tracked through traffic counts, hotel sales, event attendance, outfitter guest numbers, visitation to attractions (Wildlife Refuge), visitor center inquiries and visitation, and individual business tracking. It is important to track visitors and revenues in order to evaluate the effectiveness of tourism promotions. A central tracking database should be established at the visitor center, with counts for various categories tracked on a quarterly (seasonal) basis. Reporting of results should be made to Chamber of Commerce members, to local/tribal elected officials and to tourism partners (such as Selkirk Loop, NITA, etc.).

i. Investigate Shuttle Transportation Options in Peak Season
    The geographic separation between Downtown, the South Hill and the casino creates difficulties for tourists who arrive by motorcoach on group tours. They cannot easily access local businesses. A feasibility analysis would determine the viability of developing a shuttle that could travel a circular route between those three main areas (and perhaps the golf course and Wildlife Refuge). A shuttle might be partially sponsored by businesses, and partially funded through federal or state transportation funds if it is used as alternative transportation by local residents, such as seniors.

j. Extend Business Hours in Peak Seasons
    Most retail businesses in Bonners Ferry close at 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. during the week, earlier on Saturdays, and they are not open at all on Sundays. Extension of business hours is expensive; however, closures during times when customers want to shop contribute significantly to retail leakage. A cooperative, but incremental approach can minimize the added cost, while gradually encouraging additional business sales. 

    Businesses might try remaining open late one weekday each month (e.g. "First Thursday"), extending Saturday hours (complemented by an enhanced farmers' market) and/or opening for 3-4 hours on Sundays during peak tourist season. Keys to success with extended hours are to create simultaneous events/promotions to draw customers, to promote the new hours effectively, and to make a long-term commitment to the strategy (it takes 18-36 months to "re-train" local customers). Visitors during peak season will help generate a return on the investment if the hours are promoted to them properly.

k. Combine Visitor Center & Museum (and Cultural Center?) in One Building
    As a long-term strategy, the community should consider combining the visitor center and museum in a larger facility in roughly the same location as the existing visitor center. The existing center is "marginally adequate" (as described by a local business leader), and the museum is open only in Summer due to lack of volunteer staff. Rather than staff two facilities, it would be more cost-effective and efficient to combine them. The proposed cultural center also could be co-located as part of this facility. Moving the museum would free up strategic retail space on Main Street. Funding for such a facility could come from a number of sources, including grants from organizations that support historic and cultural facilities.