Amtrak ridership increases: East Glacier, Whitefish statistics indicate publicity might be paying off
Sizable ridership increases last year at Amtrak's East Glacier and Whitefish stops may be because of promotional campaigns that finally are paying off, area tourism leaders said.
By LYNNETTE HINTZE
The Daily Inter Lake
Sizable ridership increases last year at Amtrak's East Glacier and Whitefish stops may be because of promotional campaigns that finally are paying off, area tourism leaders said.
The Glacier Park stop at East Glacier had an 18 percent jump in the number of passengers riding Amtrak's Empire Builder, while ridership at the passenger service's busiest Montana stop, Whitefish, increased 9.8 percent from 2004 to 2005.
Whitefish had 62,719 passengers last year compared to 57,141 in 2004. At East Glacier, ridership last year was 11,943, compared to 10,123 the previous year.
At other local rail stops, the Belton (West Glacier) passenger count rose 25 percent from 4,078 to 5,100. At Essex, there were 3,947 passengers in 2005 compared to 3,742 a year earlier.
The annual statistics were compiled by the Montana Department of Transportation.
"We did a lot of Amtrak publicity last year, including some press trips last summer that brought media people to Whitefish," said Rhonda Fitzgerald, director of the Whitefish Visitors Bureau.
The visitor bureau also distributed Amtrak two-for-one rider coupons, called companion fares, at ski shows in Minneapolis, Seattle and Portland.
Linda Anderson-Haines, executive director of the Glacier Country Tourism Commission, said she also gave out the discount coupons at tourism shows in major cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago.
"We've been working with Amtrak at the trade shows, and it looks like it's paying off," Anderson-Haines said.
She also said the press trips were valuable in getting the word out about train travel to Montana.
It was anything but a trouble-free year for Amtrak in 2005, however. The rail service came closer than ever to meeting its demise when the Bush administration proposed cutting all Amtrak funding. Congress eventually found enough money to keep Amtrak going for another year.
In November Amtrak's board of directors fired president David Gunn.
Fitzgerald wondered whether some of the negative news about Amtrak actually worked to the Empire Builder's benefit.
"With all the activity in Congress, maybe it was in the front of people's minds," she speculated. "Maybe some rode the train because they were afraid they wouldn't be able to do it again."
Fitzgerald said a combination of factors probably boosted ridership in Montana in 2005. Higher gas prices, higher air fares and fewer flights in and out of the Flathead Valley in downsized aircraft may have prompted more travelers to opt for the train, she said.
Elsewhere in Montana, ridership numbers were up slightly at most stops. Browning increased from 1,986 passengers in 2004 to 2,287 last year, while Wolf Point had 158 more passengers, jumping from 7,438 to 7,596.
Total ridership for Montana was 142,783, up 9 percent from 130,993 in 2004.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com