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COVID-19 Resources to business and travel communities in Kalispell

Posted at 8:08 PM, Mar 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-20 22:08:42-04

The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce along with its tourism brand, Discover Kalispell, have both launched a collection of easily-accessible, online resources for the community to use as Kalispell and the Flathead Valley works to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce has developed a robust collection of items like city, county, state, and federal declarations, updates from schools and healthcare services, and resources for businesses that include disaster relief programs and unemployment assistance for anyone in the workforce who qualifies.

Additionally, businesses are encouraged to update their online directory listings with changes in hours, offerings, and updates.

“Thank you to the citizens of the Flathead Valley for your support of local businesses,” said Chamber President Joe Unterreiner. “During this time, the Kalispell Chamber is pledged to provide the tools, resources, and information for business owners, employees, and community members to stay current in this quickly evolving environment.”

Discover Kalispell, the official tourism agency for the city of Kalispell, runs campaigns across the nation to promote Kalispell as a destination mountain town rich in culture.

The brand has changed its messaging over the last week, encouraging travelers to come to Kalispell, just not right now.

While Discover Kalispell has created a page with local information about COVID-19 for travelers, such as updates about Glacier National Park and U.S/Canadian Border Crossings, the brand hopes to keep Kalispell top of mind for when it’s safe to travel again.

Online visitors are encouraged to discover what Kalispell has to offer through making lists of things to do, providing features of restaurants and breweries, and giving ideas of trails to take at a later date.

"This is a battle that we are all in together and we've created a resource page to deliver the most up-to-date information as possible," said Diane Medler, Director of Discover Kalispell. "As we navigate through these times, it's imperative that we lift each other up, help support our local economy as much as possible and deliver inspiration to an audience who needs it."

The Chamber’s pages will be updated daily, acting as a clearing house for information as the local, state, and national situations progress and Discover Kalispell will continue to monitor and communicate all travel advisories.

The resources can be found directly from www.kalispellchamber.comand www.discoverkalispell.com.