COVID-19 Information
The State of Montana is prioritizing the health and safety of citizens and visitors by closely monitoring COVID-19 and the rapidly changing public health situation. Visit Billings and the Billings Chamber of Commerce want to ensure visitors have the resources needed to make informed travel decisions. Currently, Montana Governor Steve Bullock is guiding Montana through Phase II of the Reopening the Big Sky Plan.
Under Phase II:
- Montana’s restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos are operating at 75% capacity
- Lodging businesses remain open.
- Gyms, indoor group fitness classes, pool, and hot tubs can operate at 75% capacity and only if they can adhere to strict physical distancing and they exercise frequent sanitation protocols.
- Concert halls, bowling alleys, and other places of assembly may operate with reduced capacity and if they adhere to strict physical distancing guidelines.
- All businesses are required to follow social distancing and sanitation guidelines, including hand washing and wearing masks in public places like grocery stores.
The Governor asks visitors to take precautions according to information and recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) and we encourage the traveling public to seek and heed the latest expert guidance from the CDC and WHO.
Updates:
June 26, 2020:
Please Know Before You Go:
- The health and safety of Montana citizens and Montana visitors is the top priority. While visiting our spectacular state please be prepared.
- Know the local public health guidelines before arriving at your destination.
- Stay home if you’re sick.
- Understand some services and destinations may be limited in Montana.
- Governor Steve Bullock is asking visitors to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19 which means taking the same social distancing and sanitation precautions as Montanans.
- Tribal Nations in Montana have extended stay-at-home orders indefinitely and continue to exercise caution to protect their elders and other vulnerable populations from the spread of COVID-19. As of June, all tribal lands remain closed to visitors. Refer to each tribal government website for real-time updates.
- Travelers can expect the Montana National Guard to continue to conduct screenings in airports and train depots and refer anyone with COVID-19-related symptoms to local public health officials.
To support Montana’s destination communities, the state will assist with establishing the following protocols:
- Establish test centers and ensure adequate supplies are available to meet resident, seasonal employee, and visitor needs within Montana’s most visited destination communities.
- Coordinate a community snapshot testing plan to create an early warning system for potential community spread in the most highly visited and highly vulnerable destination communities.
- Develop contingency plans for managing sick visitors, including contact tracing capabilities.
The CDC recommends older adults or people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions who are at risk for disease, should consider postponing nonessential travel.
The State Department has advised that U.S. citizens abroad should return home unless staying for an indefinite period and that international travel should be avoided.
For the latest international and national travel alerts, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.
Additional information can be found here.
May 21, 2020:
Governor Bullock has announced that Montana will move to Phase Two of the Reopening the Big Sky plan, and will lift the 14-day travel quarantine for out-of-state travelers and residents arriving from another state or country to Montana for non-work-related purposes, beginning Monday, June 1. The Phase Two Directive is available here.
Billings businesses are safe and open and ready to serve travelers. All businesses are required to follow the social distancing and sanitation guidelines established in Phase One, and Montanans are strongly encouraged to continue sanitation practices, including hand washing and wearing masks in public places like grocery stores. Revisit the step-by-step guide to the complete Phased Approach here.
Billings and Montana look forward to hosting out of state visitors!
Further details and updates can be found here.
April 24, 2020:
Governor Bullock’s plan to reopen Montana, including steps the State will be taking starting on Sunday, April 26, can be found here. The plan also details specific guidance for businesses and others to follow to keep Montanans safe and healthy.
April 9, 2020 :
Governor Steve Bullock’s Extension of Stay at Home Directive can be viewed here.
All Directives are available here, per Montana’s Governor.
March 27, 2020:
Governor Bullock has issued a stay-at-home directive for all Montanans effective Saturday, March 28 at 12:01 a.m. You can read more about the directive here.
COVID-19 Resources:
Guidance for Travel within the United States
Frequently Asked Questions for Travelers
Governor’s Quarantine Notice for Hotels and Lodging Properties
