Zephyr Adventures, a Montana-based tour operator, is creating an entirely new tour brand, Travel Montana. The new brand is in response to the worldwide pandemic’s devastating effects on the tourism industry.

Focusing on domestic travel and socially distant tours, Travel Montana will be in full swing by 2021, with 11 active tour options in Montana. Each tour will cater to smaller, private groups — many as small as four people.

Glacier Hiking. Photo: Travel Montana

“Zephyr Adventures is a small tour company with 24 years of experience running tours around the world,” said Allan Wright, owner, Zephyr Adventures. “Our international tours stopped entirely with the pandemic and resulting travel restrictions.”

Montana’s wide-open spaces, low population, endless outdoor activities and quieter towns and cities appealed to travelers before and, possibly even more so, after the pandemic, making it the perfect destination for a domestic retreat.

“Our tours tend to be inherently safer, due to our activities taking place outside and in small groups. Offering tours only in Montana made sense not just during the pandemic but, we believe, even after it is over. We believe there will be a high demand in 2021 for domestic travel and Montana will be at the top of many travelers’ lists. We are betting on it by spending the time and money to create this new tour brand, Travel Montana,” said Wright.

Yellowstone. Photo: Travel Montana