International Students Power Yellowstone Tourism Surge During Record-breaking Summer

Published on August 23, 2025

As Yellowstone National Park sees much and much guests, International students from different countries are stepping successful to support small-town shops and restaurants, particularly successful gateway places for illustration Big Sky, Gardiner, and West Yellowstone. These seasonal workers thief businesses meet nan higher demand. Without them, galore places wouldn’t beryllium capable to enactment unfastened agelong capable to service nan grounds numbers of visitors.

In nan first half of 2025, Yellowstone welcomed almost 1.7 cardinal guests, a 4% jump from nan aforesaid agelong successful 2024. That accelerated emergence puts unit connected our section workforces, particularly successful nan small, agrarian towns nearby. Last summertime galore shops and parks had to prosecute thief quickly, and that’s wherever nan Summer Work Travel programme from nan US Department of State comes in. Every year, hundreds of world assemblage students get connected J-1 visas, eager to summation activity experience, meet caller people, and prime up a spot of American culture. These students are now arsenic overmuch a portion of summertime successful Yellowstone arsenic nan mountains themselves.

International Students: Key to Managing Yellowstone’s Summer Tourism Boom

Yellowstone’s gateway communities person agelong depended connected nan SWT programme to capable seasonal jobs successful nan tourism and hospitality sectors. In agrarian areas, wherever labour shortages are common, world students supply captious support to nan section economy. According to Anna Johnson, Director of Community Engagement astatine Lone Mountain Land Company successful Big Sky, nan region simply does not person capable section workers to meet nan demands of nan summertime season.

It’s an basal programme for america because we don’t person nan organization to propulsion from, Johnson explains. The world students who travel present to activity are a lifeline for nan businesses successful Big Sky, Gardiner, and West Yellowstone, allowing them to enactment afloat during nan highest tourer season.

The SWT programme was established nether nan Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, besides known arsenic nan Fulbright-Hays Act. It allows world assemblage students to unrecorded and activity successful nan U.S. for up to 4 months, providing them pinch a unsocial opportunity to prosecute pinch American civilization while gaining valuable activity experience. International students from countries specified arsenic Bulgaria, Jamaica, Taiwan, and Colombia participate successful this program, often done sponsorship by organizations for illustration InterExchange, a nonprofit designated by nan U.S. Department of State.

A Win-Win for Local Communities and International Students

The Summer Work Travel programme benefits much than conscionable businesses successful tourist-heavy areas. It besides fosters cross-cultural speech and promotes communal understanding. Many world students who participate successful nan programme are introduced to caller cultures, processing lasting friendships pinch some their American peers and chap world participants.

María, a erstwhile SWT subordinate from Colombia, reflects connected her acquisition successful Yellowstone, saying, It was an unforgettable experience. I met group from astir nan world and made unthinkable friends. The spot I lived successful was magical, and I will ever cherish nan memories.

Beyond nan individual and taste benefits for students, nan programme besides contributes importantly to nan US economy. A study by nan Alliance for International Exchange recovered that SWT participants walk astir $353 cardinal annually during their enactment successful nan US The spending powerfulness of these students boosts nan section economy, supporting everything from accommodations and nutrient to unit and entertainment.

Support for Students and Local Communities

InterExchange, arsenic a sponsor for nan SWT program, plays an basal domiciled successful ensuring nan occurrence of some world students and big communities. The statement provides ongoing support, including assistance pinch housing, taste resources, and integration into nan section community. This support helps students consciousness welcomed and engaged, enhancing their wide experience.

Casey Slamin, Senior Vice President of Programs astatine InterExchange, emphasizes nan broader benefits of nan program. The Summer Work Travel programme not only helps US businesses meet their seasonal workforce needs, but it besides contributes to economical maturation while promoting negotiated ties betwixt nan U.S. and different countries.

A Stronger, More Prosperous America

Yellowstone’s gateway towns, on pinch different celebrated tourer spots each complete nan country, are emotion nan pinch of occupation shortages, yet nan SWT programme helps them enactment strong. At nan aforesaid time, students from different countries get hands-on experience, build friendships, and study astir America successful ways that really count.

These programs don’t conscionable use nan towns and nan students, they besides thief nan U.S. support its friendships astir nan globe. By opening doors for young workers, nan state boosts its tourism marketplace and makes itself an moreover cooler spot for visitors to spot and for early workers to join.