Out-of-town Missoula marathoners are on their way, and they're bringing their wallets with them.

"Well anytime that you can bring in visitors and participants from all 50 states, and their friends and family to root them on, it's going to be great economics for the city," said Brian Ellestad, of the Missoula International Airport.

Ellestad says the airport is bracing for a rush.

"We expect full flights in and out," he said. "With the summer season and the Missoula Marathon, it's going to be a very, very busy week."

Last year more than 4,000 people crossed the finish line at Higgins and Front Streets, and 70-percent of those were from out of town.

Those people pack local hotels, like the Mountain Valley Inn on Broadway. Employee Rhonda Conway said they are planning for a busy weekend.

"We have no more rooms -- we're booked," she said.

The average out-of-county marathon participant last year spent $280 in Missoula -- on everything from rental cars, to lodging, to food and drink. That's according to a report from the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research.

"It's going to bring people here who might not otherwise come here," said Eva Dunn-Froebig of Run Wild Missoula. "They probably come for the event, and then want to enjoy other parts of Montana at the same time."

That's a fact local businesses enjoy, as they look forward to a weekend boost in their bottom line.