BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho -- The month of July brought record tourism numbers to Eastern Idaho, especially Bonneville County, with more than $4.5 million in hotel sales.

The Idaho Department of Commerce measures tourism by hotel sales and by the number of people who enter city visitors centers and local museums.

The Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce said its visitors center has been the busiest anyone has ever seen this summer.

Executive Director Bob Everhart said part of it has to do with the down economy and the other is the big push in advertising.

"We also want to emphasize people coming through our town, that in fact, stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, fill their cars with gas here, those kinds of things,” said Everhart.

And although numbers are only in for July, Everhart said August should be even better.

"Yeah, I was in a meeting last night with some hoteliers,” said Everhart, “and they're seeing an August that may be even bigger than the July we had, so we are very hopeful."

The Upper Snake River Valley saw more than $7 million in hotel sales for July and the Lower Snake River Valley recorded almost $3.5 million.