BOISE, Idaho -- When Europeans think if Idaho, Karen Ballard wants them to remember the state for something more than famous potatoes.

And, thanks to a new four-state international marketing initiative, there's been a seismic shift in the way potential overseas visitors see Idaho, the state's new tourism director says.

"People are starting to place us in the mountains, which is where we belong, versus we grow potatoes and we're somewhere in the Midwest, one of those 'I' states," Ballard said recently.

Ballard handled international tourism development for the state Department of Commerce before being named tourism chief last month. She's been attending international tourism trade shows for more than a decade on behalf of Idaho and notes that fewer people at European trade shows ask, "Where is Idaho?"

Now, hoteliers approach her to ask about their prospects for developing new hotels in the state. "It was a pretty seismic shift," she said.

Ballard credits the shift to a four-state international marketing plan that's been pitching Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota to the European vacation market.

Not that Idaho is about to be overrun by crowds of international travelers.

Idaho still draws nearly a third of its tourists from within the state, and the single largest out-of-state source for Idaho visitors is Spokane, Wash.

Ballard said 12 percent of Idaho's visitors come from outside the country, half of those from Canada. The remaining international visitors are mostly from Western Europe.

Tourism in Idaho is growing at 6 percent or more per year, and travelers in the state spent an estimated $3.82 billion in 2005, according to a study commissioned by the state Department of Commerce and released earlier this year.

"I don't know what the potential is yet; it's unlimited," Ballard said. "We have a fabulous product and not enough people know about it."

Ballard began her tourism career in 1992 with Elkhorn Resort in Sun Valley and worked for various hotels before joining the state Commerce Department 15 years ago.

She said she's not looking to suddenly expand Idaho's tourism industry; opting instead for sustainability.

"We've been growing about 6 to 8 percent a year, and that's a pretty good growth pattern," she said. "I don't want to have us at 20 percent growth and all of a sudden have communities overwhelmed because we don't have the capacity for it."

That means making sure Idaho has the facilities to host visitors, from full-service hotels to guest ranches to convention centers.

Ballard said Idaho is limited somewhat in its tourism development efforts by meager funding compared to other states.

The state's tourism marketing efforts are funded by motel room tax revenues, which are up 8.6 percent since July 1 over the same period a year ago, despite problems with forest fires in August.

Idaho draws visitors looking for niches within the travel market, like whitewater rafting, a string of high-quality golf courses, camping, and food and wine tours, she said.

She has nothing against the state's famous tuber, either.

Among the messages she'd like to get out: Potatoes grow where there's high elevation, clear days, and cool nights, she said. "The things that make for great potatoes are the things that make for a great vacation."

Information from: The Spokesman-Review,