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Tourism in Numbers!
Visitor spending
$15.2 Billion
Tourism related jobs
143,800
Visitor tax revenues
$992 Million
Source | Dean RunyanTravel Impact Study 2010
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Washington Tourism Alliance Update
The WTA is excited to invite the tourism industry to attend the 2nd Annual WTA Tourism Summit on April 5 at the Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center. Please register for this event TODAY by clicking here. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about what WTA has been doing over the past year and for WTA to present a blueprint for future funding of tourism efforts in this state. Roger Dow, an industry leader and President & CEO of USTA and Caroline Beteta, President & CEO of Visit California will be keynote speakers.
Don't miss it!
Kimberly Bennett, WTA Board of Directors - Destination Marketing Organization Representative
President & CEO, Vancouver Regional Tourism Office
kbennett@VisitVancouverUSA.com
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Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (OPTC)
Port Townsend is making the most of their "History in the Making" public streetscape/infrastructure renovation and discovering long-lost treasures in the tunnels beneath the sidewalks. From ceramics to beer bottles from 1850s, the historical society's amazing treasure hunt is providing a peek into the past. Many events and promotions to help keep business as uninterrupted as possible, and to encourage visitation downtown, are planned. Also, a photo exhibit of the history of Port Townsend's tunnels is at the Jefferson County Museum and some artifacts from the excavation are on display in the Gateway Museum to add further interest and information about Port Townsend's history. The Downtown Sidewalk Tunnel Lid Replacement Project will be underway from mid-February through early June. |
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
The First Annual Orcas Island Shakespeare Festival makes the island its stage on March 31. A performance by the renowned Seattle Shakespeare Company will entertain, while restaurants and shops will feature 'Shakespearean Specials,' transforming the island into a Salish Sea version of Stratford-Upon-Avon. Numerous Shakespearean-themed activities are planned, including strolling musicians in Eastsound, a scavenger hunt featuring items inspired by the life of the Bard of Avon, a Shakespeare-inspired art show, and more. Don't miss the one-night only performance of "Hamlet" at the island's version of The Globe in the Orcas Center at 7:30 p.m. www.VisitSanJuans.com
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Seattle Southside  Seattle Southside recently adopted the Destination Marketing Association International's performance reporting standards allowing for new internal assessments to provide benchmarks that identify opportunities for growth and success. In 2011, Seattle Southside generated over $12M in Visitor Spending with our direct sales and marketing tactics. Currently without a conversion study our 2011 estimated ROI is $8.65 in Visitor Spending for every $1 we invest in promoting our destination. |
SCVB announced the latest tourism impact numbers for Seattle and King County at its annual meeting on Feb. 29. In 2011, overnight visitor volumes rose 3.6% to 9.9 million, visitor expenditures rose 6.6 percent to $5.9billion, state and local taxes paid by visitors in the city and county rose more than 6% to $463 million and jobs supported by tourism grew 0.07% to 50,100. |
New Self-Guided Cyber Tour: Everett on Port Gardner Bay Historic Places
With the use of a smart phone, tablet or other mobile device, visitors can use the free, online Everett on Port Gardner Bay Self-Guided Cyber Tour to discover the history, architecture and fun facts of two historic areas on foot or by car and at their own pace. The tour includes 97 stops of historic points of interest with pictures, location descriptions and an audio tour of Everett. The Everett on Port Gardner Bay guide is the newest addition to a collection of Snohomish County cyber tours including Aviation Adventures, City of Granite Falls, Mountain Loop Highway and the City of Snohomish. To access the tours on the web, a smart phone or other mobile device, visit the following: Aviation Adventures - www.myoncell.mobi/14255070442; Everett on Port Gardner Bay - www.myoncell.mobi/4252490212; City of Granite Falls - www.myoncell.mobi/13606544362; Mountain Loop Highway - www.myoncell.mobi/13603553170 and City of Snohomish - www.myoncell.mobi/14255070441.
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Tacoma Regional CVB 
The Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau in collaboration with the Greater Tacoma Convention + Trade Center [GTCTC] and Hotel Murano hosted more than 300 meeting professionals in downtown Tacoma for the Meeting Professionals International [MPI] Cascadia Conference. The conference, which was held March 4-6, brought influential meeting planners to Tacoma + Pierce County to experience the area as a meetings destination. The conference showcased the destination's meeting venues, services and hospitality to potential customers. Getting the local communities and businesses in front of key decision-makers will greatly impact the future of booked meetings that bring important revenues and tax dollars to Pierce County. |
Tri-Cities VCB
The Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau in partnership with the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland; the counties of Benton and Franklin; and the Port of Kennewick, Port of Pasco, and Port of Benton unveiled their Rivershore Masterplan II which encompasses 30 miles of shoreline along the Columbia River. The new Master Plan outlines recommendations to enhance the recreational, environmental and economic development potential of the rivershore. As projects are completed from the Master Plan it will not only ensure a better tourism portfolio, but create an improved quality of life as well. |
Visit Rainier
 The study on the Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation for 2010 was released by the National Park Service this month. Travel spending in the Mt. Rainier gateway communities (those within 60 mile radius of Mt. Rainier NP) was estimated at over $35.3mil. There were a reported 172,838 overnight stays in the park with over 1.1 million recreational visits in 2010. That visitation supports over 505 local jobs in the local area. Most of the jobs are related to lodging, food and beverage service, followed by retail and entertainment. In the state of Washington there were over 7.2million recreational visits to national parks in 2010 supporting over 4,560 jobs.
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Visit Spokane
Strengthening Spokane's convention business, creating jobs and generating new tax revenue are just a few of the reasons voters are being asked to approve Measure 1 in Spokane County on April 17. The Measure will complete the Spokane Convention Center, add seats to the Spokane Arena and improve the Centennial Trail. The $65 million project will be financed using an extension of an existing tax - meaning no new taxes! Plus, calculations show $71 million in lost convention business because the existing Convention Center didn't meet the needs of meeting planners. We are encouraging Spokane County voters to say YES to Measure 1! |
Whidbey and Camano Islands Tourism  Shoulder season tourism events continue to boost the economy in rural communities like February's Northwest Glass Quest on Camano Island and Langley Mystery Weekend on Whidbey Island. In early March, the Penn Cove Mussel Festival drew over 5,000 people to Coupeville, the largest crowd in the event's 26 year history. This was a 20% increase over last year, with shops, lodgings and restaurants all reporting this was their busiest March weekend on record.
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Yakima Valley VCB  Pet travel is a growing sector of travel. According to a study done a few years back by the U.S. Travel Association, an estimated 29.1 million Americans say they have traveled with a pet in the past three years, with dogs being the most popular travel companions. Recognizing this, the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau has launched a new website for visitors traveling with their dogs. Winedoggies.com features the many dog friendly attractions and services available in the Yakima Valley. Highlights include a 'doggie bloggie' hosted by a local canine, an interactive map of dog-friendly businesses with open pet policies, plus a section where guests can add pictures and stories of their dogs enjoying Washington wine country.
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