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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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 Last year the Kitsap Peninsula VCB launched a campaign to promote its growing number of awarding micro brewers to attract overnight visitors all year, but especially during the shoulder season. The promotion includes a self-guided tour map that features micro-brew and alehouses as well as pubs and restaurants that carry Kitsap made microbrews, wines, spirits and menu items. The campaign has been a big success and local brewers say their Friday and Saturday night businesses are bringing in the visitors every weekend. The KPVCB partnered with local Chambers to provide the establishments with walking maps and lodging information to encourage guests to stay for the weekend. Details at www.VisitKitsap.com/BrewsBites.
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 The annual Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit was held in Port Angeles at the Red Lion Hotel on Monday, October 22. The Summit is an opportunity to bring together industry peers to network and to learn about new marketing techniques. Included were social media speakers and tourism updates! A very popular geocaching lab and breakout session got attendees outside enjoying a revival of this family-friendly activity and learning how to use it to increase their business bottom line. Two new brochures have been produced to help visitors navigate around the peninsula. The new public transit brochure outlines transportation options for those who wish to visit the peninsula without a vehicle. Jefferson County created a four-color Adventure Map including locations and contact information for campgrounds and parks, lodging, agritourism, museums, farmers markets, golf courses, restaurants and marinas. |
 This October we celebrated our 5th annual "Savor the San Juans - A Medley of Food, Art & Culture" to promote shoulder-season visitation. Over 99 events and restaurant specials took place on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands through the 31st, including 3-course dinners for $30 or $35, art events, farm festivals, farmers' markets, cooking classes, community dinners, and much more. Detailed info can be found at www.visitsanjuans.com/savor. We'll be monitoring October lodging tax stats to see what kind of impact Savor had this year. Join us next year! |
The Port of Seattle announced in early October that a record 933,900 revenue passengers moved through the Port's two cruise terminals during the 2012 cruise season, further solidifying Seattle as a port of origin for Alaska-bound cruises. The port estimates that the record passenger number generated more than $416 million in annual business revenue, $18 million in state and local taxes while creating 4,319 jobs. Each time a homeport ship docks in Seattle, it contributes $2.1 million to the local economy. |
 Seattle Southside is offering a new package this season targeting football fans and encouraging them to travel to Seattle to cheer on their favorite football team whether it is the Seahawks, Huskies, Cougars or their opponents. The Football Fanatic package helps to fill rooms in the off-season and rewards visitors for their extreme fandom.
Visitors can celebrate with other fanatics before the game at their hotel and then catch a ride on the Link light rail to the game. They arrive and return safely without the stress of traffic, finding parking and paying for parking. Souvenirs, tailgate snack packs, free breakfast and more make Seattle Southside the perfect home base for a football adventure! |
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China is among the fastest growing outbound tourism markets with lucrative spending habits and a desire to explore the USA. In an effort to capitalize on this market the TRCVB will join our tourism partners from around Washington State on a Sales Mission to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. We will meet with tour operators and media to pitch Tacoma, WA as a travel destination.
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 The Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau is gearing up for our Annual Meeting and Tourism Showcase taking place Thursday, November 1st at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. The business meeting will include a state of the Tri-Cities tourism industry address and a presentation by Brad Worthley, an internationally acclaimed customer service, leadership and motivation expert. A tourism showcase will follow that will include over 50 booths representing local attractions and tourism related businesses. |
 The Vancouver USA community is thrilled to be selected as home to a new regional Classic Car event. Working with the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) and the Clark County Event Center, the Vancouver USA Regional Tourism Office recently signed an agreement to bring the NSRA Northwest Street Rod Nationals to Ridgefield, Washington on June 28-30, 2013, and is slated to return in 2014 and 2015. The Clark County Event Center's grounds, spaciousinteriors, and outlying buildings for exhibitors and the arts and crafts show were a clear advantage for NSRA to in choosing Vancouver USA. The new event is expected to provide great economic boon each year to area businesses with over 1,800 overnight guestrooms for the multiple day event and thousands of day visitors attending the events. |
 Bellevue is estimated to have 228 businesses in the tourism and visitor sector that employ 9,759 workers. These businesses include lodging and restaurants, spas, guided tours, land and water transportation, sports and recreation as well as art and culture. Residents and employees in Bellevue enjoy these businesses but we know that without the visitors who come to Bellevue, these businesses would not thrive. The energy and vibrancy that is supported by visitors to our city is what makes Bellevue a great place to live, a great place to work AND a great place to visit. (Data source: Washington State Employment Security Department's ESD)
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Planning has started for a convention headquarter hotel south of the Spokane Convention Center. The multi-million dollar hotel will be developed by Walt and Karen Worthy, owners of the historic Davenport Hotel, the Davenport Tower and Hotel Lusso. Plans include 70,000 square feet of meeting space and 700 guest rooms. The project could break ground as early as next spring in conjunction with the expansion of the Spokane Convention Center.
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Winedoggies.com, a website developed by the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau to assist visitors traveling with their dogs, recently won a Best Idea award by the Western Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.
The website is designed to assist travelers and their dogs with their visit to the Yakima Valley, providing a resource for pet-friendly businesses and must-see stops in the region. The website includes a 'Doggie Bloggie' hosted by a local canine, an interactive map of 54 dog-friendly businesses and attractions with open-pet policies, plus a section where dog-friendly businesses and guests can add pictures and stories of their dogs enjoying Washington wine country. The site launched in February 2012.
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