Tourism Advocacy
News and Resources on Industry Initiatives and Legislative Action
State of Washington Tourism (SWT) serves as a critical catalyst for economic growth, community development, visitation management, and stewardship programs. In the past five years, SWT has completely rebuilt the statewide tourism program and helped tourism industry businesses recover from the global pandemic.
The Issue: Sustainable Tourism Funding
With the end of federal grants, SWT’s operational funding is decreasing and will not sustain a statewide, year-round program in the future. According to Tourism Economics, the nation’s foremost travel research company, Washington is significantly underfunded relative to market size.
A sustainable funding model is necessary for economic growth and to maintain the many programs SWT has built, including grants, a consumer marketing campaign, a destination development program focusing on rural areas, a consumer tourism website, a Travel Trade program for international visitation, a successful State Tourism Conference, and more.
In addition to maintaining existing programs, a sustainable funding model could bring in $14.6 billion in projected visitor expenditures from 2025–2034 (Tourism Economics) and allow SWT to expand programming for stronger statewide, year-round impact.
The Solution
After analyzing national destination funding options and best practices, state tourism industry leaders have concluded that a public-private partnership will best sustain operations and competitively position state destination programs.
This funding model would include two primary streams:
Stream 1: Maintain Existing $4.5 million from the State General Fund
- Preserve baseline operation and essential statewide programming
- Keep the lights on in the 2025-2027 biennium (beginning July 1, 2025)
- Prepare for and manage FIFA World Cup and disperse economic benefits statewide
- Align with Department of Commerce economic development and regional resiliency programming
- Instill private industry confidence and investment in the program
Stream 2: Implement an Industry-Supported Self-Assessment
- Successful destinations have learned to tap visitor fees to fund programming. Documented success: Visit California saw $164 million annual budget driven by the industry and a 97% approval of assessed businesses
- Private-side businesses agree to an industry self-assessment to generate state tourism program annual operating funds
- A nominal fee (two-tenths of a cent) is passed to customers at participating businesses (for example, 40 cents on a $200 hotel folio or 4 cents on a $20 attraction ticket)
- Industry assessments significantly improve hotel performance and drive longer stays and greater tourism expenditures
- The process: Industry asks for legislative and gubernatorial approval, then engages in rulemaking before petitioning participating businesses to ratify the initiative
- Industry maintains a voice in the state tourism program and funding cannot be re-appropriated
The Benefits
Expanded Statewide, Year-Round Impact
In addition to maintaining SWT’s existing programs, a sustainable funding model would allow for:
- Always-on marketing campaigns
- International markets fully activated
- Seasonal and need-period marketing
- Additional responsible travel messaging and promotion
- Niche campaigns nationwide
- Visitor management programs
More Business for Washington
An assessment could add more than $20 million to SWT’s annual operating budget, sustaining and competitively positioning Washington tourism for years to come.
Projected Returns with a $25M budget, 2025–2034 (Tourism Economics):
$14.6 billion in additional visitor expenditures
2.1 billion in additional room revenue ($250M/year average)
$1.4 billion in additional state and local tax revenue
$116 million in additional lodging tax revenue
Become a Tourism Advocate
Our free tourism advocate program is your key to staying connected to the statewide tourism industry. In 2018, SWT counted on stakeholder advocacy to restart the state tourism program, and your advocacy is needed now to operate and sustain it. Thank you for your support and partnership!
Tourism Advocate Qualification: Any business or organization located in or operating in the State of Washington.
Find your State Legislative District here and sign up using the form below.