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Tourism Skillshop

The Tourism Skillshop webinar series is one of many programs from State of Washington Tourism (SWT). Launched in April 2022, the Skillshop is a key component of industry advocacy and education for tourism stakeholders in Washington.

Each webinar highlights a specific issue or skill for tourism professionals to discuss with industry experts. SWT hosts these live webinars on the third or fourth Thursday of every month from 10 – 11 a.m.

These webinars are moderated by SWT’s Matthew Ozuna and are free and open to all tourism stakeholders. All skillshops are recorded and shared with registrants, as well as made available to view on the SWT YouTube channel.

Upcoming Webinars

March 27: Placemaking | Register Here

The next webinar in the Tourism Skillshop will be held on Thursday, March 27, at 10 a.m., and examine placemaking in destination development and promotion. Tourism scholars and consultants Derek Schimmel and Amy Cassidy will teach webinar attendees how to inventory and assess tourism product in destination communities, engage with stakeholders, and promote these communities according to intrinsic qualities.

In addition to attractions and environmental conditions, this work considers the impact residents, history, and culture have on tourism and how these factors capitalize on the most strategic asset for any destination community: its sense of place. By curating a strong sense of place, tourism stakeholders evoke an emotional connection between the visitor and destination, allowing travelers to feel a sense of belonging and authenticity.

Matthew Ozuna, destination development manager for SWT, will moderate the webinar. All webinars will be recorded, shared with registrants, and posted to the SWT YouTube channel. This program is free and open to all tourism stakeholders.

For questions, please email Matthew Ozuna. Sign up for the Industry Update newsletter and follow SWT on LinkedIn to register for upcoming Skillshops. 

Past Webinars

In 2024, SWT hosted nine webinars with a combined 565 registrants. Topics covered everything from planning for agritourism in rural communities to dark sky tourism. Other topics included:

Browse All Recordings

An example of a Skillshop can be viewed below.