Submitted by Experience Olympia & Beyond
Experience Olympia & Beyond celebrated record-breaking tourism growth in 2017. Visitor spending increased by 15.6 percent in the last year and continues to outpace the growth of Washington State.
“Effective destination marketing and place making works, as these numbers show,” said Shauna Stewart, chief experience officer at Experience Olympia & Beyond. “Thurston County has so much to offer. We’ve enjoyed inviting visitors from near and far to experience our community while supporting local businesses and generating tax dollars to support our local quality of life.”
A recent Travel Impacts 2017 study by Dean Runyan & Associates shows the growth in visitor spending across the state. While Washington State grew by 7 percent, Thurston county grew by 15.6 percent. This increase also results in $321.4 million in direct visitor spending and means 2,950 jobs were created by tourism.
Annually, Thurston County sees 1.2 million visitors per year that experience the destination’s natural beauty, stay in hotels, dine at restaurants, shop in local stores and experience local arts, entertainment and attractions. The direct visitor spending contributes to a thriving economy and builds economic development.
