Spokane is no Seattle, and that’s just fine

Tour operator highlights benefits of being a `second-tier’ destination

Second best is not all bad, tour operator Mark Hoffmann told Spokane tourism officials this week.

Becky Kramer
Staff writer

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=012404&ID=s1477231&cat=section.business

In a sometimes irreverent address at the annual meeting of the Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau on Thursday, Hoffmann pointed out the advantages of being a second-tier tourism destination. Freeways are navigable, and hotels rooms are affordable. And many travelers appreciate being off the beaten path.

"You are not Seattle, and you will never be Seattle. The Space Needle ain’t moving over here," said Hoffmann, drawing a ripple of laughter and applause from the crowd.

Hoffmann said he can relate. He’s the president of Sports Leisure Travel in Sacramento, and his city often falls in the shadow of San Francisco. One of his colleagues even dismissed Sacramento as a pit stop on the way to bigger, better-known destinations.

"We are the poor sister to San Francisco, and to Southern California," he said. "It strikes me that you are the poor sister to Seattle."

But that doesn’t necessarily matter, Hoffmann said. The Inland Northwest can craft its own identity to attract travelers. Many people have already visited Seattle multiple times. They’re ready to experience a new place.

"You have to be willing to be who you are. If that means being a second- or third-tier destination, that’s OK," Hoffmann said.

After two days in Spokane, however, Hoffmann said he was still trying to figure out Spokane’s identity. He thought the CVB’s new brand, "Near Nature. Near Perfect," was a good start to crafting an image.

"It reminds me of something British Columbia has gotten away with, `Super. Natural.’ It’s a little cocky. I like it," he said.

Hoffmann’s keynote address topped off a two-hour meeting recounting tourism activity in 2003. It was a busy year, with a number of projects that will enhance the region’s ability to attract travelers, said Jim Dean, chairman of the CVB’s board of directors. Among them:

The Spokane Public Facilities District approved a $79 million budget for a major addition to the Spokane Convention Center. The Spokane Hotel-Motel Association agreed to add a small surcharge to room rates that will raise about $1.4 million annually for marketing Spokane County to travelers.

In addition, the county will invest about $20 million in the Spokane Fair and Expo Center over the next five years.

"You might wonder … Why is an auto show at the fairgrounds important to a school teacher in Airway Heights?" Dean said.

It’s important because travelers bring new money into the local economy, and that benefits local businesses that pay taxes, he said.