Effects of Washington’s Tourism Promotion Cuts

When Washington’s legislature voted to defund state tourism promotion programs in mid-2011, travel professionals in Washington and across the country anticipated the opportunity costs that would result. Last month the Washington Tourism Alliance released statewide numbers confirming that tourism in Washington lagged behind national averages in 2012.

In a year when the improving economy boosted travel in many parts of the country, year-over-year tourism revenues in Washington grew by just 4.4 percent. Compare that to Montana where non-resident traveler spending jumped 12.6 percent in the same period. As the only state without a tourism office, Washington Tourism Alliance Executive Director Louise Stanton-Masten noted the opportunity cost of reduced marketing and said that states like Montana are poised to capture a greater share of travelers because of competitive tourism programs.

In Montana the difference between non-resident tourism revenue growth of 4.4 percent vs.12.6 percent would have been $234 million last year. Competitive tourism marketing helped Montana attract a record number of travelers and seize economic opportunities that continue to benefit the entire state.

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