You Think WE Have It Bad – Tourism Edition

One of the things that we’ve heard repeatedly in the last few years is that Washington State’s tourism promotion budget ranks in the bottom 20% compared to other states in the country…and it hasn’t been getting better in the last year as we have dealt with huge budget deficits.  But just when you think it couldn’t get worse, you see that Connecticut has cut their Tourism Commission budget to $1.

Up, Up and Away

Never to be accused of being a pessimist, I return after a long absence in these here parts with good news: Delta Airlines is not adding one but two new international routes to Sea-Tac Airport and expanding on another one.  Beginning in the summer of 2010, Delta will begin flying to Beijing, China and Osaka, Japan which just happen to be important cities of two of our region’s largest trading partners.  In addition, Delta is increasing the number of flights to Amsterdam per week from seven to ten (making it easier for Jules to get his Royale with Cheese).

As a sometimes frequent international traveler, this can only make my life better. And, isn’t that what we’re all here for? A side benefit, of course, is that because our region is so tied to the international economy, it’s going to make lots of other Puget Sounders’ lives better too.  It will strengthen our internationally-bent economy making it easier for our businesses to welcome their overseas customers and to travel to important markets. It will also make it easier for Chinese investors and tourists (of which we are seeing more lately; Japan is already one of our largest sources for tourists and investment) to spend their money here.

I’ve got the Delta Blues, in a good way.

Rain Is Great! Come Here Because of the Rain!

It must be economic development awards season. Everyone is making their lists of top places for IT, biotech, innovation, business climate, etc. And along comes the Wall Street Journal with their Next Youth-Magnet Cities list. Guess what? We’re tops! Except for one thing: rain.

Who Cares? I’ve Got Expedia.

So, apparently, Seattle has high “tourism taxes.”

Only Chicago imposes more taxes on travelers than Seattle, according to a national study of car rental, hotel and meal taxes in the 50 largest U.S. cities. Seattle, with nearly $38 in total taxes on travelers, trails only Chicago, at nearly $41 per day. The U.S. average was $29.71

Or do we? 

Welcome Back, Cotter

Or rather, welcome back, Prosperity Blog. Hey everybody, sorry we took such a long summer break…I’m sure you missed us.

What’s more, I’m sure you were out having lots of fun at some of the many major events that take place around the region this time of year. Of course, a lot of you who went to those events aren’t from around here:

Bumbershoot is expected to draw about 100,000 visitors. Seventy thousand more are expected for the PAX arcade game convention, and up to 20,000 LSU Tiger fans are in town for the Huskies’ home opener football game. At least eight major downtown hotels tell KING 5 they’re booked or near-booked solid with weekend visitors.

Since we know that visitors to Seattle spend at least $100 a day, this is big business, and really reinforces the reason why major events were a big focus of the Prosperity Partnership’s Tourism/Visitors strategy. And let me just say cryptically: check back to this space in a few weeks for some pretty exciting information on developments in that regard.

Take Our International Friendliness Survey!

Hi all,

To identify specific, actionable ways that our region can better accommodate – and therefore attract – more international visitors, the Prosperity Partnership is conducting a direct survey of international visitors. You can find it here. We welcome you to pass this survey along to international visitors that your companies and organizations host!

Flying Tourism

Long-time readers of the Prosperity Blog know that we love to highlight all the various awards and rankings of our region. In fact, we even have a post tag to track it. So how could we miss calling out that the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour made the top ten list for aviation attractions in the United States.

Wilbur Strikes Again

Coincidence? I think not. First, Wilbur shows up in the news as the recipient of some questionable stimulus money. Now they have mysterious alien crop circles.

Where Will Tiger Hoist His Victory Beer in Six Years!?!

Supporting the 2015 US Open is part of the Prosperity Partnership’s Tourism/Visitors Industry Cluster Development Strategy. Not a huge surprise…the economic impact of a US Open is $100 million!

But we’re less than six years away now, and there still isn’t a permanent clubhouse/restaurant/hotel. This is a bummer, particularly because part of that economic impact comes from all the golf nerds that come a year early so they can say, “Oh yeah, Chambers Bay…I played that last year” when they’re watching the 2015 US Open on tv. So really, we have less than 5.

C’mon, developers, step it up! I know it’s the Great Recession and all, but I bet that you can get a special round with Tiger Woods out of it. Or Natalie Gulbis, preferably…

By the way, if you haven’t seen Chambers Bay up close and personal yet, we’re going as part of the upcoming Prosperity Partnership Tourism/Visitors Industry Cluster Tour on September 18.

Salt in the Wound, which has been re-opened just so you could put salt into it

Leilani Lanes was the world’s best karaoke bar with a great bowling alley attached to it. Then it got sold to a developer and it closed. It was going to be made into condos. It was a shot to the heart…love progress of course, just so sad to see a great place go.

Leilani then

Now (a few weeks ago actually) word comes that the developer is bankrupt and the property has been taken back by the bank.

Why? Why do I have to die this death over and over? Is it not enough that this icon of all things cool is gone, surrounded by a chain link fence?

Can’t it just become condos and be done.   I mean, highest and best use is great. Progress is great. But closing the old girl down and replacing her with nothing? It’s a crying shame. Literally. I am crying. And it’s a shame.

Leilani now

Curse you, economy. When times are good you take away pleasure, when times are bad you take away lack of pain.  Have you no soul?  No compassion?

Can you at least put a karaoke mic in the parking lot, just for old time’s sake?

Promoting Tourism Regionally

When it comes down to it, a successful tourism industry is about two things: good product and good marketing.  We’re lucky that we’ve got a lot of great product here in the region, both natural beauty-wise and great offerings from wine and food to sports and arts, etc.  But we also know that marketing hasn’t been a big strength, at least in terms of investment.  Until the state increased funding for tourism promotion from a budget of $3.7 million in 2007 to $7.1 million in 2008, we were 46th out of 50 states (and that’s gross, not per capita!). And I can promise you without even looking that we didn’t see a big increase in this past legislative session

Please, Mariners, Don’t Go For It This Year

This may not be the appropriate place for this comment, but I think it’s important that GM Jackie Z hear it from as many places as possible:

The Great Recession vs. Tourism

So, I’ve been having an ongoing debate with myself (yes, it’s a very sad life) about how the Puget Sound tourism market is going to hold up during, as Lew calls it, The New Millenium Mortgage Meltdown. On one hand, obviously people have less money and are trying to scrimp and save. On the other foot, when it’s so depressing all the time, it’s nice to just get away for a few days and have some fun. And since you can’t afford Europe or Asia, maybe a nice trip to the greater Seattle area is right up your alley.

Well, this gives me at least an answer on the national front. But I’m going to hold out to see local numbers.

You Can A Bus from Broadway to Broadway

There are a number of ways to get down the hill on Pike or Pine from Capitol Hill’s main drag Broadway to the little Broadway that continues to flourish downtown at places like the Paramount and the 5th Avenue.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a pretty cool trend that’s great for tourism and for our arts community. Although I still think it’s funny that people from New York think of us as “the relative isolation of the Pacific Northwest.” There’s several daily nonstop flights from JFK, people!

I also have to say right here and now that if I see Tom Wopat walking out of a rehearsal, I am totally going to tell him all about the Dukes of Hazzard lunchbox and footie pajamas that I used to have.

All’s Fair that Ends Fair

We try not to use this space for too much boosterism of Prosperity Partnership projects…but when someone else takes the time, we want to at least share it!

Besides being called “pro-growth” (one of those terms you never know if Puget Sound residents are using positively or negatively), my favorite line is that we have “a number of working groups scheming in various policy and employment sectors” (emphasis added). It makes all the sitting in a cubicle staring at a computer screen I do seem so Bond-villain-esque.

Fun with catchphrases aside, the article is a nice summary of the reasoning behind why we think a 2012 global health event could be pretty awesome for this region:

• drive additional tourism to the region (ideally in the spring or fall when it’s otherwise tough to do so)
• brand the central Puget Sound as “the epicenter of global health work” and attract new global health companies and employment to the region
• Better link this work to the residents of the region and help people understand why it’s something to cherish and celebrate
• Create a great event that’s fun, educational, gives back to the world, helps support research and development that cures some of the world’s worst diseases and inspires children toward the sciences

And hey, we might even be able to get Bono and Angelina Jolie to come!