Seattle-area tourism poised to break records, again

Seattle tourism is expected to increase this year, building on a record-breaking streak, according to national research firms.
The number of visitors who came to Seattle and King County increased 2.6 percent last year to 38.1 million, topping a record-breaking 2014, according to Tourism Economics and Longwoods International, the research firms that crunched the numbers. Overnight visitors increased 2.3 percent to 19.7 million.

Visitors spent $6.8 billion in Seattle and King County last year, which is 5.8 percent more than in 2014. Coupled with indirect economic benefits, research shows that tourism generated an estimated total $9.7 billion in economic impact. That includes $692 million in state and local taxes.

"The performance of Seattle tourism has been striking," Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, said in a statement. "Visitor spending has expanded by more than 7 percent a year over the past five years, significantly outpacing the rest of the U.S."

International visitors accounted for 7.3 percent of Seattle's visitors, but 17.3 percent of total visitor spending. International arrivals at Sea-Tac International Airport grew 14.6 percent last year, according to the Port of Seattle.

Tom Norwalk, president and CEO of Visit Seattle, says Seattle and King County are "well positioned" for continued growth and may outpace other destinations and the United States this year.

Initiatives in the works to accommodate tourism growth include expansion of the Washington State Convention Center, new hotel development, Seattle Central Waterfront development and plans to expand the Sea-Tac airport.

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