Were you wondering why you should care about encouraging tourism in Bellevue? Well, during the Visit Bellevue Washington annual luncheon on Thursday at Meydenbauer Center the presenters painted a clear picture of why it is important. As a part of this presentation there were some pretty staggering increases in 2012 to share:
- Bellevue had 1.3 Million visitors in 2012 (5.6% increase)
- Hotel occupancies have reached an average of 72% occupancy in 2012
- Current tourism jobs in Bellevue are estimated at 9,759
- Tourism jobs produced about $337 Million in wages in 2012
- Bellevue tourism generates $57 Million in taxes for the Washington state, and $6 Million for Bellevue.
- $6,000 is spent on average per international traveler visiting Bellevue
There are benefits from tourism for local businesses, the state, the city, and job creation. All of these generate a healthier ecosystem for Bellevue. Local businesses interested in attracting tourism to Bellevue are encouraged to check out the new Visit Bellevue Washington affiliate program.
