Communities across the country and around the world recognize the value of visitors in generating economic impact. Visitors to Bellevue help create and sustain jobs, bring out-of-town expenditures and generate tax revenues that benefit all of us. Additionally, there is strong evidence that increasing visitors in a market in turn leads to increases in the overall desirability of the destination as a place to meet, live, work, and locate businesses.
Visit Bellevue Washington released its 2016 Tourism Impact Report at its Tourism Spotlight Luncheon held May 16, 2017 at Meydenbauer Center.
2016 Visitor Impacts
Highlights of the Tourism Impact report include findings that visitors to Bellevue are increasing: the city saw 14 percent more visitors in 2016 than in the previous year, with a 20 percent increase in overnight visitors and $762 million in direct visitor spending. Visitors in Bellevue are spending more money, seeking out diverse cuisine options and enjoying entertainment, shopping and outdoor adventure in and around the city. This spending in turn generated tax revenues of over $69 million and helps support nearly 12,000 jobs in Bellevue.
New Hotel Inventory
Bellevue is continuing to respond to the rise in corporate travel, convention business and tourism with three new hotels opening in summer 2017 – W Bellevue, Hilton Garden Inn, and AC Hotel by Marriott. Not only will this add accommodation options throughout the city, but will create more jobs for locals and added meeting and events space capabilities to attract larger conventions and events to Bellevue.
Download the full 2016 Tourism Impact Report here.
Photo Credits – Top to Bottom: Old Bellevue via Tosin Arasi, Visitor Impacts infographic via Visit Bellevue Washington
Written by – Sharon Linton
The post A Look Back at 2016 – Why Tourism Matters for Bellevue appeared first on Bellevue Washington News.