Whatcom County’s tourism revenue continues to grow; Which sectors are most affected?

Whatcom County has emerged as a tourism destination as annual direct travel spending increased for a second consecutive year in 2023, according to a new report.

Tourist spending in Whatcom County increased 9.1% in 2023 compared to 2022 and reached $750.8 million in 2023, according to data released by Tourism Economics.

“We are thrilled that visitor spending has reached three-quarters of a billion dollars, highlighting the importance of tourism to our local economy,” Visit Bellingham Whatcom County CEO Dylan Deane-Boyle said in a press release. “Taxes generated from visitor spending help improve the quality of life for Bellingham and Whatcom County residents by subsidizing the amenities and infrastructure that make our area a great place to live, while reducing the tax burden on households by over $700.”

The press release shows growth in visitor spending in five categories: food and beverage, recreation and arts, accommodation, transportation and retail.

Visitors to Whatcom County increased from 3.27 million in 2022 to 3.42 million in 2023, according to additional survey data.

Visitors also spent more in 2023, as the daily overnight travel impact was $299, up from $245 in 2022. The 2023 travel impact was $1,129, up from $965 in 2022.

“While it’s always nice to welcome more visitors to Whatcom County, we’re even more pleased to see the increase in spending per visitor,” Deane-Boyle said.

The report also compared tourist spending from 2017 to 2023, showing continued year-on-year growth, with the exception of 2020 when tourism declined by 31.4% during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report noted the “tourism recovery” that followed the Covid-19 pandemic and that some sectors of Whatcom County’s economy took longer to recover than others.

“Whatcom County tourism recovery numbers vary widely by sector,” the report states. “Recreation, food and beverage and accommodation saw continued growth of 9% or more, with the largest increase being 11.4%. In other areas, particularly the tourism industry, the numbers tell a different story. While the number of jobs grew by 38.8% in 2022, slightly above pre-pandemic levels, this growth did not continue into 2023, when the industry recorded a growth rate of 0.077%.