Seattle and King County welcomed 40m visitors in 2024, a 5.3% rise from the previous year, according to new data released at Visit Seattle’s Annual Meeting. Visitor spending hit $8.8bn – generating $839m in state and local taxes.
The figures, presented at the Seattle Convention Center during National Travel and Tourism Week, show the region reaching 95% of its 2019 visitor volume and 8% above 2019 spending levels. Tourism supported over 68,000 jobs – up 4.9% from 2023 – and offset $904 in taxes per household.
Visit Seattle also released its first set of detailed visitor profiles. These profiles show who’s coming, how they’re travelling and what they’re spending. They also aim to help local businesses to better serve domestic leisure travellers, who make up a large part of the region’s tourism economy.
Canada remained the top international source market, with 1.7m Canadian visitors estimated to have spent $584m in 2024. CEO Tammy Canavan said the team is closely watching international sentiment. They are investing in key growth areas, such as cruises, conventions and Asian leisure markets.
Also in the works are – a revamped marketing strategy, AI tools and a mobile app. With Seattle set to host FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches, Visit Seattle previewed plans to launch a new Certified Tourism Ambassador programme this year. The 2026 tournament is expected to generate nearly $1bn in economic impact.
For more, visit visitseattle.org.
