The north-west American city of Seattle saw visitor spending rise to a record USD 8.2 billion with 37.8 million tourists that came to Seattle and King County in 2023, almost reaching the pre-pandemic levels.

Visit Seattle, the official destination marketing organisation of Seattle, in Washington State in north-west United States says that the city received a total of 37.8 million visitors in 2023 and that the total tourism receipts in the year rose to a record high level of USD 8.2 billion.

In a press statement, Visit Seattle released the preliminary visitation data and downtown hotel performance data for 2023. According to the statement, the total visitors spend of USD 8.2 billion marks an increase of 12.8 pc from 2022 and 0.7 pc from 2019. 

It says that visitors paid USD 787 million in state and local taxes in 2023, a 12.5 pc increase from 2022 and reaching 94 pc of 2019 levels. That amounts to a tax offset of USD 859 per household in King County in 2023, up from USD 775 in 2022 and steadily approaching the USD 965 peak of 2019.

“Seattle continues to be a desirable destination for travellers around the globe, despite the challenges that are still affecting the tourism industry. We celebrate 2023’s accomplishments alongside our tourism and hospitality partners. Our entire mission is to execute targeted initiatives that grow the convention, international, cruise, and domestic leisure markets,” says  Tammy Canavan, President and CEO of Visit Seattle.

Visit Seattle data says that tourism supported 65,486 jobs in Seattle and King County in 2023, a 7.7 pc increase from 2022 reaching 81.5 pc of 2019 levels. Hotel occupancy came in at 68.6 pc, a 5.8 pc increase from 2022 reaching 85.9 pc of pre-pandemic levels.

It adds that the average daily room rate (ADR) was USD 233.69, a 5.5 pc increase from 2022 and 9.5 pc increase from 2019. Revenue was USD 898.1 million, a 15 pc increase from 2022 and 0.5 pc increase from 2019.

The statement says that in 2023, Seattle experienced significant growth in visitation due to various noteworthy events and developments. The opening of Seattle Convention Centre’s Summit building marked an important development.

It says that a strong summer featured a record-breaking cruise season and several marquee events with the fall and winter months being supported by Visit Seattle-captained creative campaigns. 

During the week of June 11-17, downtown Seattle hotels’ occupancy rate of 86.8 pc was the highest in the nation, according to a ranking of the top 25 markets by STR, a global research company widely used in the travel industry.

“Our Emerald City and the broader Pacific Northwest region is truly a gem we should all take pride in. Tourism is one of our most critical economic drivers, which is why I signed the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area legislation into law to increase our ability to promote Seattle to the world. From conventions to cruises, concerts to leisure and family travel, Seattle is a world-class city with something to offer everyone. I applaud Visit Seattle for being strong partners in this work bringing Seattle to the world, and in return, the world to Seattle,” says Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell.

STR data shows that for seven of the top ten revenue days for downtown hotels in 2023, Seattle Convention Centre-hosted groups had significant impact on the positive results. Special events, such as concerts or the MLB All-Star Week, impacted five of those top ten days.

“The Seattle metro region is special, and it is growing. We are taking action so it thrives for residents and visitors alike, from the new light rail lines which will carry millions of people quickly and sustainably, to the conservation and restoration of our mountains, streams, and green spaces. These investments will improve our community for generations to come,’’ says King County Executive Dow Constantine.