Sister City program may boost Spokane region’s standing

Spokane tourism promoters don’t foresee a swell of visitors from China anytime soon, despite the growing number of Chinese tourists globally.

But it could happen down the road, say local officials involved in boosting tourism to Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

“Spokane will never be a No. 1 destination city for international travelers,” said Jeanna Hofmeister, director of destination marketing for the Spokane Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“But we can become their No. 2 or No. 3 destination,” she said.

The level of tourism here from Chinese visitors is so low that no agency would offer an estimate.

Hofmeister said the CVB’s primary international marketing focus, for now, is Canada. Next in line as marketing targets for international tourism are Germany, Italy, England, France and the Benelux countries, she said.

“We have not been aggressive in marketing to the Far East. It will take baby steps for us to move in that direction,” she said.

Tourism specialists say Spokane has a reputation among European travelers as a gateway city. Visitors who want to tour the Rocky Mountains of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah first land in cities like Spokane, spend a night, then continue on to their destination.

That’s a pattern that’s being repeated, on a very small scale, with visitors from China. For the past two years, a few Chinese tour companies have used Spokane as a one-night way-station for tourists looking for a taste of the American Great Outdoors.

The Holiday Inn Express in Spokane Valley has hosted the weekly busloads of Chinese tourists who stop for a night, have dinner and breakfast, then continue on to Yellowstone National Park. The weekly groups number about 35 people, arriving through the months of July and August.

“They come in by bus after landing in Vancouver (British Columbia), get here for dinner, then head out,” said Jody Sander, general manager at the Holiday Inn Express.

Over the next 10 years, said Hofmeister, Spokane’s gateway role should blossom, drawing more Far East travelers to roam the Inland Northwest.

Others here say an important step in that direction will take place next summer, when Spokane is set to host the 2005 Sister Cities international conference. That event runs July 27-31, and is expected to draw about 800 people from around the world.

Coinciding with that conference will be the second annual Sino-U.S. Sister City Conference, a gathering that’s expected to draw more than 100 representatives from 70 cities across China.

Spokane’s role as host for both events will introduce the city to those visitors and send them back home with a good idea of what the Inland Northwest offers as a tourist destination, said Fred Peterson, a Washington State University Spokane professor. Peterson teaches courses in Chinese culture and is helping organize the Sister Cities and Sino-U.S. conferences.

Both events will jumpstart further travel between Eastern Washington and China, he predicted.

“We hope this will make visitors coming here fall in love with this city and encourage others to come back,” Peterson said.

Peterson’s only concern is what he said has been a tightening of visa regulations imposed by the U.S. State Department in the past year. Chinese delegations trying to make professional or educational visits to the United States have been running into problems getting visas, he said.

The Washington Post recently reported that the American Chamber of Commerce in China has complained about the difficulties Chinese citizens have had getting U.S. visas. That organization said the delays and restrictions are driving Chinese tourists to other countries, the Post reported.

Peterson added, “I’m not sure there’s one easy reason why (those restrictions have increased).”