State Tourism Funding Is Lagging

Washington’s tourism budget ranks 47th out of the 49 states that have them, and the agency director says that unless the Legislature doubles the investment, Washington will be “out of the marketplace.”

“Over the past five years, the tourism budget has been reduced by 36 percent,” Robin Pollard, director of the tourism division of the Department of Community and Economic Development, said in a news release Wednesday.

“With neighboring states fiercely vying for the visitor dollar, Washington is no longer in a competitive position given the current budget of $2.1 million.”

Pollard has submitted a supplemental budget request to Gov. Mike Lowry that would more than double her agency’s budget to $4.6 million.

Neighboring British Columbia has a $10 million annual tourism budget, she said.

Inquiries about tourism here have dropped about 20 percent since July, she said, when advertising was curtailed because of budget cuts.

Washington ranks 12th among the states for domestic tourism, said agency spokeswoman Carrie Wilkinson-Tuma