2019 RECIPIENTS
JULY 2019
1
2019 Tourism Marketing Support Recipients
In its fourth year, the cooperative Tourism Marketing Support Program (tourism grants) efforts
enhance, facilitate and increase the economic value of tourism across the state. It has been
effective in promoting visitors and use of Port facilities. The program provides matching
support of up to $10,000 to non-profit destination marketing organizations (DMO’s),
attractions, cities, tribal organizations and Chambers of Commerce to effectively market their
destination to non-resident visitors. The funds are used for advertising, publicizing, promoting
events or conducting research to attract visitors.
Marketing efforts for the tourism grants include promoting our natural scenic beauty, outdoor
recreation, cultural attractions, online digital marketing campaigns, promotion of Washington’s
growing wine and craft brewery industry, networking with tour operators and travel media. For
2019 we obtained 47 applicants (the highest number received in the four years of the program)
and awarded to 30 organizations. In the four years of the program, 166 applications have been
received and 87 projects awarded, netting approximately $1,050,000 in additional marketing
promotion efforts for Washington.
2019 Awarded Recipients
Organization
Name
POS
Awarded
Amount
Tourism Initiatives
Summary of Proposed Project
City of Kirkland $7,000
Digital media
Event promotion
Website enhancement & online targeted
marketing promoting Kirkland and outdoor
recreation to potential travelers in San
Francisco and Los Angeles.
Puget Sound
Attractions
Council
$5,000
Trade show/sales trip
Digital media
International marketing
Event attractions
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Participate in U.S. Travel's IPW in Anaheim
CA, as a presenter to international tour
operators to generate tour travel to
Washington state.
Discover Lewis
County
8,000
Digital media
Video advertising
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Conduct targeted marketing via video and
digital advertising in Southern California,
focusing on Lewis County offseason outdoor
adventure activities.
Museum of
History & Industry
(MOHAI)
$7,000
Digital media
Event attractions
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Digital advertising in Arizona, California,
Colorado and New York promoting Mohai's
Seattle Style exhibition.
2
PBY – Naval Air
Museum
$5,000
Digital media
Event attractions
Utilizing Experience WA website platform to
reach non-residents and promote the PBY -
Naval Museum on Whidbey Island.
Museum of Flight $7,500
Digital media
Video advertising
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Creation of 30- or 15-second commercials
for online marketing focusing on selected
California markets and residents.
Museum of Pop
Culture (MOPOP)
$10,000
Event attractions
Digital media
Conduct geotarget marketing impacting
cruisers in the POS cruise terminal area and
online SEO marketing to non-residents
interested in Seattle.
Jefferson County
Chamber of
Commerce
$8,000
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Conduct a digital marketing campaign and
sweepstakes contest promoting Port
Townsend and Jefferson County in Texas,
New York, Colorado, Arizona, and Florida.
City of Stanwood $7,500
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Improve the Stanwood/Camano site to be
traveler user-friendly and conduct a social
media advertising campaign to non-
residents.
Goldendale
Chamber of
Commerce
$10,000
Familiarization tour
Digital media
International marketing
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Market the Goldendale Observatory thru
web-based marketing and print marketing
materials by targeting astronomy focused
tour promoters and influencers.
WA State
Geocaching Assoc.
(WSGA)
$5,200
Digital media
Event attraction promotion
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Increase out of state participation in Valley
Cities GeoTour by promoting the event
online via Geocaching.com website.
NW Agricultural
Business Center
$5,250
Digital media
Event attraction promotion
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Launch a new Whidbey Island Vintners
Distillers website and initiate social media
advertising promoting food/beverage
activities to non-residents.
City of Blaine $8,000
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Creation of an online "Salish Sea Trail"
water-based itinerary encouraging out of
state boating enthusiasts, including the
POS's recreational marinas.
Port of Walla
Walla
$7,500
Digital media
Port will partner with a travel marketing firm
specializing in "traveler-to-purchase" data to
execute digital advertising campaign to
increase air travel to Walla Walla.
Yakima Valley
Tourism
$5,000
Digital media
Travel Articles/PR
Through a multi-channel digital campaign
focus on prospective air travelers interested
in craft brewing via promoting Yakima Valley
as "Hop Country" USA.
3
Washington
Tourism Alliance
$5,000
Trade show/sales trip
International marketing
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Travel Articles/PR
Participate in U.S. Travel's IPW in Anaheim
CA, as a presenter to interested tour
operators and travel media with the
potential to generate travel Washington
state.
White Pass Scenic
Byway
$6,000
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
White Pass Byway will promote the South
Cascades Loop focusing on outdoor
experiences in our state and national parks
lands via digital marketing and social media.
Leavenworth
Chamber of
Commerce
$7,000
Trade show/sales trip
Digital media
Travel articles / PR
Familiarization tour
Eco/culture/nature/tourism
Attend the Travel Media Showcase in Atlanta
GA, and showcase Leavenworth as well as
bring and host select travel media and
influencers in Washington state.
Visit Tri-Cities $3,000
Familiarization tour
Travel articles / PR
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Host and conduct a travel media
familiarization tour showcasing the Tri-Cities
as the "Heart" of Washington Wine Country.
Long Beach
Peninsula Visitors
Bureau
$5,000
Print advertising
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Plans include a combination of print and
website work designed to reach a targeted
audience promoting Long Beach outdoor
shoreline activities.
Travel Tacoma &
Pierce County
$7,500
Trade shows/sales trips
Digital media
Video promotion
Event attraction promotion
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Increase the number of national conventions
and delegates flying to Tacoma by
developing a “video-centered” recruitment
campaign that includes highlighting the
proximity of Mt. Rainer.
Olympic Peninsula
Visitors Bureau
$10,000
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Conduct a targeted digital and social media
campaign in California, Arizona, Texas and
New York focusing on shoulder season and
Olympic Peninsula public forests and waters.
Seattle
International Film
Festival (SIFF)
$8,500
Print advertising
Event attraction promotion
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Print advertising placement in Alaska Airlines
Inflight magazine promoting SIFF as a great
festival and way to experience Seattle and
Washington State.
Visit Kitsap
Peninsula
$10,000
Digital media
Video promotion
International marketing
Eco/culture/nature tourism
The project includes the development of
video sales packets that will be directed to
international travel retailers and tour
operators.
Methow Trails $7,500
Digital media
Familiarization tour
Travel articles / PR
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Creation of “Plan your trip” website section,
host a familiarization tour for travel media
and promoting cross country skiing,
snowshoeing and fat tire snow biking.
4
Suquamish
Museum
$6,486
Print advertising
Familiarization tour
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Create collateral and work with Seattle Hotel
Concierge members to aid in promoting
visitors to take the ferry to Bainbridge and
experience the Squamish Museum. Host a
familiarization tour
Harbor Wildwatch $5,064
Digital media
Video promotion
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Conduct a marketing effort to develop short
film video, online marketing reaching
potential participants in beach tours
focusing on the Salish Sea environment.
City of Port
Angeles
$2,500
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Conduct a digital marketing campaign
reaching non-residents promoting Port
Angeles as a transportation and lodging hub
for Olympic NP and the Pacific Ocean.
Cascade
Farmlands
$3,000
Digital media
Event attraction promotion
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Increase out of state attendance by
promoting cider event and agri-tourism in
North Central Washington. Utilize SEO via
Google and social media with Facebook.
Wing Luke
Museum
$7,500
Event attraction promotion
Digital media
Eco/culture/nature tourism
Will target both potential travelers and
recently arrived inbound tourists with a
series of digital and social media advertising
promoting the Wing's cultural tours.
