County tourism returns to pre-pandemic levels

County-wide visitor spending in 2022 exceeded pre-pandemic levels of 2019, according to Bellingham-Whatcom County Tourism’s year-in-review.

The review, released May 31, shows direct travel spending levels across five sectors. The sectors include accommodations (27.9 percent), food and beverage (25.4 percent), retail sales (18.2 percent), transportation (16.7 percent) and recreation and the arts (11.8 percent).

Accommodations were the largest source of travel spending dollars, adding up to over a quarter of the total $688.3 million in visitor spending.

According to the review, last year’s numbers are a sign of recovery in the tourism industry after visitor spending dropped 31.4 percent in 2020.

“Covid-19 has been like the tide. It came in almost as quick as it went out,” said Mark Andrew, regional vice president for Columbia Hospitality, which manages Semiahmoo Resort. 

Last year was the second-highest year on record for lodging tax revenue for Blaine, according to previous reporting from The Northern Light. Alex Wenger, Blaine’s tourism and economic development coordinator, previously credited the revenue spike to Semiahmoo Resort’s successful post-pandemic recovery.

“The tide is fully up,” Andrew said. “We’re definitely seeing things at their pre-pandemic level, but in a different way.”

Andrew added that guests were booking longer stays with less planning, sometimes booking a same-day reservation rather than on two-week notice. 

Tourism is recovering in other areas of north Whatcom as well.

Danielle Gaughen, executive director of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, said in an email that community events continue to be well attended since returning in 2021. The annual sand sculpture competition and Halloween festivities both saw an estimated 3,000 attendees in 2022, Gaughen said.

Regarding accommodations, Gaughen said visitors totaled more than 8,000 overnight stays in Birch Bay last year.

Those with questions about tourism can ask Bellingham-Whatcom County Tourism CEO Dylan Dean-Boyle at the Blaine Chamber Breakfast 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 19 at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club’s Great Blue Heron Grill. RSVP: info@blainechamber.com.  

“We are in a special place,” Andrew said. “We know that we need to keep celebrating what got us here and we know that our future is pretty darn bright.”