Food, wine and hospitality are a Pacific Northwest tradition.
At the entrance to Seattle's renowned Canlis restaurant, an authentic Japanese "treasure house" door symbolically protects the community's most honored possessions and greets guests from far and wide.

When Mark and Brian Canlis returned from their travels and stints in some of the world's great restaurants, they knew they had a legacy to fulfill. Today, the Canlis brothers manage the family restaurant and welcome visiting gourmands from around the world.

Each year, travelers spend more than $5 billion at Seattle/King County restaurants, hotels, shops and other businesses. They pay more than $470 million in state and local taxes and support jobs for more than 60,000 people.

Tourism is an investment in Seattle's future.

Tourists are a great catch.
Last year Seattle caught over 9 million of them.
In 2007 alone, tourists in Seattle and King County generated nearly $5 billion in revenue, which produced over $425 million in slate and local taxes. Tourism helps keep our economy thriving our people employed and pays for improvements to our infrastructure.

Tourism has a trickle-down effect better than the foamiest latte - it contributes revenue to our parks, transportation, the arts, education and much more - without costing local citizens any additional taxes.

So the next time a tourist asks for directions, go ahead and talk to them. Their visit might impact your quality of life more than you think.

Tourists keep economy afloat.
You already know Seattle is an amazing place to visit. What you may not know is that tourism is one of the top five revenue-generating industries in Washington State.

In 2007 alone, tourism generated over $14.8 billion in revenue, producing over $975 million in state and local taxes. It also supported over 149,000 jobs across the state, keeping our citizens employed.

Tourism has a trickle-down effect better than the foamiest latte - it contributes revenue to our parks, transportation, the arts, education and much more, without costing you a cent in additional taxes.

Tourism matters - it’s an investment in our future.

Charles welcomed 398,555
guests last year.
Some people really know how to make you feel at home.
In 2007, spending by convention delegates alone generated $300 million in revenuefor Seattle, King County and the State of Washington. The average spending of out-of-state convention delegates added over $787,000 to our economy each day, bringing a significant financial benefit to each and every community in the state.

Conventions and tourism have a trickle-down effect better than the foamiest latte - they contribute revenue for transportation, the arts, education and much more - without costing local citizens any additional taxes.

So the next time you pass a crowd at the Convention Center, go ahead - wish them a
great meeting and welcome them to Seattle. Their visit might impact your quality of life more than you think.

Tourism matters; it's an investment in our future.