COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                Item No.       7a 
BRIEFING ITEM                   Date of Meeting    January 30, 2018 
DATE:    January 12, 2018 
TO:     Dave Soike, Interim Executive Director 
FROM:   Dave McFadden, Managing Director, Economic Development Division 
Ron Peck, Director, Tourism Development Department 
SUBJECT:  2017 Tourism Marketing Support Program Summary 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
On April 11, 2017 the Commission received an update on the program and a list of
recommended recipients for the 2017 program. The briefing for January 30, 2018 will recap the
2017 program and identify planned changes for the 2018 Tourism marketing support program. 
Tourism Marketing Support Recipients 
The Port of Seattle developed a partnership to facilitate tourism development and growth
across the state by promoting use of Port facilities. 
For 2018 the Commission increased the Tourism Marketing Support program by $50,000, taking
the Port's commitment from $150,000 in 2017 to $200,000 in 2018. The additional $50,000 is
to be awarded to organizations engaged in cultural, eco, sustainable, or nature tourism travel
related activities. The overall intent of the program is to provide matching support of up to
$10,000 each to local communities, destination marketing organizations, ports, chambers of
commerce, tribal organizations and non-profits to promote their destinations to visitors
traveling to our state. The funds must be used for advertising, publicizing, promoting or
distributing information to attract visitors to the destination. The program requires a two to
one match. In other words, in order to receive two dollars from the POS, the destination
marketing organization must demonstrate a one dollar contribution to the effort. 





Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a 
Page 2 of 3 
Meeting Date: January 30, 2018 

Organization      POS Fund   Awardee    Counties      Project 
Awards    Match     affected 
Funds 
Anacortes       $5,000     $2,500     Skagit        Travel media /
Chamber of                                influencers campaign 
Commerce 
Chinatown-      $4,447.50   $4,504.26   King        Chinatown 
International                                    advertising and 
District Business                                    promotion on Link Light
Improvement Area                           Rail 
(CIDBIA) 
Puget Sound     $5,500     $4,748.85   King, Kitsap    Promoting Puget Sound
Attractions Council                                Attractions to
(DBA Seattle                                   international tour
Premier                                   operators 
Attractions) 
Starfire Sports      $6,000      $3,000      King          Marketing to out of state
sports teams 
Long Beach      $8,000     $4,126.58   Pacific       "360" degree destination
Peninsula Visitors                                  video promoting Long
Bureau                                     Beach online 
Yakima Valley     $7,100     $3,550      Yakima       Online digital marketing
Tourism                                     campaign 
Acoustic Sound    $10,000    $5,000     King         Marketing to
dba Wintergrass                               nonresident attendees 
Music Festival 
Cascade Loop     $10,000    $6,555.42   King,       International media 
Association                          Snohomish,     promotional efforts 
Whatcom,
Skagit, Island,
Chelan,
Okanogan 
Greater Seattle    $10,000    $5,000      King         LGBT digital marketing
Business                                    campaign 
Association 
Port of Bellingham   $10,000    $7,288.40    Whatcom      Promotion to travel to
Bellingham at craft beer
trade and travel show 
Port of Edmonds    $10,000    $5,000      Snohomish     Whale watching
marketing promotion 

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a 
Page 3 of 3 
Meeting Date: January 30, 2018 
Organization      POS Fund   Awardee    Counties      Project 
Awards    Match     affected 
Funds 
Seattle          $10,000    $5,000      King         Marketing to
International Film                                 nonresident attendees in
Festival (SIFF)                                         North America 
Visit Walla Walla   $10,000    $9,751.90    Walla Walla    Online digital destination
(and the Port of                                   marketing campaign 
Walla Walla) 
White Pass Scenic  $10,000    $5,000      Lewis,       Marketing new Cascade
Byway                         Skamania,    Loop itinerary in
Klickitat,       Southwest and Eastern
Yakima,       WA 
Pierce, King 
Greater Grays     $8,000     $7,450      Grays Harbor   Creation of online travel
Harbor, Inc.                                         website for visitors 
Ballard Chamber   $10,000    $7,507.50    King         Online destination
of Commerce dba                            marketing campaign 
Ballard Alliance 
Whidbey and    $10,000    $8,000     Island       Multichannel marketing
Camano Islands                               to international visitors 
Tourism 
Skamania County  $5,952.50   $13,128     Skamania     Website design and
Chamber of                                upgrade 
Commerce 
TOTAL:         $150,000   $107,110.91 
COMBINED              $257,110.91 
FUNDS: 

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
(1)   PowerPoint presentation 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFING 
At the November 22, 2016 Commission meeting, the final 2017 budget was approved which
included a funding level of $150,000 for the Tourism Marketing Support program. 
January 17, 2017  The Commission was briefed on the results of the 2016 program. 
April 11, 2017  Announced the 2017 marketing support program awardees. 

Template revised September 22, 2016.