Seattle Goes Head-to-Head with Bellingham, Bend and Boise as Accommodation Costs Test America’s Smaller-City Boom
Seattle, Bellingham, Bend and Boise face a tourism test as visitor data, lodging costs and outdoor travel trends reveal new choices. Seattle and King County welcomed 39.7 million visitors in 2025, down 0.6% year on year, while Whatcom County recorded $772.8 million in visitor spending, down only 0.4%. Meanwhile, Bend's visitor spending remained unchanged at $366.5 million in 2024. Airbnb's 2026 summer research identified interest in nearby escapes and activity-led holidays. The company reported that one-third of summer travellers were choosing to stay closer to home based on its domestic search and booking data. The study also found that 86% of US adults expressed interest in rural getaways, rising to 94% among Generation Z respondents. Despite these differences, Seattle's figures underline the scale of an established tourism economy. Visitors spent $8.8 billion across Seattle and King county in 2025 supporting 68,623 jobs, but visitor spending declined 0.3% from the previous year.
Publicerad : 4 timmar sedan förbi Ankita Neogi Khan i Business Travel
America’s travel map may be changing as visitors seek distinctive experiences beyond established metropolitan destinations. Yet the latest tourism figures offer a more nuanced picture than a straightf... [16914 symbols]
