— from Barbara Marrett, Communications Manager, San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau —
Do you like to travel? Where do you like to travel? Well, for thousands of people, the San Juan Islands are their destination of choice and these visitors spent $193.2p million (projected) last year in San Juan County, a significant spending increase of 12.1% from 2013, according to the recently released Travel Impacts & Visitor Volume report prepared for the Washington Tourism Alliance by Dean Runyan Associates.
National Travel & Tourism Week, May 2 – 10, champions the power of travel to not only benefit the traveler but also enhance the locations visited. Look around you. What would the Islands be without performing arts centers, museums and gorgeous galleries? Without a plethora of parks and open spaces? Many of the places islanders cherish are present, in part, due to their shared appeal to visitors.
Visitor dollars help support the cultural vibrancy of destinations like the San Juan Islands by creating jobs; direct visitor sector jobs represented 18.3% of total employment in 2013 and increased 2% in 2014. Visitor dollars also relieve the tax burden on locals by contributing funds towards town and county projects. In fact, the visitor share of taxable sales in San Juan was 34.4% in 2014.
The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau is the county’s official destination marketing organization representing over 300 island businesses and supporting the promotion of local history, arts, agriculture, outdoor recreation and visitor education. Mostly funded by lodging tax paid by the visitor, it also receives business membership dues. The Bureau’s job is to entice visitors through advertising campaigns, maintaining a robust website and social media programs, and actively soliciting travel stories and media coverage. Our umbrella promotions throughout the year extend the Islands’ allure to visitors in the quiet season.
Visitors do create impacts which can be challenging. The next time you think to yourself, I wish we had the islands to ourselves, remember how visitor financial support enhances island life year-round for locals and how much you enjoy yourself on your own vacation.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
“What would the Islands be without performing arts centers, museums and gorgeous galleries? Without a plethora of parks and open spaces? ”
It would probably read like one of the real estate ads– beautiful, quiet, serene, quaint, remote, etc. And there would probably still be a plethora of beautiful open spaces would be my guess. I liked it more the way it was 20+ years ago.
And without the need for all the extra infrastructure to support the tourists for 3 months, we wouldn’t need the extra taxes! Merry
Michael, I love Orcas, and want to move there. And, the culture there is part of the reason. If you yearn for things being simpler than they are currently, I believe there are lots of other islands in the San Juans thatwould fill that desire-more remote, off the grid, no ferry, no tourists, no services, no cultural events, no restaurants, etc. And to Paul & Merry, please remember that second home owners are paying full taxes for minimal use of services such as schools and roads, so these people are underwriting your year-round Edenesque lifestyle.
Second home owners are not tourists. As you noted, they are year around participants in our economy. It goes far beyond taxes.
I personally don’t mind the tourist/seasonal resident “influx” in the summer. These folks are confirming all the reasons why I live year ’round — beautiful views, great restaurants, fabulous locally-produced food, and income for people I enjoy as neighbors. In addition, of course, there is world-class cultural event like the Chamber Music Festival that would not exist without an audience that includes off-island “visitors”. These visitors are the ones who envy us — we’re the Lucky Ones!
… the issues surrounding the long-term negative consequences of a tourism-based economy are both complex and real for those that live in, (and also love) their community. My initial letter above does not in any way, shape, or form suggest that I am against tourism, development, or 2nd homeowners. I simply hope for a balance in the San Juans instead of reaching the tipping point of being a tourist dominated economy. Quality of life in terms of what I consider home isn’t measured by economics (not by me anyway). If you love Orcas the way it is now you’d better get here quick because it’s changing rapidly.
Of course you love it certain way. That’s human nature. We all love the place we pick and believe it to be perfect once we get there (it was lacking us before.) But, then it must never change from how it was when we first saw it, fell in love, and thought it to be idyllic. There’s a lot written about this in the psychology literature. As someone who has lived on a different island I am well aware of the risks of any economy that is too heavily based on any one revenue stream, be it tourism, crabs, oysters, marijuana, apple orchards, or whatever. I’ll be there, as a tourist and home prospector, in July, and hope we run into each other. Neil.
“…it was lacking us before.” Not sure I understand that mentality, but I’ll give it all due consideration. There’s two types of people in the world Neil– those that do for their community, and those that do to their community. I’m sure that Orcas will be a better place once you get here.