Emorii Crichton, 15-month-old granddaughter of former peninsula residents and Chinook Observer staffers, was seeing the kites for the first time in Long Beach last year. She and her parents represent the increasing importance to our area’s economy of younger visitors.

Tourism has been described as a green industry. People come, have a good time, spend money and leave. Is that the case in a region where summer is tourism season. The old hotel mantra that the goal was “heads in beds and butts in bar stools” has given way to a more nuanced strategy.

A new start

According to Katja Spitz, executive director of Tourism for Pacific County, every initiative undertaken by the Pacific County tourism office is carefully planned. Their goal is clear: set up the community for long-term success.

“Everything we do here is very strategic,” she said.

According to a press release announcing her appointment, “Spitz brings extensive domestic and global travel industry experience to her new role from a decade working in and promoting Las Vegas and its tourism assets.” It goes on to say that she “excelled at building and maintaining relationships within her current community, with board members and partners, with stakeholders, and with the greater tourism industry.”

Pull Quote

‘Small towns without tourism find it hard to support a variety of merchants, artists and restaurants. I think we really have the perfect blend of tourism and a small-town lifestyle.’

David Glasson, Long Beach city administrator

She aims to replicate the success in Las Vegas here in Pacific County through meticulous planning and strategic actions.

Spitz said that Pacific County recently hosted the State of Washington Tourism Office and the Washington Tourism Marketing Association.

Speaking of Pacific County, according to Susan Yirku, Pacific County Economic Development Commission’s executive director, tourism is a critical element of economic activity in the county. Modernizing, rebranding and adapting to changing demographics will sustain and grow tourism here. As they continue to evolve, growth will remain focused on highlighting the authentic charm that makes Pacific County a unique and appealing destination.

Green industry

The county has embraced the green industry model where tourists visit, spend money, then leave without permanently altering the local environment. (Although, they also can leave trash and litter on our roads after a big weekend. So, it isn’t completely green.)

Spitz mentioned that visitor demographics are changing from ages 65 and above to a younger group. She said that the organization is rebranding to meet that trend.

The tourism office works closely with local chambers of commerce throughout Pacific County. In terms of marketing, the focus is on authenticity, ensuring that they highlight the unique, charming aspects of Pacific County that appeal to visitors.

The general sense I got in Long Beach (although they did not formally track numbers) was that 75 to 80% of their paying customers came from out of the area and the remainder were us locals. I heard several different languages spoken on Pacific Way while there, which underscores that perception. Of course this is seasonal with summer being the big season. Efforts are underway to promote the “shoulder” seasons by extending into spring and fall to attract visitors during those times.

Food and fun

According to Emily Beak at Dylan’s Cottage Bakery, the company relies on word of mouth (pun intended) to attract visitors and locals alike. She said they don’t really advertise and at the time I visited, there was a line formed outside of the bakery of people waiting to buy their delicious goods.

Wind World Kites owner Ron Welty uses brochures and the Long Beach Merchants Association to promote his business. He echoed the point that 75% of his customers were tourists, and he has noticed an uptick in visitors, especially since the pandemic. Wind World Kites offers kites, windsocks, flags, banners, toys and more. Its slogan is “We specialize in fun.”

Speaking of fun, I was not able to find someone to talk with at Funland, but they bill themselves on their window facing the street as a family fun center that provides a venue for birthdays, parties and offers video gaming, laser tag, and virtual reality. Judging from the patrons, it is that younger demographic that tourism officials want to draw to the region. The sights and sounds of Funland are wonderful to behold!

It affects you

Tourism has a direct impact on municipal revenue that benefits entire communities. Staying in Long Beach, I tried to connect with busy City Administrator David Glasson but kept missing him. We resorted to emails to discuss how tax revenues benefit from tourist spending.

Tourism is important in two main ways, according to Glasson. “The first is that lodging tax revenues that help support our tourism related things, such as the festivals and advertising. This money can’t be spent on roads or the water and sewer system.

The other main revenue is the sales tax. This money is used for things in the general fund, such as police, fire and parks. Without good tourism, Long Beach wouldn’t be able to afford the size of the police force we currently have.”

Glasson said, “Small towns without tourism find it hard to support a variety of merchants, artists and restaurants. I think we really have the perfect blend of tourism and a small-town lifestyle.”

So, the next time you hear a foreign language or see someone from out of town give them a big smile and thank them for coming.