The City of Wenatchee collects two types of funds that support tourism efforts including:

TOURISM PROMOTION AREA:

The local tourism promotion area imposes an assessment of Two Dollars ($2.00) per room per day on lodging business, the proceeds of which are to be used for the sole purpose of tourism promotion. These funds are made available through the support of Wenatchee Lodging businesses. For every occupied room night, guests are assessed a small fee that is returned to Wenatchee. Pursuant to RCW 35.101 and Wenatchee Ordinance 2010-11, revenue collected from this assessment must be used for activities and expenditures designed to increase tourism promotion and convention business, including but not limited to out of the area advertising, publicizing, operating tourism destination marketing organizations or otherwise distributing information for the purpose of attracting and welcoming tourists to the Wenatchee Area.

The Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) Advisory Committee advises the City Council on the expenditure of the tourism promotion area revenues to fund tourism promotion. The committee consists of four members who are operators or employees of lodging businesses within the tourism promotion area, two officials of the City of Wenatchee, and one member who is an operator or employee of a tourism related activity within the tourism promotion area.

TPA Advisory Committee Members:

LODGING TAX:

The City of Wenatchee levies a special excise tax on the sale of or charge made for furnishing of lodging that is subject to tax under Chapter 82.08 RCW.  Lodging tax revenues may be used for tourism marketing, the marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists, supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or public facilities district, or supporting the operations of a tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a nonprofit organization.

Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) Members:

Overall, the two funding streams are used to support the Wenatchee Convention Center, destination management and marketing operations provided by the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce, and direct marketing such as media buys, ads, and other paid advertising.

2024 APPLICATIONS FOR TOURISM FUNDING:

The City budgets money for grants to help fund tourism activities which are evaluated by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and Tourism Promotion Area Board (Committees).  The intent of the grants is to support the marketing or operations of special events and festival designed to attract tourist to Wenatchee.  If the Committees approve a grant application, the funds are distributed to the applicant on a reimbursement basis. These funds are intended to grow our tourism economy through increased visitor spending in Wenatchee lodging establishments as well as increased retail, restaurant, transportation, attraction and other local spending.

2024 Application for Tourism Funding

60 Day Post Event Report Template

Committee Meeting Schedule:

Tourism applications are due a week before each Committee meeting. The Committees will review and consider submitted applications on a first come, first serve basis until the funded is expended for the year.

• TPA/LTAC joint committee meeting:  May 15, 2024
• TPA/LTAC joint committee meeting:  June 26, 2024
• TPA/LTAC joint committee meeting:  July 17, 2024
• TPA/LTAC joint committee meeting:  August 21, 2024
• TPA/LTAC joint committee meeting:  September 18, 2024

2024 Applications Approved to Date:

2023 Applications Approved: