Seattle’s Tourism Industry Braces For 27% Drop In 2025, Yet Long-term Growth Expected From Major Global Events

Published on August 12, 2025 |

Seattle is facing a projected 27% alteration successful world overnight visitors successful 2025, a important driblet that could effect its tourism-driven income taxation revenue. Despite this decline, nan city’s income taxation gross is expected to stay comparatively steady, pinch a flimsy summation successful nan forecast for 2025.

The Seattle Office of Economic and Revenue Forecast expects nan metropolis to make \$344.7 cardinal successful income taxation gross successful 2025, reflecting a humble 1.26% summation from nan \$340.4 cardinal collected successful 2024. This flimsy emergence successful gross comes contempt facing ongoing financial difficulties, including an anticipated fund shortage of \$143 million. Tourism, particularly nan leisure and hospitality sectors, plays a important domiciled successful nan city’s income taxation revenue, arsenic these industries importantly lend to its economy.

However, nan gross postulation has been weaker since nan 2nd half of 2023, and nan city’s full income taxation gross for nan twelvemonth was little than expected, coming successful astatine \$339.9 million. The astir caller information from Oxford Economics highlights that nan diminution successful world tourism, peculiarly from Canada, is contributing to this downturn. According to their July report, Seattle is expected to look nan largest diminution successful overnight world visitors among U.S. cities successful 2025, pinch a 27% drop. Portland, Oregon, follows intimately down pinch a predicted 18.4% alteration successful world visitors.

Although nan diminution successful world tourism poses challenges for Seattle’s economy, experts are optimistic astir nan semipermanent outlook for nan city’s tourism industry. Projections bespeak that tourism will statesman to rebound successful 2026, partially driven by Seattle’s domiciled successful hosting respective FIFA World Cup matches. The metropolis is group to big betwixt 4 and six World Cup games, attracting an estimated 400,000 to 750,000 visitors. This awesome arena is expected to importantly boost some world and home tourism, revitalizing Seattle’s tourism sector.

A afloat betterment of world tourism to pre-pandemic levels is expected to hap by 2028, arsenic much world events and recreation opportunities proceed to unfold successful nan city. Despite nan existent setback, nan semipermanent outlook for tourism successful Seattle remains positive, driven by awesome events and nan city’s continued entreaty arsenic a celebrated destination for travelers.

Over nan past decade, Seattle has transformed into a sought-after tourer destination, recovering from nan setbacks caused by nan COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, nan tourism manufacture took a important hit, but nan metropolis has steadily rebounded. In 2016, Seattle welcomed astir 9 cardinal overnight visitors. Projections for 2026 estimate that number will turn to 10 million, showcasing nan city’s resilience and increasing attractiveness to tourists.

Recent information from Visit Seattle, nan destination trading association, reveals that nan metropolis had 40 cardinal full visitors successful 2024, marking a 5.3% summation from 2023. These visitors contributed to \$839 cardinal successful authorities and section taxes, highlighting nan important economical effect of tourism successful nan city. While Visit Seattle refrains from commenting connected early forecasts, it acknowledges that projections are often updated arsenic conditions change.

One of nan cardinal factors contributing to Seattle’s increasing tourism numbers is its revitalized waterfront and normal center. Local officials person noted that galore visitors are now impressed pinch these recently improved areas, which connection amended attractions and experiences. The metropolis continues to attraction connected improving its downtown area, though much activity remains to beryllium done successful immoderate neighborhoods.

Despite nan anticipated driblet successful world visitors successful 2025, tourism successful Seattle is expected to proceed to grow, pinch galore forecasting record-breaking numbers successful nan years to come. The city’s increasing world appeal, mixed pinch awesome world events specified arsenic nan FIFA World Cup, promises to thief Seattle regain its position arsenic a starring destination for travelers worldwide.

Looking ahead, nan Seattle Office of Economic and Revenue Forecast plans to revise its projections successful October, arsenic nan metropolis approaches nan 2026 fund process. These updated forecasts will supply much clarity connected really nan tourism assemblage is expected to execute successful nan coming years, particularly arsenic nan metropolis plans for important events and initiatives that will apt thrust tourism growth.