Cowlitz County seeks $118,000 contract for countywide tourism marketing study

Kim Bocat, tourism manager at the county events center, asked the commissioners to approve a contract with Fine Design Group to complete a countywide destination marketing analysis funded from lodging tax revenues.

"Their fee is a $118,000, and that will, they'll be looking into Cowlitz County tourism as a whole, and then they'll look into each city," Bocat said, describing a process she said grew from meetings with city managers and port authorities.

Bocat said 12 firms responded to the county request for proposals and that Fine Design Group was selected in part because it has worked with the Port of Kalama. The study is intended to serve as a road map for coordinating lodging‑tax spending across the county and its cities, Bocat said, rather than funding general‑fund activities.

"The funds for this are out of the lodging tax. We we have those available. It's not an expense," Bocat said, adding that the county must execute the agreement and that the county, not the advisory group, signs lodging‑tax contracts. She cited RCW rules on lodging‑tax expenditures (the Revised Code of Washington governs allowable uses) as the legal guidance that frames how the money may be spent.

Bocat said most municipalities and ports in the county participated in planning discussions; the city and port of Woodland had been invited but had not engaged so far. She said the study will include stakeholder interviews with lodging operators, city and port leaders and other local tourism stakeholders.

No vote was recorded during the discussion; Bocat said the contract would be on an upcoming agenda for formal approval and signature by the county. Commissioners expressed general support for regional coordination and asked staff to follow up with Woodland leaders to encourage participation.