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Whidbey–Camano tourism leaders outline growth, defend governance after public complaints
Summary
The Whidbey & Camano Islands Tourism group presented 2023 visitor and revenue data to the Coupeville Town Council and described new marketing efforts; a long-serving local tourism board representative responded to public criticism and said a 2023 state audit found no material legal violations.
Inga, PR and marketing director for Whidbey & Camano Islands Tourism, told the Coupeville Town Council on Jan. 14 that tourism is the islands’ third-largest industry and that recent campaigns and data work have increased reach and bookings.
The tourism organization reported that accommodations, restaurants and related services produced roughly $177 million in gross revenue countywide in 2023, and the group said lodging and food-service taxable sales rose compared with 2022. Inga also described new marketing tactics — a year-round PBS campaign tailored to the organization’s older demographic, monthly social-media quizzes that generate AI-created itineraries and an online survey that has added about 2,000 mailing-list subscribers in six months.
Why it matters: Island County…
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