Visit Spokane announces $1.55 billion impact from local tourism

May 28-Visit Spokane, while celebrating its 50-year anniversary, announced this week that Spokane welcomed more than 10 million visitors in 2025 who generated an estimated $1.55 billion economic impact.

The organization, founded in 1976, has been promoting the Lilac City since it was founded a couple of years after Expo '74, said Rose Noble, president and CEO of Visit Spokane.

"Tourism strengthens local businesses, supports thousands of jobs, and brings lasting benefits to our community. We are excited to keep that momentum going," Noble said.

The organization relies on analysis by Tourism Economics, which operates out of regional headquarters in Philadelphia and Oxford with offices in Belfast, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Frankfurt, London and Ontario.

"They take all of our numbers and put them together," Noble said. "We've been using them for years. They are the gold standard for the tourism industry."

According to the data, some 10.2 million visitors came to the region in 2025, which was a 1.8% increase over 2024.

The $1.55 billion travel spending generated about $242 million in tax revenue, according to the news release.

That visitor spending supported about 17,700 jobs and contributed about $667 million in personal income to locals who supported those visits.

According to the analysis by Tourism Economics, visitors to Spokane in 2025 spent $416 million on food and beverages; they generated $554 million in lodging expenses; spent another $350 million in retail sales; they spent $133 million on transportation and they also generated about $121 million of revenue from recreation and entertainment spending.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 7:12 PM.