Soon the cities of Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila will have the Seattle Southside Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) and Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (SSRTA) working on their behalf to increase tourism promotion.
“It is well documented that tourism drives local economies and no place is that more so than in Seattle Southside,” said Frank Welton, area general manager of Hilton Worldwide. “Our region’s collective 8,000 hotel rooms generate jobs, tax revenue and added vitality to the community. A greater investment in marketing our destination will have a very positive impact and I am grateful for the partnership of the hotels and the cities to make this a top priority.”
The SeaTac City Council recently established the Seattle Southside Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) and charter the Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (SSRTA), a public corporation and separate legal entity that will manage increased funding and tourism promotion activities for the cities of Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila. The TPA will serve these three cities exclusively pending agreements from the two remaining city councils.
“The region’s hospitality industry and our community will benefit greatly from the leadership of our city council in taking this important step forward,” said SeaTac City Manager Todd Cutts.
A Board of Directors will be named before the end of 2014 and it will take several months for SSRTA to obtain its own legal, accounting and insurance services independent of the City.
“The City will have basic oversight of the PDA including the approval of an annual budget, confirmation of board members, review of financial reports and audits, and attendance at board meetings,” said Cutts. “The SSRTA will oversee expenditures, operations and marketing. We’ve always believed it is better to let the hospitality experts decide how best to invest the resources to generate the greatest return on investment.”
The team from Seattle Southside Visitors Services, which was established in 2002, will transition to the newly created SSRTA.
