Visit Seattle
Visit Seattle is a nonprofit destination marketing organization that promotes Seattle and King County to leisure travelers, meeting planners, and international visitors through a multilingual digital platform, convention sales, member services, and FIFA World Cup 2026 host-city campaigns.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Visit Seattle does
Visit Seattle is the statutorily designated, nonprofit destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County, operating as Seattle King County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Founded in 1994 and headquartered at 701 Pike Street in downtown Seattle, the organization promotes the region to four primary customer segments: domestic and international leisure travelers, corporate and association meeting and convention planners, international inbound travel trade operators, and member tourism businesses (hotels, restaurants, attractions, arts organizations). Its product surface is anchored by visitseattle.org, a multilingual digital platform (with localized sites in seven languages) supported by an AI-powered trip planning assistant branded Emerald and built on GuideGeek infrastructure, original video programming through VISITSEATTLE.tv, a Bandwango-powered Perks Pass for local business discounts, Wheel the World accessibility integration, and Crowdriff-driven user-generated content aggregation. The organization supplements digital channels with three physical visitor information centers at the Seattle Convention Center and Pike Place Market, a dedicated convention sales field force covering Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and national accounts, and inbound tour operator coordination in English, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese.
Revenue mechanics combine recurring membership subscriptions from tourism businesses, commissions and service fees on booked convention business, referral partnerships with booking platforms (Expedia), public-private Tourism Private Sector Funds, and event sponsorships. Notable technology and innovation assets include the world's first drone scoreboard show (400 drones, Sky Elements partnership) for the FIFA World Cup 2026, a Certified Tourism Ambassador Program that trains front-line hospitality workers, and the Bandwango Perks Pass. The organization is governed by a board of directors, led by President & CEO Tammy Canavan, and reports visitation outcomes of 39.6 million visitors and $8.8 billion in regional visitor spending in 2025.
Visit Seattle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Visit Seattle
- Legal name
- Seattle King County Convention and Visitors Bureau d/b/a Visit Seattle
- Website
- https://visitseattle.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Visit Seattle is a nonprofit destination marketing organization that promotes Seattle and King County to leisure travelers, meeting planners, and international visitors through a multilingual digital platform, convention sales, member services, and FIFA World Cup 2026 host-city campaigns.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Visit Seattle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Destination Marketing and Tourism Promotion Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Travel Agencies (56151)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)
Keywords
Where Visit Seattle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Visit Seattle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Programs: Visit Seattle operates membership programs for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses in Seattle and King County. Members pay dues to access sales leads, marketing support, and visibility through Visit Seattle's promotional channels.
- Convention Sales and Services: Visit Seattle generates revenue through convention sales efforts that bring group meetings and events to Seattle and King County venues. The organization earns commissions and service fees from booked convention business.
- Visitor Services and Referrals: Provides visitor information services and generates referral revenue through partnerships with booking platforms including Expedia. The organization operates visitor centers and distributes visitor guides that support tourism commerce.
- Public Affairs and Advocacy: Engages in public affairs activities including data collection on lost business from downtown challenges (crime, homelessness, safety), advocating with elected officials on behalf of the hospitality industry.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Membership fees for tourism industry businesses |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels11 records
Visit Seattle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Visit Seattle operates as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County, delivering destination marketing through the visitseattle.org website platform, convention sales services that bring group meetings and events to the region, and visitor information services delivered via physical visitor centers and digital channels. The organization generates demand for the destination through marketing campaigns, membership programs for tourism businesses, and international travel trade partnerships, ultimately supporting the regional hospitality economy (39.6 million visitors, $8.8 billion in visitor spending in 2025).
Product overview
Visit Seattle operates as a destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County, delivering its mission through a unified digital platform and a suite of industry programs. The core product is the Visit Seattle official website (visitseattle.org), a comprehensive travel planning destination providing editorial content on attractions, events, dining, lodging, neighborhoods, and transportation. The site integrates an AI-powered trip planning assistant branded as "Emerald" (powered by GuideGeek) for personalized travel recommendations, a digital Perks Pass powered by Bandwango offering local business discounts, verified accessibility information via Wheel the World, and social content aggregation through Crowdriff. Visit Seattle TV (VISITSEATTLE.tv) extends the platform with original video programming. The organization also runs the Seattle Certified Tourism Ambassador Program for hospitality workforce training and the annual Ovation Awards for industry recognition. The "Let's Play SEA 26" campaign and the associated drone scoreboard show represent the organization's flagship initiative for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Visit Seattle Official Website (visitseattle.org) The primary destination marketing platform for Seattle and King County, providing travel planning resources including attraction information, events, dining, lodging, transportation guides, neighborhood profiles, and interactive trip planning tools for leisure travelers. Includes multilingual international sites in Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), German, Japanese, Korean, French, and Spanish.
- Seattle Certified Tourism Ambassador Program An industry certification program that trains front-line hospitality employees and volunteers on best practices for welcoming visitors, ensuring they understand their role in increasing tourism to Seattle and King County. Targets hospitality workers and volunteers across the destination.
- VISITSEATTLE.tv A video content platform featuring original destination programming including series such as "I Know A Place," "Seattle Uncovered," "Seattle Bookmarked," and "What's Good Seattle," showcasing Seattle's culture, attractions, and local experiences to leisure travelers and travel trade audiences.
- Ovation Awards Annual industry awards program recognizing Seattle and King County hospitality professionals who go above and beyond, including categories for Tourism Leader of the Year, Community Leader of the Year, Arts & Culture Leader of the Year, Frontline Distinction, and Behind-the-Scenes Distinction.
- Convention Sales and Services Enterprise convention sales service delivered by Visit Seattle's regional sales directors (Mid-Atlantic, Midwest-Great Lakes) and national account directors to bring corporate, association, and independent group meetings, conventions, and incentive travel programs to Seattle and King County venues.
- Membership Program Tiered membership programs for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses in Seattle and King County. Members pay annual dues to access sales leads, marketing tools, member extranet, marketing visibility through Visit Seattle's promotional channels, and public affairs advocacy support.
- Visitor Information Centers Physical visitor centers at the Seattle Convention Center Arch building (701 Pike Street), the Seattle Convention Center Summit building (Olive Way lobby), and Pike Place Market (First Avenue and Pike Street), providing in-person visitor services, maps, guides, and trip planning assistance to leisure travelers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 39.6 million visitors to Seattle and King County in 2025, generating $8.8 billion in visitor spending and $840 million in state and local tax revenue.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Visit Seattle
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Visit Seattle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Visit Seattle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- B-EngagedcoreVisit Seattle appointed B-Engaged to lead its global football strategy in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The agency develops campaigns focusing on Seattle's football culture, engaging international fans, and raising the city's profile as a World Cup destination, with a focus on media partnerships and content creation targeting Europe and Asia.
- Downtown Seattle AssociationcoreCollaborated on FIFA World Cup reflections and economic impact analysis for Seattle. Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Host Committee, and Visit Seattle officials jointly assessed the tournament's success including record hotel revenue and visitor numbers, and are planning future mega-events including potential bids for the Women's World Cup 2031.
- Wheel the WorldminorVisit Seattle partnered with Wheel the World to share the best accessibility information for Seattle visitors. The partnership features Seattle's Destination Verified page showcasing the best accessible experiences for travelers with disabilities.
- SEA Airport (Port of Seattle)coreCoordinated with SEA Airport for FIFA World Cup 2026 transportation logistics, providing visitors with information on airport amenities, transportation options, and travel-day soccer experiences during the tournament.
- Sound TransitcorePartnered for World Cup visitor transportation, with Sound Transit reporting record light rail boardings of 280,000 on Juneteenth during the tournament, supporting Seattle's claim of being a walkable, transit-friendly host city.
- CrewfarecoreVisit Seattle partnered with Crewfare, a community-focused fan travel platform, to welcome World Cup fans. The platform enables affordable accommodation bookings while a portion of each booking supports local initiatives strengthening downtown neighborhoods beyond the tournament.
- Seattle Bank - Community Partnership ProgramminorVisit Seattle and Seattle Bank jointly operated a Community Partnership Program supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+-owned small businesses, with annual cohorts of selected businesses receiving promotional and community engagement support.
- IntentionalistminorVisit Seattle announced a partnership with Intentionalist to support small businesses and diverse local communities, encouraging locals and visitors to discover and support businesses from underrepresented community members.
- Destination BCcoreVisit Seattle coordinated cross-border planning with Destination BC for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, framing collaboration through the Cascadia concept (Pacific Northwest region encompassing Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia). Projected 350,000 match attendees and $1B+ in tourism revenue for the broader Cascadia region.
- Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian AirlinesminorServed as Signature Sponsors for the Visit Seattle Ovation industry awards event, supporting recognition of hospitality professionals in Seattle and King County.
- CORT Party RentalminorServed as Reception Sponsor for the Visit Seattle Ovation industry awards event.
- Delta Air LinesminorServed as Reception Sponsor for the Visit Seattle Ovation industry awards event.
- Sky Elements (Texas-based drone company)coreVisit Seattle engaged Sky Elements, a Texas-based drone company, to execute the world's first drone scoreboard for FIFA World Cup 2026. Sky Elements used 400 drones to create aerial displays showing match scores and flags against Seattle's skyline after each match hosted at Seattle Stadium.
- GuideGeekcoreVisit Seattle partnered with GuideGeek to power Emerald, a custom AI travel assistant launched to help visitors plan trips to Seattle, leveraging GuideGeek's AI platform infrastructure.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Visit Seattle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Visit Seattle social profiles
Digital presenceVisit Seattle compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Visit Seattle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Visit Seattle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Visit Seattle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Visit Seattle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Visit Seattle
What does Visit Seattle do?
Visit Seattle operates as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County, delivering destination marketing through the visitseattle.org website platform, convention sales services that bring group meetings and events to the region, and visitor information services delivered via physical visitor centers and digital channels. The organization generates demand for the destination through marketing campaigns, membership programs for tourism businesses, and international travel trade partnerships, ultimately supporting the regional hospitality economy (39.6 million visitors, $8.8 billion in visitor spending in 2025).
Is Visit Seattle a public or private company?
Visit Seattle is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Visit Seattle founded?
Visit Seattle was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Visit Seattle based?
Visit Seattle is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Visit Seattle make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Programs are the primary driver. The others are convention Sales and Services, visitor Services and Referrals and public Affairs and Advocacy.
Does Visit Seattle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Visit Seattle.
What industry is Visit Seattle in?
Visit Seattle's product category is Destination Marketing and Tourism Promotion Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHADAA, Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations). Its NAICS code is 561591 and its SIC code is 7990.