The bill aims to enhance sustainable tourism promotion in Washington State by establishing a self-supported assessment mechanism for funding statewide tourism initiatives. It recognizes the significant economic impact of the tourism industry, which generates approximately $23.9 billion annually and supports over 230,000 jobs. The legislation amends existing laws to create a tourism self-supported assessment advisory group tasked with evaluating the feasibility of this funding model and making recommendations to the legislature by November 1, 2025. The advisory group will consist of representatives from various sectors of the tourism industry, ensuring a comprehensive approach to tourism promotion.

Additionally, the bill modifies the governance structure of the Washington tourism marketing authority, including changes to the composition of its board of directors and the establishment of an advisory committee. It removes specific provisions regarding initial appointments and terms, streamlining the process for board member selection while ensuring diversity in appointments. The authority is also granted the ability to incur expenditures related to the self-supported assessment until June 30, 2026, thereby facilitating the implementation of the proposed funding mechanism.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 43.384.030
Substitute Bill: 43.384.030, 43.384.050
Bill as Passed Legislature: 43.384.030, 43.384.050
Session Law: 43.384.030, 43.384.050