By Michael Baginski/ A delegation from Seattle conducted a five-day mission Montreal, Toronto and Edmonton last week, emphasizing the importance of the Canadian market to the cross-border city, which, like much of the U.S., has seen a decline in visitors from their northern neighbours this year.
Nevertheless, this country remains the city’s top international market (welcoming 1.2 overnight travellers in 2024) and certainly showed no shortage of Canadian visitors during the recent MLB playoff series to see the Jays defeat the Mariners, Visit Seattle tourism manager Caitlyn Shearer told Travel Industry Today.
But while sports (including but not exclusive to baseball) are an important part of Seattle’s cultural and tourism landscape, tourism officials tout a wide range of draws for visitors.
“Seattle is truly a vibrant city surrounded by unrivaled natural beauty, world-class attractions, a renowned arts and culture scene, major sports teams, and so much more. It’s a city that offers the best of both worlds – from sailing to shopping and museums to mountains, there’s something for everyone,” stated Denise Graham, Account Associate-Eastern Canada at Canuckiwi Ltd., which represents Visit Seattle.
That message was delivered to travel advisors events in the three Canadian cities by Visit Seattle execs and over half a dozen tourism partners from the city, including the FRS Clipper, Residence Inn Seattle, and Woodinville Wine Country.
Shearer emphasized Seattle’s reputation as “Mother Nature’s city” with “mandated” green space that means no one in the city is more than a 10-minute walk from a park.
That is evident along the city’s “new and improved” waterfront, which boasts ample pedestrian space and protected bike paths, along with a new addition to the aquarium, renovated Space Needle, and direct access to Pike’s Place Market, arguably Seattle’s most famous attraction.
Looking ahead to 2026, Seattle is expecting a summer influx of visitor as a host city of the FIFA World Cup, and a continuation of the city’s status as an Alaska cruise gateway that will see more than 300 departures during the summer cruise season.
At the events, agents were also invited to become “destination experts” in a new specialist program launched this year, with some participants already having been treated to a three-day FAM in the city during the summer.
Facing up to the reluctance of many Canadians to cross the border, a grassroot group of Seattle tourism and hospitality businesses has launched “Open Arms For Canada,” a campaign designed to “show our Canadians neighbours that they are welcome in the Evergreen State” and which further declares, “We respect that your elbows are up. For you, we’re keeping our arms open.”
“It’s a small gesture to show that we care – and it’s the right thing to do,” says campaign co-founder Howard Wright of the Seattle Hospitable Group.
“When Canadians are ready to come,” adds Shearer, “we want you to feel welcome.”
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