Snohomish County is identified as the second fastest growing county in the United States with 200,000 new residents expected over the next 20 years. With 19 cities and towns, spread over 2,196 square miles of salt water coastlines, dense urban areas, and vast rural valleys and wilderness areas, with each year, this growing network becomes more difficult to comprehend.

To support our growing tourism industry network, the 2018-2022 Strategic Tourism Plan (STP), Strategy 2.1 brings elements from the successful Travel Oregon Regional Destination Development Program to Snohomish County. This approach galvanizes stakeholders with shared geographies and priorities into “regional” collaboration for sustainable planning, sharing resources and building networks, marketing and promotions.

From an initial geographical perspective, four major areas are broadly identified for the Regional Destination Development Focus Group sessions. This is only a starting point, the SCPRT, SCTB and Future iQ will engage with stakeholders to determine shared priorities between co-located cities, towns, attractions and open spaces to better understand what makes up a “region” with additional meetings on the topic in 2018.