Bellingham, Whatcom County Grapple with Plummeting Tourism

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The city of Bellingham is just one of the many victims of the political turmoil roiling the United States right now. Dylan Deane-Boyle is on the front lines of it.

Deane-Boyle has served as president and CEO of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism for more than two years. He watched with apprehension as President Trump first talked of annexing Canada, and then announced steep tariffs on most countries around the world, including Canada.

In February alone, personal vehicle traffic from British Columbia to the U.S. for tourism-related purposes was down more than 30% compared to the same month last year, according to Statistics Canada. Hotel occupancy was down about 17% in February.

Deane-Boyle notes that the exchange rate also contributes to the drop in tourism. One Canadian dollar equals about 72 cents of a U.S. dollar, meaning that if you’re converting money from Canadian to U.S., you’ll get fewer U.S. dollars.

In 2023, tourism contributed more than $750 million to the Whatcom County economy.

https://seattlemag.com/travel/bellingham-whatcom-county-grapple-with-plummeting-tourism/

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. Bellingham is a great town

I hope they can endure and survive the hardships that are yet to come.

[AnnaLee]

2. Live up here and just let me say

A national vote count should not be allowed to destroy the economy of any smaller set of states like, in this case, the border states. What this President is doing is unconstitutional and the legislative branch looking the other way is, by vitue of not doing their job, is also in violation of the constitution.

[BobTheSubgenius]

3. We used to have a cottage in a very anomolous part of Whatcom County.

Point Roberts, WA. It is situated at the very tip of the Tsawassen Peninsula, and is landocked by BC for any landward approach, and the only other way to get there is by air or boat. LOVED it, miss it.

I remember cutting school one gorgeous Spring day and going down for the afternoon with my friend Ken, There was a sign on the door of the little building that was US Customs that said "Out the back cutting grass. If you have nothing to declare, drive through.""

A far cry from what it became, which still wasn't nearly as stringent as today's border crossings.