Experience Olympia & Beyond breaks down budget outlook for 2026

Experience Olympia & Beyond expects a slight rise in income next year, as more visitors are expected to book hotel stays while state tourism grants shrink.

The agency projects $1.42 million in total income for 2026, up from an estimated $1.34 million at the end of 2025. 

Vice President of Finance and Administration Kelly Campbell briefed the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners on the issue at a work session on Wednesday, Oct. 22. She explained where the growth is coming from and how the money will be used. 

Most of the projected income gain, Campbell said, comes from the hotel assessment revenue collected through a $2 per-night room charge on visitors. It is going to help offset the loss of grant funding. 

“A noticeable difference for 2026 is a lack of grant funding,” she said. “Our main source of opportunity is the State of Washington Tourism, and their budget has been slashed from the current biennium budget from $9 million to $3 million, and they will not be administering any grants.” 

Tourism fees, taxes 

Most of Experience Olympia & Beyond's (EOB) funding flows from the Tourism Promotion Area (TPA), which is forecast at $887,822 for 2026, up from an expected $834,140 this year. 

The money is collected from hotel guests through the $2 assessment, reported to the Washington State Department of Revenue, and transferred to Thurston County before being passed on to Experience Olympia. 

“Funds paid by visitors for a $2 per-night assessment to their room stay are collected by hotels, for example in July, reported in August, and received by the county in September,” she said. “They are then deposited into EOB’s account in October.” 

Experience Olympia also receives city lodging tax allocations, known as LTAC funds, separate from the hotel assessment. 

Campbell shared the current amounts: “Lacey (was) awarded $100,000; Tumwater $43,825; Olympia $168,635; and Yelm $4,000.” She added that the agency “did not apply for funds from the county LTAC last year for 2025.” 

Those city allocations total $316,460 for 2025 and are projected to rise to $338,000 for 2026. Campbell said the increase reflects slightly higher contributions from Tumwater and Yelm. 

Private sponsorships and advertising income are expected to increase to $165,500 from $149,150, while investment earnings from a six-month reserve account are forecast at $25,000, up from about $23,000 in 2025. 

Campbell said the organization maintains a six-month financial reserve (required under its accreditation with Destinations International), which is invested to generate short-term earnings. 

Marketing, partnerships 

In terms of expenses, Campbell said Experience Olympia should spend about the same amount it earns in 2026. Personnel expenses should rise to $741,643, as the organization fills vacancies. The figure also reflects a 3% cost-of-living adjustment. 

“Our team is small but mighty, and we are currently operating with reduced staff,” Campbell said. “The CEO search and sports and sales coordinator position being vacant since March, and those portions have shifted to operations.” 

Meanwhile, marketing and communications spending is forecast at $464,590 for 2026, down from an estimated $486,808 for 2025.

Campbell said the agency continues its “intelligence-based targeted advertising, which is media attribution,” and keeps funding for visitor guides, the Bountiful Byway campaign, search engine optimization and market research. 

Sales expenses, which covers sports and convention recruitment, should increase to $63,500 in 2026 from $53,650 in 2025. She highlighted recent tournaments that filled about 1,700 to 1,800 hotel room nights, including the United States Specialty Sports Association Softball and USA National Tetragram events. 

Director of Marketing and Community Engagement Emily Brooks said the organization recently launched a new advertisement campaign inside Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 

“The Port of Seattle had a grant opportunity … for an advertisement in the Sea-Tac Airport. So that was just installed October 1. It’s at the D2 gate,” she said. “It is the ‘You Belong Here,’ which is one of our main campaigns that we do.” 

Brooks also announced that an American Junior Golf Association tournament is confirmed for Tumwater Valley Golf Course on Aug. 26-28, 2026, and a Washington Grown television feature filmed in Tenino and Tumwater is scheduled to air early next year. 

When questioned by Board Chair Tye Menser about the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone, Brooks said the organization plans to direct part of its digital advertising toward visitors drawn to the region. 

“Part of our digital programmatic media attribution budget will go toward targeting visitors coming for FIFA,” Brooks said. “Once we know what that draw looks like, targeting visitors who are ... soccer-minded people … we’ll create points of interest and geo-fences to capture people within those areas.” 

Campbell said Experience Olympia works with other destination marketing groups throughout Washington to draw conventions and major events to the region. The partnerships, she said, aim to attract association business and large tournaments.