PRESS RELEASE

Visit Seattle Releases Summer Visitation Numbers, Honors Hospitality Community Leaders with Inaugural Ovation Awards 

The mixed results in key hotel metrics highlight the balancing act facing hotels, despite the long-term benefit of major events such as FIFA World Cup 2026™ 

SEATTLE – Visit Seattle, the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County, released 2026 summer visitation data today at Ovation. At the event, Visit Seattle celebrated leaders in the hospitality community with its first Ovation Awards, honoring five individuals who have helped shape the visitor experience in Seattle.  

Held at Town Hall Seattle, Ovation also included a panel on the power of arts and culture in our downtown community, with Beto Yarce from the Office of Economic Development, Calandria Childers of 4Culture, Henry Watson of Urban Villages, and Jennifer Nicholson from Seattle Convention Center.  

Ovation Awards 

Last year, Visit Seattle launched its Community Leader of the Year award, honoring former Friends of Waterfront Park CEO Joy Shigaki for her work in transforming Seattle’s waterfront. This year, Visit Seattle expanded with four new categories to form the Ovation Awards, honoring tourism leaders from a wide variety of industries and hospitality divisions.  

“We are blessed to have such a strong community of leaders and innovators to drive our visitor experience, going above and beyond to ensure guests from around the world feel welcome,” Visit Seattle President and CEO Tammy Canavan said. “It’s an honor to celebrate and lift up these five individuals, and their fellow nominees, for the work they do to make Seattle the destination that it is.”  

This year’s winners include:  

• Behind-The-Scenes Distinction: Tuan Nguyen, Chief of Maintenance at Residence Inn By Marriott South Lake Union. 

• Frontline Distinction: Sayaka Hishinuma, Chief Concierge at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel  

• Arts & Culture Leader: Mimi Gan, co-Founder of Mi2 Media and Our Stories Are Your Stories  

• Community Leader of the Year: Kristi Brown, Owner of Communion and That Brown Girl Cooks  

• Tourism Leader of the Year: Chelsea Leingang, Director of Tourism and Visitor Growth at the Seattle Art Museum  

Summer data 

Visit Seattle also celebrated the end of the summer tourism season, releasing data for hotel performance during June, July, and August.  

For the three-month stretch, Seattle hotels reported:  

• Occupancy averaged 84%, compared with nearly 86% last year 

• Seattle hotels sold 1.2 million room nights, about 2% fewer than in 2025 

• Revenue hit $366 million, 3% above 2025 

• Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) reached $250, up 3% from 2025 and slightly above 2024 

• Summer Average Daily Rate (ADR) of approximately $298, nearly 6% above last year, with June and July becoming the first two months in Seattle history to exceed $300 

“The numbers from this summer show the delicate balance of factors for hotels to maintain economic viability,” Canavan said. “The World Cup’s success brought global exposure to our city that will drive visitation for years to come, but the short-term results showed occupancy failed to keep pace with last year. Meanwhile, revenue growth, while positive, doesn’t account for the rising costs that stress our industry.”

About Visit Seattle: Visit Seattle has served as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County for more than 50 years. A 501(c)(6) organization, Visit Seattle enhances the economic prosperity of the region through global destination branding along with competitive programs and campaigns in leisure travel marketing, convention sales, and overseas tourism development. Visit visitseattle.org.