The Future of Tourism With Visit Bellevue

The Future of Tourism With Visit Bellevue

Visit Bellevue has a strong vision for the city’s future, and it is being brought to life with their newest offerings. The tourism and hospitality organization's long-awaited electric boat tours are now available for booking through mid-October with the goal of centering Bellevue as a lakefront community, getting people outside, and teaching them about the history of the region. Bellevue Lake Tours highlights the treasure that is Meydenbauer Bay and seeks to solidify Bellevue’s status as a leisure destination.

“This year, we have numerous priorities around tourism development,” said Brad Jones, executive director of Visit Bellevue. “People are looking for Bellevue to build more products and experiences they don’t need to cross the bridge for, and we listened.”

Partnering with Compass Outdoor Adventures, Visit Bellevue also recently introduced a waterfall and wine tasting tour. The five-hour escape from it all whisks you away to enjoy the natural wonders of the region with a stellar food and wine experience to match. Their current goal is to continue featuring everything that local restaurants have to offer, which is reflected in their upcoming endeavor - this fall, Visit Bellevue will be launching its first ever food tours. The tours will run five days a week and will include a walking excursion with Savor Bellevue. Jones explains the heightened excitement surrounding culinary tourism and its increasing trend worldwide.

“People love our food scene because it’s not only multicultural – it’s high class," Jones said. 

At Visit Bellevue, the goal is to constantly strive to increase the quality of life in Bellevue. While outsiders may initially view the city as more of a corporate destination, they soon discover its safe, clean, and vibrant qualities makes it a place for all. Visit Bellevue's mobile welcome center can be found at various locations throughout Downtown and aims to inform people about all the amenities the area has to offer. The roaming hub may also feature samples of local goods in the coming months.

“We want to be stewards of the community,” Jones explained. “We want to align with people’s vision of Bellevue – both corporate and residential interests. We’re trying to build quality, sustainable programs that can be successful for years to come.”

Jones admits that attracting visitors can sometimes be a tough business, especially in a post-Covid era. To combat those challenges, Visit Bellevue conducted media campaigns in other cities and across digital platforms to spread the word. They also strive to develop relationships with people interested in hosting events and conventions to ensure they are appropriately molding the visitor experience to meet their needs. The opening of the new 2 Line brings promise of further connection throughout the Eastside and critical infrastructure for sustainable transit. Visit Bellevue’s highly successful free ride service, Bellhop, is evidence of the community’s desire for accessible transportation. They hope to expand the service within the next few years.

“Complacency in a city is always a possibility, and we’re trying to guard against that by challenging the industry not to do things the way it always has. We’re constantly looking for new ways to activate public spaces and step out of our comfort zones.”

Despite the growing success of their current projects, Visit Bellevue still sees infinite opportunities for the future of the city. They would like to continue increasing means for environmental sustainability and making natural spaces accessible. They also recognize a desire for more nightlife and entertainment options that suit community needs for an “18-hour city environment”. Visit Bellevue completes that triad by supporting business expansion and retention – diversification of development and programming in Bellevue that will serve everyone well.

When asked about the importance of community, Jones stated the people of Bellevue are really at the heart of it all. He makes an effort to talk with small business owners, chefs, and locals as often as possible to learn the behind-the-scenes workings of their lives. By staying connected with boards and business organizations such as the Bellevue Downtown Association (BDA), the Chamber of Commerce, and the Old Bellevue Merchants Association, Jones gets to learn about the city’s happenings at the street level and how these organizations elevate the community.

The myriad of activations, initiatives, and community events devised by Visit Bellevue contribute to growing the atmosphere of support among residents and visitors alike. Each activity creates an opportunity to become further immersed in the culture of the region. Whether you seek to strike up a conversation with a neighbor over a glass of wine or cruise by Bellevue's skyline on a high-class tour, it doesn't take long to discover that Bellevue has something for everyone.

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.