Lake Chelan Chamber plans new concepts to drive local tourist economy

Over 400 businesses make up the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce. The business organization has new plans in the works to support the local tourist economy following an estimated 18% drop in revenues in the Chelan Valley over the Memorial Day weekend, when compared to the same weekend in 2024.

Chamber Executive Director Mike Steele shared an hour-long presentation to the Chelan City Council Tuesday night. He says its their job to create a thriving community, throughout the year.

"We're working with 'CBS Sunday Morning'  to deliver a wellness piece, because one of the trends in travel is wellness, going to a place for wellness, going to a place to recharge, rejuvenate," said Steele. We're very excited about that relationship which would be a nationwide broadcast for Lake Chelan."

Then the Chamber will place an insert in Fortune 5 Magazine, a Bellevue-based publication which Steele says, "Will be fully devoted to fall and winter activities and happenings in the Lake Chelan Valley. Over 50,000 people will get that publication."

"If you're going to create fall and winter as the major destination for Lake Chelan, that takes a heck of a lot more money," Steele said when asked by a city councilor what the Chamber's strategies are to market the area and developing amenities to market in what's referred to as the 'shoulder seasons ' (October through March).

Steele reported that the Chamber works with a $1.6-$1.7 million dollar annual budget, derived from membership fees from businesses, state tourism support and Chelan County lodging tax revenues. The lodging tax is paid on overnight stays and is dedicated to perpetually promote the area to visitors.

"You are the economic development arm that we have right now," Chelan Mayor Erin McCardle told Steele. "Tourism is our economic arm that drives the funding of city operations. How do we move forward, how do we we balance out so we're not seeing the spikes that we're seeing? It's very difficult to plan for tourism when it spikes in two months, July and August, instead of having that spread out across the year."

"The businesses in this community, they have to deal with that, those spikes and those valleys," Chelan City Administrator Wade Farris said on KOZI Community Connection on Wednesday. "That's why we need to focus on the shoulder seasons as well as just the peak times. "They have to pay their employees, they have to keep the lights on."

"Residents who complain about tourism, do they enjoy going out to eat, do they enjoy going to events?" asked Farris. "Then we have to support what has become our primary industry in this town which is tourism."

"Marketing works," responded Steele. "When we're not talking about, we're not messaging about the place, then they're (tourists) seeking somewhere else to go."

In addition to the national television special and magazine insert, the Chamber

has invested in Google. An internet search for hiking, biking, fishing and outdoor activities, will prop up what the Lake Chelan Valley has to offer.

Plus, the Chamber and its associated businesses host a new event "Cultura on the Lake Car Show" over the Labor Day weekend.