Chelan County Awards $222K to Boost Local Tourism

Chelan County Commissioners award nearly $222,0000 in lodging tax grants to 35 tourism-related groups.

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How the Lodging Tax Grants Are Funded

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The County generates approximately $2.2 million in lodging taxes annually. It allocates a portion of that funding to nonprofit, tourism-related agencies and groups for marketing and event efforts.

Selection Process and Competition

The Chelan County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) reviews all applications and makes a final recommendation to commissioners.

“It was a tough selection process again this year, with about three times the financial requests than the amount of grant dollars available,” said Chelan County Commissioner Shon Smith, who chairs LTAC. “The committee put a lot of time and consideration into the final list. In several cases, we weren’t able to fund a full request, but we thought it important to spread those lodging tax dollars around. Tourism is a vital part of our economy and we want to help our partners succeed, which in turn helps everyone in Chelan County.”

Key Grant Recipients Across Chelan County

The LTAC received 46 applications totaling nearly $780,000 in requests. Noteworthy awards include: $20,000 for Wenatchee Valley Velo's 2026 Tour de Bloom, $15,000 for Leavenworth Summer Theater, $13,300 for Plain Valley Ski Trails, and $12,000 for the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center.