Advertising Effectiveness Reseach – Washington State Study

Conducted by SMARInsights, this research measures the economic impact and audience reach of Washington State Tourism’s year-round FY2024 advertising campaign. The study found that the campaign generated 77,000 incremental trips, $103.5 million in visitor spending and an exceptional $184 return for every dollar invested. It also shows that ad-aware travelers spent more, stayed longer, and engaged in more activities than unaware visitors. The creative earned strong positive reactions across all generations, especially Boomers, and delivered high engagement in key markets like Denver and San Francisco. The findings confirm that sustained, well-targeted marketing can drive significant visitation and long-term economic returns for the state.