About Us

We’re here to help visitors create memorable experiences. Memories that translate to repeat visits, tax savings for residents and building one of the most powerful economic forces in South King County.

Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (RTA) is the official destination marketing organization for Seattle's Southside including the cities of SeaTac, Tukwila and Des Moines.

The organization is responsible for promoting the community as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, the RTA strengthens the economic position and provides opportunities for people in our community. Seattle Southside RTA is funded by a self-assessed hotel fund and supported by a lodging tax from the cities of SeaTac, Tukwila and Des Moines.

Seattle Southside: Every Adventure Needs a Home Base

We acknowledge the Coast Salish People, on whose ancestral lands we are gathered today. We recognize their contributions to the history, culture, economy, and identity of Washington State and we honor the Indigenous people, past and present, who have cared for this land since time immemorial.

Explore Seattle Southside is the tagline used by Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (RTA) as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the cities of SeaTac, Tukwila and Des Moines.

Research

Our staff has compiled a lot of data on the region and tourism industry. We are happy to provide you with details, reports and statistics.

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Strategic Plan

Working with local civic and business leaders, we’ve developed a strategic plan focusing on activities with the largest return on investment for attracting groups, tourists and business travelers to Seattle Southside.

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Meeting Minutes & Schedule

Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority is dedicated to upholding the principles and ethics detailed in the Washington State Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and Public Records Act (PRA).

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What is a Destination Marketing Organization?

Every community must compete with every other community for their share of the world's attention, customers, and investment.

To compete, people need to be aware of a community, have a positive impression, and want to visit to experience the community and meet its people.

This is achieved through clearly developing, articulating and managing the community's brand. Efforts must be made to promote, market, sell, and engage potential visitors. And all of this must be reinforced again and again. Destination organizations are uniquely positioned to do this.

Addressing this need for destination promotion is for the benefit and well-being of every person in a community, it is a common good. It is an essential investment to develop opportunities and build quality of life to benefit all the residents of a community.

Destination organizations are a community asset responsible for programs promoting their community as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work.

Through the knowledge of the destination brand management, promotional programs and the resulting impacts of visits by people, we strengthen the community's economic position and vitality which provides opportunity for all the people in the destination.

Message From the President & CEO

You’ll find great shopping, a huge selection of restaurants and ton of first-rate, value-priced hotels. It’s an affordable and fun place to visit, with an incredible variety of interesting things to do, including the Museum of Flight, Des Moines Beach Park, Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden, Seattle Chocolate Factory and Westfield Southcenter.

Seattle Southside’s location in Western Washington makes it easy for visitors to explore the greater Northwest. This idyllic location is just 15 minutes south of downtown Seattle, home to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle and world-class sporting events, restaurants and culture. Seattle Southside is also 20 minutes north of Tacoma, famous for its museum district with the Tacoma Museum of Glass and Lemay—America’s Car Museum.

Your Seattle Southside journey begins here. This website showcases the vast diversity of experiences for any traveler, and there’s something for everyone.

Come stay and play in Seattle Southside!

Mark Everton
President & CEO
Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority
3100 S. 176th Street
Seattle, WA 98188

Discover More in Seattle Southside

Things to Do

Looking for fun things to do in Seattle? Some of the best things to do in Seattle are in Seattle Southside!

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Food & Drink

Whether you’re in search of a restaurant near you, seafood restaurants, a quaint café, Indian restaurants, family-friendly restaurants, Italian restaurants or fine dining, with over 100 places to choose from you’ll find…

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