yakima valley visitor and convention bureau

Thousands of people will visit the valley this weekend for a variety of sports tournaments. John Cooper President and CEO of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau says the largest event is the 27th annual Boys Best in the West AAU Basketball Tournament being held at local school gymnasiums...

Welcome to the tourism season in the Yakima Valley. It is an industry that brings in millions of dollars and employs thousands of people in the Yakima County. Katie Heaverlo is Director of Tourism for the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau who says besides the wine and sunshine visitors come to the valley for the agriculture and the chance to pick fresh fruit...

The Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau is gearing up for a major radio campaign on the west side of the state. The Bureau's CEO and President John Cooper says the campaign will be aimed at the sun-starved Seattle residents. The radio spots tell Seattle residents they can get away from the gray and enjoy sunshine and wine among many other things in the Yakima Valley...

2012 was a big year for the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau. A new report says in 2012 the Yakima Convention center hosted 125,127 visitors during 494 event days and brought in nearly $9 million to the local economy. Earned revenue hit an all-time high of just under $800,000. Sp...

Hundreds of people will be crawling through mud and running over obstacles this Saturday in Yakima during the Yakima Valley Pirate Plunder. Its more than 4 mile obstacle course that will challenge team members. John Cooper President and CEO of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau says team members will climb over walls up to 12’ high, crawl through a 40’ long mud pit, slide down a 30’

John Cooper, President and CEO of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau, says the Washington wine industry is a big contributor to the Yakima Valley economy. A recent study by the Washington Wine Commission shows wineries are responsible for $526 million in income each year, employing more than 3,000 people in Yakima and generating some $44 million in state and local taxes... Read

New data shows that visitor spending in Yakima County was just under $350 million dollars in 2011, up 1.7% over 2010 and 5.7% over 2009, according to the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau. “Given the state of the economy the past three years, these are encouraging numbers,” said John Cooper, President & CEO of the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau. “Visitor..

For more than a quarter century, Lily Yeh has spearheaded projects around the world that combine arts with other community building strategies in order to transform and revitalize cities as diverse as Korogochu, Nairobi, Salt Lake City, Utah, Damascus, Syria, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Beijing, China...

The 2012 Yakima Valley Official Visitors Guide has been released. The full-color, 55-page Visitors Guide covers the communities, events and attractions in and around the Yakima Valley, from Red Mountain to White Pass. The Guide is a free publication of the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau. ...

The Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau has launched a new website for visitors traveling with their dogs. Winedoggies.com features the many dog friendly attractions and services available in the Yakima Valley.  Highlights include a ‘doggie bloggie’ hosted by a local canine, an interactive map of dog-friendly businesses with open pet policies, plus a section where guests can add pi