We are here for you!
Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism provides this Tourism Talk e-news to provide ongoing information to our local businesses. We have also added added tourism industry resources resources to Bellingham.org for access anytime.
We are here to help all our members navigate these uncertain times.
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Whatcom County is in Phase 2
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The Health Department has directed all residents and visitors to wear face coverings in public settings, including grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, buses, ride shares, and work places. Please wear a face covering when you are at any indoor or outdoor public space where you may be within six feet of someone who does not live with you. Businesses should also encourage their customers to wear face coverings.
Please click
here
to download our "Please Wear a Mask in Public Spaces" sign for your place of business.
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Guidelines on how to Visit Whatcom County Responsibly
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During this global pandemic, the health and safety of our residents and visitors are our highest priorities. To help make our tourism industry restart successful we have created Guidelines for Responsible Visiting to share with your guests.. Planning, education and communication are essential to accomplish this.
Click here to view our Guidelines for Responsible Visiting.
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Great American Outdoors Act Passes
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Today the U.S. Senate
passed
the Great American Outdoors Act, a bipartisan bill that prioritizes the protection and preservation of our natural parks and public lands. Notably, the legislation secures much needed funds to help address the deferred maintenance backlog facing the National Park Service.
This is a pivotal time to invest in our national parks, particularly as we work to recover our economy. Funding provided by the Great American Outdoors Act will support an
estimated
100,000 jobs, $6.5 billion in labor income and $17.5 billion in economic output per year, as well as contribute $9.6 billion to U.S. GDP.
National parks
have always been a consistent driver of economic activity and job creation in communities nationwide:
last year
alone, spending by more than 327 million visitors delivered $41.7 billion to the economy and supported 340,500 jobs. Recent
survey findings
indicate Americans are more comfortable traveling by car and engaging in outdoor activities during the country's initial reopening, suggesting that our parks will play an even more important role as we begin to restore travel and rebuild our nation.
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Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local public health authorities,
North Cascades National Park Service Complex
is increasing recreational access for overnight use (day use reopened during previous phase). The National Park Service (NPS) is working with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
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Members of the public are invited to become science volunteers as part of the newest project by the
North Sound Stewards Program
, organized by the
Whatcom Marine Resources Committee
(MRC) and
RE Sou
r
ces
. The program will utilize
iNaturalist
, a free app and web page online crowdsourcing and social network. Community members can share their observations along
Whatcom County’s
marine shorelines, get help identifying plants and animals, and create research-quality data for scientists. iNaturalist is built on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity across the globe.
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Construction crews have begun working to remove the
Middle Fork Nooksack River Dam
, a top priority project for salmon recovery in Puget Sound. The result of years of effort and partnership by the
Nooksack Indian Tribe
,
Lummi Nation,
City of Bellingham
, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, conservation organizations and state and federal agencies, the Middle Fork Nooksack River Fish Passage Project will restore habitat for threatened steelhead, bull trout, and Chinook salmon, a vital food source to endangered southern resident killer whales.
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by Hilary
When it became clear that traditional summer camp might not be an option this year, Rosa Caldwell, Education Programs and Activities Coordinator for the parks department, started imagining a new way to deliver summer camp – without parking kids in front of a device all day.
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by Allen Cox at
NW Travel Magazine
The Lummi Nation’s Silver Reef Casino Resort in
Whatcom County, Washington,
is a full-service resort with hotel, several casual and fine dining options, a spa and, of course, a full array of gaming. In addition, stay and golf packages at nearby Loomis Trail Golf Course are valuable through Silver Reef.
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by Brandon
What makes the perfect trail? One that checks all the boxes, but isn’t too far away. A trail you can walk with kids and leashed dogs; a trail open to hikers and mountain bikers alike year-round. It’s moderately challenging — maybe 5 miles round-trip with 1,000 feet of elevation gain— and offers options for extending your hike or making a loop. And of course, the payoff is oh-so-worth-it.
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When COVID-19 placed barriers in front of their eighth-annual car show,
Bellewood Farms & Distillery
and
Gear Heads
of
Whatcom County
simply drove around them. Approximately 25-30 classic cars, hot rods and pickups will participate in the Taking It to the Streets cruise through the county on Father’s Day this Sunday, June 21.
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Whatcom Women in Business
has awarded five scholarships of $5,000 to local women entering higher education, including but not limited to technical or trade school, beauty school, community college or university. The women are graduates of Lynden, Meridian, Sedro-Woolley, Squalicum and Ferndale High Schools.
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Time:
10 am - 3 pm
Free to attend
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Time:
Posted 4:30 pm Mondays, watch anytime from home
Free
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May & June 2020
Our region is full of beauty! Send us your scenic photos from all around the county and enter them in our latest contest for a chance at a prize! Yes, members can enter. Members can also donate prizes. Enter
here
.
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Questions? We are happy to answer them for you.
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Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism
904 Potter Street, Bellingham, WA 98229
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