Residents of Grays Harbor County this past year may have noticed an influx of tourists populating shops and beaches, a result of the county tripling Washington’s tourism growth rate from 2015 to 2016.

Recently released figures from the Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) show Grays Harbor County surpassing the rest of the state in annual tourism growth, according to a May 25 announcement from the county tourism board.

The county saw a tourism growth rate of about 9.4 percent from 2015 to 2016, compared to the state’s 3.1 percent during the same period.

The county collected $978,778 in 2015, and 2016 saw that number increase to more than $1 million ($1,070,500).

“Tourism in Grays Harbor County is truly unforgettable,” Mike Bruner, director of the Grays Harbor County Tourism Office, said in the announcement. “It’s great to see tourism doing so well in our area over the past few years. Our success is due to the magnificent efforts of everyone involved in tourism in Grays Harbor County, as we draw visitors from throughout the Pacific Northwest to our beautiful region.”

The county doesn’t speacifically maintain a head count when it comes to tourism, said Wes Cormier, county commissioner and chair of the tourism board. The county instead tracks increases in specific revenue to monitor tourism.

“People come to clam dig or kayak and we can’t track those numbers, but we can track the 3-percent hotel-motel tax,” Cormier said.

Funds from the hotel-motel tax can only be spent to support the tourism industry. The board uses these funds to market tourism and support events and programs.

“It’s our job to identify the county’s strongest tourism assets, what the relevant markets and demographics are and then we find the best advertising and marketing methods to reach those demographics,” Bruner explained in a telephone interview.

In addition to advertising, the board also supports programs and events throughout the county by way of two grants (at $100,000 each). One grant supports festivals, events, and tourism hospitality related services, and the other grant is for “special marketing partnerships.” Those grants are awarded annually with applications due in October.

The release cites WTA figures noting that in 2016 tourists spent $356 million overall in the county, and tax revenues going to the state totaled $35 million. The increase in tourism supports more than 6,000 tourism-affiliated jobs throughout the county.