FORKS — Whether they’re coming for “Twilight,” fishing, beaches, the rainforest or Sasquatch, tourists continued to flock to Forks in 2015.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lissy Andros announced at Wednesday’s chamber meeting that the visitor numbers at the Forks Visitor Center were up by 4,000 in 2015.
The final tally of visitors to register at the visitor center was 37,615 — up from 33,512 in 2014 and roughly seven times the 5,195 visitors who showed up 10 years earlier in 2005. There were 41,599 visitors in 2012 and 40,978 visitors in 2013, she said.
While the number of visitors is down from the height of the “Twilight” craze when the movies started coming out in 2008 — with visitors peaking at 72,885 in 2010 — the number of visitors coming to town remains strong, Andros said.
There will be no resting on laurels, as the chamber is planning a long list of activities to attract visitors and encourage them to return again, said Andros.
“For RainFest, we have 10 days of activities planned,” she said, noting that planning for other activities, including the next Forever Twilight in Forks festival, are in the planning stages.
RainFest will be held April 15-23 and will offer activities such as a Fabric of the Forest Quilt Show, a dance, a beach cleanup, a showing of “The Return of the River” and the annual Umbrella Parade.
Forever Twilight in Forks, a festival for fans of the Forks-based vampire and werewolf series of books and movies, is held in September.
Last year’s festival attracted about 3,000 diehard “Twilight fans,” known as “twihards” — many of whom traveled from other countries to meet author Stephenie Meyer.
Mayor Bryon Monohon, who was at the meeting to present the State of the City, said the city and chamber want to hear ideas for activities and businesses that might give those visitors a reason to stay longer.
Tax revenue
In 2015, the total sales tax revenue received by the city was $446,122, which is down slightly from the 2014 tally of $473,387.
The city received $151,115 in lodging taxes for 2015.
In 2006, the city took in $353,837 in sales taxes and $88,469 in hotel taxes.
Tax revenues in 2005 were not immediately available.
Andros has said there are likely more visitors than those registered because many of the repeat visitors do not stop at the center and they would have received all of the local maps and information during previous visits.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
