Tourism generates 120 million dollars a year for the San Juan Islands. People don’t know about the San Juan Islands. Most in Seattle, even Bellingham haven’t taken the ferry trip. Occasionally up to 1,200 seats are vacant on a run that must take place according to the commitment the Washington State Department of Transportation has made to our communities. I am looking for like-minded local business investors and innovators to brainstorm a discussion about how the ferries can benefit the islands.

Topics: adding 200 people to each ferry trip on average could generate $50,000 a day in additional ferry “excursion” fare profit; an excursion would include meals, a naturalist talk, music and entertainment. The excursion ticket would be $100 for two; the bulk of new riders would not get off the ferries.

Benefits to residents include free transportation on the ferry; a yearly dividend from the operations; no additional loads on sewers, water systems, roads; ability to produce a new San Juan Islands’ cruise line, owned and operated by a San Juan Islands Economic Cooperative; on-board broadband internet for broadcasts from the islands to the ferries; chefs and seasonal workers could serve the passengers; musicians and artists could show their wares.

This would be a way to maximize the off-season availability of empty seats, without impacting the islands’ delicate balance, and offering naturalists and visitor advisors/trip planners an opportunity to shape the experience between tourists and islanders.

Alex Huppenthal

Orcas Island