Case Study: Grays Harbor County achieves smarter tourism and higher merchant revenue with Microsoft Corporation

Rural Washington county uses AI to boost tourism, retail and tax revenues

Grays Harbor County, Washington, wanted to boost tourism and local economic activity, but limited Wi‑Fi, sparse digital information, and paper-based visitor guides made it hard for tourists to easily discover what the area offered. The county partnered with **Microsoft Corporation** and integrator Meylah Corporation on a smart city tourism solution built with Microsoft Azure and AI services.

**Microsoft Corporation** helped deliver a fully digital, IoT-enabled tourism experience featuring smart itineraries, parking, kiosks, wireless access, and an online marketplace for merchants. After the Westport pilot launched in August 2018, the county reported higher social media engagement and tourist activity, better access to local merchants, and increased merchant sales and tax revenues, with the solution built in just six months.

Grays Harbor County

Dru Garson

Chief Executive Officer