Visitor numbers match 2019 levels while office workers lag, signaling uneven urban revival

Downtown Seattle’s recovery from the pandemic has reached a critical milestone, with visitor traffic nearly matching pre-COVID levels even as office workers remain reluctant to return to their desks in significant numbers.

The latest data from the Downtown Seattle Association reveals a tale of two recoveries: leisure and tourism have bounced back dramatically, while the corporate workforce continues to embrace hybrid work arrangements that keep downtown foot traffic well below historical norms.

More than 3.2 million unique visitors came downtown in August 2025, representing 99 percent of the visitors seen in August 2019—a remarkable recovery that positions Seattle among the strongest urban comebac

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