Food Systems & Tourism Learning Meeting: Focus on Agritourism and New Farm Store Legislation

The next Food Systems & Tourism Learning Community meeting will take place over Zoom on April 7 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. This meeting will have a topical focus on agritourism, with a specific focus on unpacking the impacts of the new Farm Store legislation (HB 4153) that was passed during the recent Oregon Legislature short session and is currently awaiting Governor Kotek’s signature.

The goal of this meeting will be to help farmers understand which components of the agritourism regulatory landscape have changed, which remain unchanged, and how to navigate the new provisions going forward. We will be joined by Erika Polmar, Travel Oregon’s agritourism consultant, Audrey Comerford, OSU Extension Agritourism Program Coordinator, and Kate Baumgartner, Travel Oregon’s Public Affairs Strategist.

Organizations engaged in operating or supporting agritourism operators in Oregon are highly encouraged to join! As always, attendees will have the opportunity to share their experience and learn from peers across the state and across sectors.

Register here.

 

 

 

2026 Conversations with Funder series

Travel Oregon will be participating in the Oregon Cultural Trust’s Conversation with Funders series during the month of March. The Conversation with Funders allows attendees to meet funders, explore grant opportunities and share project ideas. Oregon Cultural Trust partners and leaders of arts, heritage and humanities are the target audience, while a variety of funders will be in attendance, including Oregon Cultural Trust, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage, Oregon Humanities, Oregon Community Foundation, Roundhouse Foundation, Spirit Mountain Community Fund and others.

Advance registration is encouraged. Travel Oregon will be participating in the virtual Zoom session (March 26) and will be in-person in Portland (March 30) and Eugene (March 31).

  • Virtual (Zoom): Thursday, March 26, 3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Register now
  • Portland: Monday, March 30, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Register now
  • Eugene: Tuesday, March 31, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Register now
  • Medford Area: Thursday, April 2, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Register now
  • Newport: Tuesday, April 7, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Register now
  • Sisters: Wednesday, April 8, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Register now
  • Pendleton: Friday, April 10, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Register now

Webinar: Maximizing Your Google Business Profile with Locl

Join Travel Oregon for an informative webinar with Joel Siedenburg, Founder & CEO of Locl.

In this session you’ll learn about Locl and the platform’s powerful tools (like Social Connector and AutoPilot) to help you simplify managing your Google Business Profile, streamline updates using automation and enhance your online presence across Google and other search engines.

Whether you’re new to Locl or looking to fully leverage its automated capabilities, this training will provide practical strategies to help you save time and extend your digital reach.

Register here.

March 19 Dark Sky Tourism Learning Community Meeting

The next Oregon Dark Sky Tourism Learning Community meeting will take place on March 19 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. This meeting will focus on reviewing the proposed changes to the International Dark Sky Places program. The goal of this learning community is to facilitate education and foster alignment across the tourism industry and key stakeholders in order to elevate Oregon as a premier destination for dark sky experiences.

This virtual meeting is open to anyone interested in preserving Oregon’s dark skies, developing and promoting dark sky visitor experiences, and staying connected with dark sky initiatives and stakeholders across the state.

Advance registration is required.

Register for the meeting

March 9 Oregon Tourism Commission Meeting

Resources: 

Presentations: 

Approved Meeting Minutes:

January 30 Oregon Tourism Commission Meeting

Watch the recording of the meeting here.

View the agenda

 

January 29 Oregon Tourism Commission Meeting

Watch the recording of the meeting here.

View the agenda.

  • The Travel Oregon Executive Director hiring standards and plan, and policy directives, will be presented to the Commission at their January 29 meeting. All materials to inform the presentation, discussion and public comment can be reviewed here: Review the executive search materials here.
    • The public will have two ways to provide comment in response to the materials:
      • 1) written form due by 4 p.m. on January 29; or
      • 2) during the January 29 Oregon Tourism Commission Meeting.
  • Executive Director Compensation Study

Please note, there’s an additional virtual meeting Jan. 30.

Food Systems & Tourism Learning Community Meeting

The next Food Systems & Tourism Learning Community meeting will take place over Zoom on February 5 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. This meeting will have a topical focus on funding opportunities for culinary and food systems projects and events. Learn from funders and fundees about how to put your most competitive foot forward when seeking funding. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their experience and learn from peers across the state and across sectors. Learn more about the community here.

If you have questions, please reach out to hilary@traveloregon.com.

Digital Accessibility Essentials: Preparing for the ADA Title II Compliance Deadline

Webinar Description:

Digital accessibility requirements are changing, impacting all public entities, including DMO, chamber, and visitor association websites. Join Jen Macias, a Portland-based Experience Designer and Accessibility Specialist, for a practical webinar that will break down the new Department of Justice rules, compliance timelines and what they mean for your digital content.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards and will leave with a practical roadmap and resources to support ongoing accessibility compliance.

There will be 60 minutes of instruction time, followed by a 15-minute Q&A.

Register for the Travel Oregon hosted webinar here.

 

Why this matters to you:

This webinar will be focused on understanding the new rule on the accessibility of web content and mobile apps provided by state and local government. This rule establishes specific requirements for state and local governments to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards by April 2026. While the rule directly applies to public entities, it will significantly impact private organizations that work with government agencies.

If your organization provides websites, mobile apps, online services, or digital content for state or local government agencies—whether through contracts, licensing agreements, or other arrangements—you may need to ensure your products and services meet these accessibility standards. The rule makes clear that when governments use contractors or vendors to provide web content or mobile apps on their behalf, those materials must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

More information on accessibility programs and resources from Travel Oregon can be found here.

For questions pertaining to this webinar, please reach out to Kate Sappell, Program Manager RCTP (ksappell@traveloregon.com).