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The meeting will take place virtually on April 2 at 10 a.m. Click here to join the meeting here.
The public will have two ways to provide comment in response to the executive search materials: 1) written form due by 4 p.m. on April 1; or 2) during the Executive Director Search Subcommittee Meeting.
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.
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).
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.
The meetings will be in-person and livestreamed.
The meetings will be in-person and livestreamed.
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.
Resources:
Presentations:
Approved Meeting Minutes:
Watch the recording of the meeting here.
Watch the recording of the meeting here.
Please note, there’s an additional virtual meeting Jan. 30.
If you are interested in learning more about the Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant Program, please attend an online information session on Tues., Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. Please read the 2026 Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant Guidelines in advance of attending. The session will include time for Q& A with the grant’s program manager.
The meeting will be in-person and live-streamed on Travel Oregon’s Industry YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/oregontourism/.
Accessibility and Accommodation Requests
For questions about accessibility or accommodations for persons with disabilities, or to request a translator, interpreter, or other communication aids, please contact Matthew Finn at matthew@traveloregon.com.
If you are interested in learning more about the Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant Program, please attend an online information session on Tues., Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. Please read the 2026 Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant Guidelines in advance of attending. The session will include time for Q& A with the grant’s program manager.
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.
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).
Join fellow producers and agritourism professionals for a dynamic day of learning and networking. This event features engaging sessions on effective marketing strategies, firsthand stories from agritourism operators, opportunities to build valuable social connections, and updates on the latest research. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your agritourism venture, this conference offers practical insights and inspiration to help you thrive. Hosted by the OSU Extension Agricultural Tourism Program and open to any farmer or rancher in Oregon.
Registration is $40 and includes a full lunch. Scholarships available. Contact Audrey Comerford at Audrey.comerford@oregonstate.edu or Melissa Fery at melissa.fery@oregonstate.edu with questions.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by Jan 29, 2026 to Audrey Comerford: or
Agenda:
9:30-10 a.m. – Arrival/Check in
10-11:15 a.m. – Opening remarks, Legacy in Motion: Young Farmers Leveraging Agritourism and Market Access
11:15-11:30 a.m. – Break
11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. – Breakout Session 1
12:30 -1:15 p.m. – Lunch and networking
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. – Breakout Session 2
2:15 -3 p.m. – Closing session and raffle
Learn more and register here: Agritourism Connections Conference | OSU Extension Service
This in-person event will take place on Sunday, March 8 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
The project has been funded in part by a grant from Travel Oregon and the Institute for Applied Sustainability at Southern Oregon University, so there is no cost to attend.
What attendees will gain:
● Practical accessibility strategies to implement right away
● Insights from real-world success stories across the travel industry, including innovative products and tech improvements to support inclusive service delivery
● Networking opportunities with peers, experts, and advocacy leaders
● Receive the Guidebook for Improving Accessibility for Oregon Tourism Providers
● Accessibility Ambassador Certificate of Completion to showcase your leadership in inclusive tourism
Registration is required. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/ATA-RSVP. Spaces are limited and the number of meals and drinks is reserved per confirmed participant. Please register early to secure your spot. If your plans change, please release your seat so others may attend.
Questions? Contact Dr. Pavlina McGrady at mcgradyp1@sou.edu.
This meeting will have a topical focus on local food directories, food/farm trails, passport programs and other efforts to showcase local food offerings in a format relevant to visitors. Organizations engaged in these ‘products’ or getting ready to embark on a directory or culinary trail project are highly encouraged to join! 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.
The meeting will be in-person and live-streamed on Travel Oregon’s Industry YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/oregontourism/.
Accessibility and Accommodation Requests
For questions about accessibility or accommodations for persons with disabilities, or to request a translator, interpreter, or other communication aids, please contact Matthew Finn at matthew@traveloregon.com.
Accessibility and Accommodation Requests
For questions about accessibility or accommodations for persons with disabilities, or to request a translator, interpreter, or other communication aids, please contact Matthew Finn at matthew@traveloregon.com.
The next Oregon Dark Sky Tourism Learning Community meeting will take place on November 20 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Attendees will learn about the latest developments and opportunities for dark sky tourism in Oregon. 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.
View the webinar. | Download the presentation.
Monitoring and managing your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the best ways to improve your visibility and conversion. Responding to reviews and other activities like uploading photos and posting updates can drive more exposure and customers to your business.
To help make managing your GBP easier, Travel Oregon partnered with Portland-based company Locl to provide you (free!) access to a suite of GBP optimization tools. Locl helps businesses manage profile updates, create events and offers, engage with customer reviews, monitor business performance and act on insights – all in one place and for every location.
Join Cat Sherry Director of Customer Success at Locl, and learn how to use Locl’s optimization suite and their new AutoPilot tool to optimize your Google Business Profile.
Session Outcomes:
• Understand what a Google Business Profile (GBP) is and why it is important.
• Understand what Locl is and why it is important.
• Learn how to use your GBP profile to access to Locl for free.
• Learn how to take advantage of Locl’s optimization suite to improve GBP listings, monitor business performance and act on insights.
• Learn what features Locl offers that GBP doesn’t have.
Southern Oregon University is hosting an Accessible Tourism Ambassador Training workshop.
What attendees will gain:
Spaces are limited and the number of meals and drinks is reserved per confirmed participant. Please register early to secure your spot. If you’re unable to attend, please release your spot so others are able to join.
This project has been funded in part by a grant from Travel Oregon and the Institute for Applied Sustainability at Southern Oregon University. There is no cost to attend.
Southern Oregon University is hosting an Accessible Tourism Ambassador Training workshop.
What attendees will gain:
Spaces are limited and the number of meals and drinks is reserved per confirmed participant. Please register early to secure your spot. If you’re unable to attend, please release your spot so others are able to join.
This project has been funded in part by a grant from Travel Oregon and the Institute for Applied Sustainability at Southern Oregon University. There is no cost to attend.
