Message from the CEO

Dear friends –

“For all the diverse beauty in Oregon, a unifying feature of the Oregon experience is the interplay of opposites: what is fresh and what is ancient, what is fragile and what is resolute, what raises questions and what offers answers. This interplay is continuous. It’s everywhere. It transcends seasons. And it yields the happy condition of making every experience of Oregon legitimately new. Oregonians will be the first to tell you they never stop discovering Oregon. And ironically, discovery usually involves slowing down, finding focus, giving your senses time to take in the richness of each moment, each place, each personality. Then the real magic starts.”

This statement is the inception point of Travel Oregon’s Strategic Plan for the 2019-21 biennium – a plan that reflects our ideals for driving economic development for all Oregonians by welcoming all visitors to experience Oregon – where each of our guests can feel and experience for themselves that they are welcome, safe and respected as they travel throughout our beautiful state.

Travel and tourism did not become a $12.3 billion industry in Oregon, employing over 115,000 Oregonians, by accident. We earned it. Together. And, together we are on a mission to share and protect Oregon. We love all the wonders of Oregon, from culinary delights in Portland to backcountry hut touring in the Wallowas to kayaking on the Willamette River, and that means we need to protect them and share their stories with the world, so others will love and protect them too. We need to concentrate on developing and protecting the places that attract visitors while giving our partners the tools they need to inspire these visitors to choose their destination. We also recognize the power of marketing to educate our visitors on ways to visit more popular places in a sustainable way or travel to lesser-known areas, all to enhance the visitor experience and spread the economic impact that comes with visitation.

There have been a lot of folks over a lot of decades that have laid the foundation that we’re all lucky enough to be building upon today. Now, it’s our turn to thoughtfully, responsively and courageously add to this legacy.

At Travel Oregon, we welcome this adventure, and we welcome you to join us.

Todd