Join the annual end-of-season tourism industry gathering. Enjoy delicious food, great company, helpful workshops, and inspiring talks from distinguished guest speakers, presented by OCVA.
Registration is now open! Get your tickets and use code EARLYBIRD before June 20 for a 10 percent discount.

We encourage participants to review the Grant Guidelines along with the Application Questions and come prepared with inquiries.
Questions asked at the session/s will be added to the grant programs FAQ page.

ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAM:  

Travel Oregon’s Competitive Grants are intended to contribute to the development and improvement of communities throughout the state by means of the enhancement, expansion, and promotion of the visitor industry.

Travel Oregon’s 10-Year Strategic Vision holds four objectives:

• Oregon’s tourism economy is flourishing.
• Oregon is striving to be a place of equity.
• Oregon delivers remarkable experiences.
• Oregon respects its natural environments.

Each of the interconnected objectives are supported by priority strategies to help bring Travel Oregon’s mission to life. The 2023-2025 Competitive Grants Program is designed to address the following strategic priorities that are part of Travel Oregon’s 2023-2025 Biennial Plan:

• Reduce high visitation pressures and increase community livability by investing in the development of niche tourism product that is based on growing visitor demand and Oregon’s competitive advantage (e.g., outdoor recreation, culinary, agritourism, arts and culture).
• Expand opportunities for residents and tourism stakeholders to actively engage and collaborate in destination management processes.
• Align and support communications across the tourism industry to improve visitor behaviors and experiences with timely information, responsible recreation practices and respect for all communities.
• Support the development of new and existing tourism-related facilities and products (e.g., visitor experiences, attractions, and public spaces) to better serve historically and currently underserved and under-resourced communities.

Moving in alignment with the objectives and strategic priorities, the 2023-2025 Competitive Grants Program will center funding around accessibility and inclusivity. Communities that are underserved and under-resourced, including people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LBGTQIA+ communities are encompassed in this focus. Grant funds are intended to support projects that align with Travel Oregon’s vision: Oregon is a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.

The Letter of Intent (LOI) phase of the application opened at 8 a.m. PST on July 13 and will be accepted until Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. PST.

Inquiries about the grants program can be made at any time, please email grants@traveloregon.com.

Through inspired leadership, main street programs throughout Oregon are helping to sustain and enhance the vitality of traditional commercial districts. The 2023 Oregon Main Street Conference is a great way to look at the “big picture” about the importance of main street districts to the health and well-being of local communities – physically, economically and socially.
The conference theme this year is Idea to Implementation, which reflects the innovation happening in our Oregon Main Street organizations to think creatively about the issues and opportunities impacting their communities and then developing concrete programs and activities to bring about meaningful change.

Sessions will cover a variety of topics for both beginners and those with experience. The format includes keynotes, interactive workshops and networking time.

Who Should Attend:
Staff and volunteers of organizations focusing on downtown historic preservation and economic development, downtown business and property owners, government leaders, chamber of commerce professionals and volunteers, and others with an interest in the future of downtown will benefit from attending this conference.

Get to know the keynote speakers and see a detailed agenda here.

Join the ODA Annual Conference, made possible by the host destination, Newberg, held at The Allison.
Conference Registration is open to all Dues-current ODA Members and Associate Members.

Contact OregonDestinationManager@gmail.com to register.

Registration is now open for the Visit Central Oregon Tourism Summit. This full-day, in-person event will be held at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes on Tuesday, October 17.
Discover innovative approaches to attract visitors, enhance customer experiences, and boost your business’s visibility. Exchange ideas with fellow attendees, learn from success stories, and gain inspiration to take your tourism ventures to new heights. Throughout the day, participants will have the chance to attend engaging presentations, participate in interactive workshops where our speakers will share valuable insights and practical tips to help you thrive in the ever-evolving tourism industry.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to connect with industry leaders, expand your network, and stay ahead of the game.

Communities in Lane, Linn, Lincoln, Jackson, Clackamas, Klamath, Marion, and Douglas counties were devastated by the Labor Day wildfires of 2020. They all face years of recovery work. As we begin the fourth year of recovery from these wildfires, leaders, managers, and policymakers from across the state are gathering for this wildfire recovery summit to assess progress and learn from each other. Each affected community has approached recovery differently with varying levels of success, creating fertile ground for learning and significant opportunities to share lessons learned and improve efficiency swiftly by adjusting current practices.
Attending the Summit requires a no-cost registration. Attendance will be capped at 175 people, so please register early to secure your seat.

Summit Highlights:

• Presentation and discussion regarding Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding.
• In depth discussion about how agencies and non-profits can work better together.
• Case studies to learn about what’s working in multiple jurisdictions.
• Informal time to meet others working on recovery across the state.
• Focus on opportunities for state and local policy changes to support recovery.

The summit is hosted by Lane County and University of Oregon School of Planning, Public Policy and Management.

Direct questions to recoverysummitreg@uoregon.edu.

Claim your spot on our trade show floor today! Booths cost $1,600 and are 10ftx10ft. Each booth comes with a table, two chairs, linens and plenty of networking opportunities. OWA service members can take advantage of $200 off their purchase. Not sure if you are a service member? Reach out to us before your purchase.

Click here to register for your booth.

Contact Jessica Blauert for more information.

View our Trade Show Sponsorship Overview here.

Participate in an exciting in-person event, the Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge Tourism Partner Engagement Meeting! This is the first in-person regional gathering since COVID and it will be packed full of new insights and research about the region, regional updates, and opportunities and resources available to you and your organization.
Whether you work for a hotel, tour operator, land manager, or any other tourism-related business/organization/non-profit in the Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge region, this meeting is for you.

Enjoy drinks, appetizers and an opportunity to share marketing strategies to drive statewide advertising alignment and increase tourism’s economic impact. This event is for tourism partners with an advertising budget of $10,000 or more annually.

To encourage open conversation between tourism partners, we ask that agencies or companies not attend without their DMO partner. Agencies attending are only able to attend representing their client.

This event, organized by Travel Oregon’s Global Sales team, is a networking opportunity for the industry and special guests from NTA (National Tour Alliance) and IGLTA. Refreshments and snacks will be available.

Since its establishment in 2009, the Travel Oregon Welcome Center at the Portland International Airport (PDX) has been a pivotal destination for over half a million visitors, delivering a warm welcome and reliable information about Oregon’s diverse attractions and activities. Our dedicated and knowledgeable staff takes pride in delivering award-winning customer service, ensuring visitors receive personalized recommendations tailored to their interests. All welcome centers, including PDX, carry a wide array of high-quality printed guides, brochures, and maps offering comprehensive information on Oregon’s scenic landscapes, cultural highlights, outdoor adventures, and lesser-known treasures in every region.

Recent enhancements to the welcome center’s accessibility features comprise sensory kits tailored for travelers with sensory challenges, a hearing loop to assist those with hearing impairments, and an expanded range of in-language guides in Japanese, German, French, and Korean. Furthermore, Travel Oregon has extended visitor information services to a satellite location in PDX’s new Rental Car Center building, complete with custom-made interpretive brochure racks.

The center’s success is only possible with the support of the Port of Portland, our brochure program advertisers and vendors like Certified Folder Display, Inc.

Questions? Contact us at portlandwc@traveloregon.com or 503.284.4620