South Lincoln County
Rural Tourism Studio
The South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio focused on the Coastal communities of South Lincoln County, including Seal Rock, Yachats and Waldport.
The South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio was developed in response to the destination’s desire to develop existing outdoor recreation, create high impact events and increase frontline staff training opportunities.
South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio highlights:
- 62 local tourism stakeholders and residents participated in eight workshops between February and May 2012. Workshop topics included Community Visioning, Outdoor Recreation, High Impact Events, Tourism Marketing and Tourism Action Planning. Workshop notes, presentations, outreach materials and other resources are available on the South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio Resources page.
- Participants developed a 15-Year Community Tourism Vision for the South Lincoln County area.
- The South Lincoln County community received a $10,000 Tourism Studio Matching Grant from Travel Oregon to implement projects related to outdoor recreation, high impact event planning and a local “We Speak” program in 2013.
- The South Lincoln County community partnered with Travel Oregon to publish the Gravel Grinding in Yachats trip idea on TravelOregon.com to highlight the local assets and opportunities that were discussed during the workshops in May 2015.
- Travel Oregon published the Communities Powered by Travel: Yachats video in 2015 to highlight the local assets and opportunities that were discussed during the workshops.
For more information about the South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio, contact Jesse Dolin at the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.
Results of Phase One Action Team Implementation
2012 to 2015
The South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio resulted in the forwarding of key projects, including outdoor recreation development, high impact event planning and improved frontline staff training.
Outdoor Recreation
Attendees of the South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio identified outdoor recreation as a priority impact area for the destination. While the community had been working for years to develop outdoor recreation assets in the area, the South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio raised broader community awareness about the potential for economic development and brought a new, diverse mix of participants into the effort to build this tourism economy.
Key project highlights include:
- Mapping of 20 miles of non-motorized trails, multi-use coastal trails and 300 square miles of land and water for visitors to access in the area.
- Creation of the South Lincoln County Hike-Bike-Paddle Map in print and digital form to increase access to multi-use recreation.
- Strengthening and expanding a local student run kayaking business.
A case study on the South Lincoln County community’s efforts to advance outdoor recreation was developed by Write to Know Consulting in February 2015.
High Impact Event
Attendees of the South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio identified high impact event development as a priority impact area for the destination.
Key project highlights include:
- Collaboration between a professional sports organizer and a strong grassroots network of volunteers.
- Creation of the Oregon Coast Gravel Epic, a high impact event to highlight South Lincoln County’s premier off-road bicycling trails. In 2013, its first year, the festival saw 86 participants. In 2014 participation doubled to 160.
- Attracting new and out of state visitors to the Gravel Epic, 75 percent of whom stayed in paid lodging, according to an exit survey.
- Recognition by Grand Fondo Guide, a national riding resource, as one of the top gravel rides in the West.
A case study on the South Lincoln County community’s efforts to develop high impact events was published by Write to Know Consulting in February 2015.
Frontline Staff Training
Attendees of the South Lincoln County Rural Tourism Studio identified frontline staff training as a priority impact area for the destination.
Key project highlights include:
- Implementation of the We Speak Oregon Program to develop a team of friendly local experts as tourism resources for twelve different topics.
- In an effort to make the program sustainable, training sessions were filmed between 2012 and 2015 to create DVDs for future use. Nine training sessions, each focused on a specific topic, attracted a total of 225 participants.
- Development of a campaign to promote the We Speak Program at area businesses.
A case study on the South Lincoln County community’s efforts to develop a We Speak program was published by Write to Know Consulting in May 2015
Rural Tourism Studio
Workshops that help rural communities develop and offer high-value, authentic experiences to travelers—in a sustainable, manageable way.
Travel Oregon offers Rural Tourism Studios to help communities build their appeal as visitor destinations with on-the-ground guidance, training and support tailored to each destination’s unique offerings.