This report provides visitor spending attributable to travelers who visit a Travel Oregon Welcome Center during their trip. These estimates were produced using annual visitor spending estimates from the Dean Runyan Associates Regional Travel Impact Model and the visitor data collected in eight official state Travel Oregon Welcome Centers, including visitor counts and surveys.
Please note:
- The data for this study was collected in only eight official state Travel Oregon Welcome Centers, for the calendar year of 2019. Therefore, the results can only be used in the context pertaining to the eight official state Travel Oregon Welcome Centers for 2019.
- We collected survey data on visitor spending for trips in Oregon during which the traveler visited one of our welcome centers. This study does not estimate Return on Investment (ROI) of welcome center operating costs or attributed incremental spending because of in-person visitor services, however, we are working towards collecting that kind of data in the future.
- The estimates of spending do not necessarily happen in the same communities the welcome centers reside in and may be spread across multiple areas of the state.
Summary of findings:
“Travelers who stop at welcome centers demonstrate greater engagement by utilizing in-person visitor services and considering additional recommendations from the welcome center staff. This engagement shows in the average spending as well. On average visitors to welcome centers spend 68% more on their entire trip in the state than other types of visitors. In actual amounts this equates to an average spend of $492 per trip vs. $293 per trip. Welcome center staff anecdotally report that visitors indicate adjusting their plans to visit additional attractions, or to stay longer, or plan a return trip to Oregon based on engagement with the staff, however, the data in this report reflects average spending only and does not imply causality between incremental spending due to welcome center experiences. Welcome centers serve as an opportunity to connect with these important visitors. Without a welcome center, they will seek services elsewhere.”
Travel Oregon would like to thank the welcome centers’ staff for their invaluable contribution to this study. Without their data collection efforts this study would have not been possible.