HELLO!
Welcome to Explore Lincoln City’s Industry eNewsletter, where we share updates, initiatives, and resources to support our tourism community. Please feel free to pass this along to colleagues and partners to help strengthen our collective outreach.
Kim Cooper Findling
Director, Explore Lincoln City
| |
Lincoln City is taking another step forward in inclusive travel. KultureCity sensory-friendly resources are now available at the Explore Lincoln City Welcome Center and Driftwood Public Library, and the need is greater than many people realize. According to KultureCity, 1 in 4 individuals live with a sensory need or invisible disability, including those with autism, PTSD, dementia, or the lasting effects of a stroke. For these visitors, crowds, unfamiliar sounds, bright lights, and even certain smells can be not just overwhelming, but physically painful.
KultureCity kits provide tools and support — such as headphones, sunglasses, and fidget toys — that help individuals and families navigate new environments with greater comfort and confidence, because everyone should be able to experience a great coastal getaway! Check out Explore Lincoln City's Accessibility page to learn more about these accessibility efforts.
| |
Earlier this month, Explore Lincoln City and Chinook Winds Casino Resort celebrated the installation of two new interpretive signs marking the 45th parallel — the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole — which runs directly through Lincoln City. The event brought together community members, elected officials, and visitors to recognize a geographic distinction that few destinations can claim with the installation of these colorful new signs to encourage visitation and photo opportunities. This project was a great example of how reinvesting transient lodging tax dollars back into the community can create experiences that benefit everyone. Learn more about the 45th Parallel at ExploreLincolnCity.com
| |
|
|
Lincoln City is proud to have played a role in one of the Oregon Coast’s most meaningful recent honors. On March 9, at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Portland, the Oregon Coast Visitors Association’s TravelAbility Group won the Governor’s Award. This is well-earned recognition of the collaborative, coast-wide effort to make Oregon’s beaches and communities more accessible to all.
Explore Lincoln City and Lincoln City Parks and Recreation are grateful to have been part of this effort alongside dozens of partner organizations. As Lincoln City has grown into a recognized accessibility leader in Oregon, that reputation translates directly into visitor interest, overnight stays, and economic activity for local businesses.
Looking ahead, accessibility initiatives continue at full speed. Phases 2 and 3 of Schooner Creek Discovery Park will bring additional innovations, including Hearing Loops, and the upcoming Explore Lincoln City Welcome Center at D River Wayside will feature Hearing Loops, beach wheelchairs, EnChroma Glasses for those with colorblindness, and KultureCity sensory assets — alongside the beloved Mobi-mats already in place at the D River beach access.
| |
|
A new 1.25% tourism tax on overnight lodging stays was signed into law in Oregon in February as part of HB 4134, the 1.25% for Wildlife Bill, and will take effect next January. As the industry plans ahead for this mandatory statewide lodging tax increase, it’s worth understanding how tax changes can influence traveler behavior and booking patterns. Oregon State University’s Sustainable Tourism Lab has published research on tourism tax elasticity that offers useful context for lodging and hospitality partners. We encourage you to explore these findings.
| |
If you’ve visited the Lincoln City Cultural Center Plaza lately, you may have noticed something new near the Poetry Path. An interpretive sign for Poppy, the beloved large-scale sculpture by artist Pete Beeman, was installed on March 26. This new addition gives visitors and residents the context and story behind one of Lincoln City’s most striking pieces of public art.
It marks a years-long effort by the Lincoln City Public Arts Committee and Explore Lincoln City to give Poppy the storytelling it deserves, including information about the artist, the sculpture's scale, and its unique kinetic nature. It's a small addition that makes a big difference in how visitors connect with Lincoln City’s cultural landscape. Check out Lincoln City's Cultural Center for more about Poppy and the other installations in the Cultural Plaza. The Poppy sculpture, along with other public art installations, are featured along the Lincoln City Art Trail.
| |
|
The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is bringing its Regional Roundup to Lincoln City. It’s a great opportunity to connect with peers, share what’s working, and get ahead of the legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry. Sessions will focus on real-world strategies for controlling costs and staying competitive in today’s economy. Attendance is free, but RSVPs are required. The event will be held on May 6th from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at McMenamin's Lighthouse Brew Pub in Lincoln City. Click here to register.
| |
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
When the sun sets over Cascade Head, the real show begins. This stunning view captures the night sky above the Cascade Head Biosphere Region — one of only a handful of UNESCO-designated biosphere regions in the United States and a cornerstone of Lincoln City's growing dark sky efforts. Reducing light pollution in and around protected areas like Cascade Head supports the health of coastal ecosystems while creating unforgettable experiences for visitors — think the Milky Way stretching across the Pacific horizon, undimmed by city lights. Astrotourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in travel, and Lincoln City is well-positioned to lead the way. Learn more about how your business can support dark sky initiatives at ExploreLincolnCity.com.
| |
DID YOU FIND THIS HELPFUL?
Please share the Lincoln City Industry eNewsletter with your colleagues and friends to keep the Lincoln City tourism community connected and up to date! Click here to sign up and stay informed.
| |
|
|
|
|
