EDA State Tourism Grant Update
In September, Travel Oregon submitted an application to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for non-competitive grant funding awarded to states to support economic recovery in communities that rely on tourism-related activities such as leisure and business travel and outdoor recreation. At the direction of the governor’s office, the application allocated Oregon’s State Tourism Grant funds toward promotional efforts and broadcast opportunities leading up to, and during the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. We are pleased to announce that the application was successful, and the EDA will fund 100% of the costs of the award.
These grant funds will provide crucial funding to leverage Oregon22’s global broadcast platform with embedded footage of Oregon’s landscapes and natural amenities leading up to, and during the event. The World Athletics Championships-Oregon22 will be among the most widely watched sporting events in the world next year. Some 3,000 media will be in Oregon reporting the event to an estimated billion viewers in 200 countries, this exposure is estimated to have the equivalent value of $100M in advertising costs (based on research from the World Athletic Championships in London in 2017). The Championships will be broadcast live in all of Travel Oregon’s key international markets, including Japan, China, Europe, and Australia. It will also be the centerpiece of NBC Sport’s coverage here in the U.S., with two hours live, prime time coverage every evening for ten days. Hosting the World Athletics Championships is an unprecedented opportunity to highlight all corners of Oregon, inspiring viewers from around the world to visit Oregon during the event, as well as drive demand for future leisure and business travel to Oregon.
In the coming months, Travel Oregon will work closely with the EDA on all details of the grant program and process. We look forward to providing more updates soon.
