April 2026
TOURISM INDUSTRY NEWS
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Transformational Travel Virtual Workshop
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At Travel Jam in February, Travel Southern Oregon was pleased to host Jake Haupert as our keynote lunch speaker, where he introduced the powerful concept of transformational travel. Building on that momentum, we’re excited to offer a FREE virtual Transformational Travel Workshop on May 5th from 9–11 a.m. This session is ideal for anyone interested in exploring how intentional, values-driven experiences can create meaningful change for travelers and communities alike. Jake will share practical insights and tools to help you design experiences that foster connection, purpose, and lasting impact—while aligning with what today’s travelers are seeking. We hope you’ll join us for this engaging and thought-provoking opportunity!
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Both the Bear Creek Greenway Wine Country Biking Routes and Warner Canyon Sno Park RV and EV upgrades projects in Southern Oregon were awarded Rec Ready grants from Travel Oregon!
The program is delivered in two phases. Phase 1 is focused on planning where communities receive support to transform early concepts into clear, actionable projects through vision development, accessibility planning and project steering committee engagement. Projects that successfully complete Phase 1 will be assessed by Travel Oregon to determine eligibility for Phase 2. Eligible Phase 2 applicants will be invited to apply for up to $100,000 to advance their project’s action plan. Learn more about the program here.
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February Regional Research Report |
In February, hotel demand throughout the Southern Oregon Region fell by 3.5% compared to one year prior, while room Supply increased. As a result, hotel Occupancy dropped by a significant 6.4% from last February to average 44.1% throughout the region.
Occupancy among short term rentals throughout the region averaged 38.8% for the month. Rentals in Medford saw the highest Occupancy in the region at 48.6%, followed by Central Point at 47.9%. Jacksonville was the only area to show an increase in short term rental occupancy YoY.
Read on for a deeper regional dive and full U.S. Market Review.
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| 2026 Competitive Grants Program Guidelines Available |
The 2026 Competitive Grants program will accept Letter of Intent (LOI) submissions between April 7-27, 2026. The large-scale investment program will only consider projects with expenses totaling $1 million or greater as the minimum award for this funding cycle is $500,000, with $5 million available in this cycle.
Read the grant guidelines to see eligibility requirements, funding parameters, LOI questions and decision process/timeline.
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2025 Statewide Lodging Report |
We are pleased to share the 2025 Lodging Summary. This report offers a comprehensive look back at traditional lodging and STVR performance across the state and its regions—perfect for catching up on any trends you may have missed from last year.
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Travel Southern Oregon is committed to supporting the tourism industry through sustainable destination development, ensuring a positive regional economic impact and a great visitor experience.
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