June 22, 2022                                                                                                                                                                   Photo by Dylan VanWeelden  

Outdoor Recreation Outfitter and Guides Receive $5.6 Million in Funding

Travel Oregon is pleased to announce that 166 outfitters and guides have been awarded more than $5.6 million as part of the relief funding appropriated from the Oregon Legislature during the December 2021 special session. The one-time program provided grants to registered outdoor recreation Oregon resident outfitter and guides financially impacted by restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic or by service disruptions related to drought or wildfire.
Residents from 30 Oregon counties were awarded. Ninety-eight percent of businesses awarded sited financial losses due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic; additionally, 99% of awardees were impacted by the cancellation of bookings.
Direct questions to grants@traveloregon.com.

    June 15 Oregon Tourism Commission Meeting Recording Available Online

    Last week, the Oregon Tourism Commission held a briefing and meeting in Eugene. The in-person meeting was livestreamed and is available to view on the industry YouTube channel
    All materials and presentations from the commission briefing and meeting are available here.
    The next Oregon Tourism Commission briefing and meeting will be held Oct. 3-4. 

      Improve Your Business Visibility Online Using Locl

      Monitoring and managing your reviews on Google Business Profile is one of the best ways to improve your online visibility and conversion. But Google Business Profiles are also part of a rapidly changing platform, which can be hard to keep up with and frustrating to manage - especially when you operate more than one business.
      Join Alexa Darrow of Locl, June 23 at noon, to learn how Locl’s suite of optimization tools can help you prioritize and manage your profile with less hassle. Register here.
      To learn more, visit the Business Listings toolkit

        Upcoming U.S. Travel Webinar: Creating a More Inclusive Travel Experience

        This Pride Month, U.S. Travel is honoring destinations that are championing inclusivity and diversity and bringing together industry leaders and LGBTQ+ travelers to share how DMOs can implement new plans to create safe and welcoming cities across the U.S.
        On Monday, June 27 at 2 p.m. ET, join U.S. Travel’s Malcolm Smith, HospitableMe Founder Billy Kolber and lesbian couple—and world travelers—Roxanne Weijer and Maartje Hensen for this insightful and important conversation. Billy will discuss his work with brands and destinations to better connect and support diverse communities. Vice President of Tourism Development at Louisville Tourism Nicole Twigg will discuss how Louisville is supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Kentucky. Roxanne and Maartje will share their personal experiences traveling around the world and their recommendations for how destinations can become more inclusive.
        Time for Q&A will be allotted. This virtual event is open to the public. Register here.

          U.S. Travel Selects Geoff Freeman as President and CEO 

          Today, U.S. Travel announced Geoff Freeman as the new President and CEO, succeeding Roger Dow who is stepping down after 17 years with the organization. 
          Over the past 20 years, Freeman has built an approach to association leadership that is centered around industry unity and transformational change. In his previous leadership role at U.S. Travel, Freeman’s strategic work led to the industry’s signature bipartisan legislative victory establishing the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 and creating Brand USA.
          Read the official press release from U.S. Travel. 
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