Yesterday, Travel Oregon shared the 23-25 Draft Strategic Plan online. The public comment period is open to anyone who wants to provide feedback. All comments related to the draft strategic plan and budget must be submitted by May 31.

During the May 18 virtual Oregon Tourism Commission Meeting there will be a review of the draft strategic plan and budget as well as a public hearing. Comments intended to be shared with the commission prior to the meeting are due by 5 p.m. on May 16.

To understand more about the strategic planning and budget development process, visit the industry site.

Direct questions to industry@traveloregon.com. 

Did you miss the 2023 Governor’s Conference on Tourism or want to look back at some of the content? General session recordings are now available on the Travel Oregon YouTube channel. Breakout sessions were not recorded and are therefore not available.

A selection of photos from the event can also be found here.

In collaboration with Southern Oregon University, Travel Southern Oregon and Travel Oregon, we're offering an immersive program to help you get involved in sustainable tourism. Join us June 1-2 in the Rogue Valley for the second cohort of our Sustainable Tourism Professional Training. Brought to you by the continued support and collaboration of Travel Southern Oregon, Travel Oregon and SOU Institute for Applied Sustainability, this training is offered free of charge. Those who work in the tourism and hospitality industry are encouraged to attend. Participants will also learn first-hand how sustainable tourism intersects with Travel Oregon's 10-Year Strategic Vision.

The training is limited to 50 participants. Lodging is available at a discounted rate through Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites. To book call the hotel directly at 541-482-8310 and ask for the Sustainable Tourism Training group discount.

 RSVP here.

The webinar will feature a presentation from Destination Analysts on statewide findings and key takeaways of the latest Oregon Visitor Profile study, which was completed in collaboration with Destination Analysts, Travel Oregon, the Port of Portland and DMOs from across the state. This robust survey features data from over 15,000 Oregon visitors and provides insights on their perceptions, motivations, trip details, satisfaction, planning and demographics.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain a better understanding of Oregon's visitors and how to better serve them. Register here.

In April, a delegation from Oregon including Travel Oregon, Travel Portland, Eastern Oregon Visitors Association, Washington County Visitors Association, Oregon Destination Association and Travel Southern Oregon joined U.S. Travel at Destination Capitol Hill. Oregon had one of the largest delegations of the 38 states in attendance. We were only topped in numbers by California. Hundreds of meetings with elected leaders (as seen in Politico Influence) took place where nearly 250 travel advocates elevated the industry’s economic impact and shared top legislative asks from the travel industry.

Visa-related issues are the top deterrent for travelers from non-visa waiver countries, even ahead of cost, and it was a topic of continued concern expressed by our members this week. The government has the legislative ability to reduce visa wait times. See recent coverage here: New York Times, CNN Quest Means Business and Skift.

According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, March marked the lowest monthly gain since December of 2020. Specifically, the leisure and hospitality sector added only 72,000—far below the prior average gain of 95,000 jobs over the last six months. Nationwide, there is a need to grow the seasonal workforce by increasing the current cap on H-2B visas from 66,000 to 150,000 and establishing a cap exemption for returning workers -- asks that were reinforced on Capitol Hill last month.

Questions about Destination Capitol Hill or U.S. Travel’s legislative priorities can be directed to industry@traveloregon.com.