As the travel and tourism industry rebuilds, it’s time to reinvest in industry leaders, especially women who comprise much of the industry workforce. We invite you to attend the pre-Governor’s Conference session at the Hyatt Regency Portland, Monday, April 3 from 8:15 to 11 a.m. Hear from exceptional women in travel, tourism and hospitality as they share stories and rally for the future of our industry.

With a focus on “Finding Your Circle of Influence,” we will discuss the tools and strategies to thoughtfully and proactively create a space that is authentic, motivating and beneficial to our lives – both personally and professionally.

There will be in-person networking, as well as an exclusive platform where all participants are able to connect with fellow professionals. The conversation will be facilitated by Michele Leedom of Clinton Street Consulting. RSVP to events@traveloregon.com by March 20 to save your spot.

Looking for an excuse to start the Governor’s Conference early? Join us Sunday before the conference for the Marketing Mixer. Enjoy drinks, appetizers and an opportunity to share marketing strategies to drive statewide advertising alignment and increase tourism’s economic impact. This event is for tourism partners with an advertising budget of $10,000 or more.

To encourage open conversation between tourism partners, we ask that agencies or companies not attend without their DMO partner. Agencies attending are only able to attend representing their client. 

We hope to see you Sunday, April 2 from 4-6 p.m. at the Regency Club Lounge at the Hyatt Regency Portland. 

Next month’s meeting is in conjunction with the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The meeting will be held in person at the Oregon Convention Center and live-streamed on Travel Oregon’s industry YouTube channel. Meeting details and the agenda are available here.

If you haven’t registered for Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, you can sign up here. Registration closes March 23 at 5 p.m.

Travel Oregon is in the process of developing Grant Guidelines for its next round of Competitive Grants. This round of funding will include both marketing and infrastructure as areas of focus. Eligible applicants have yet to be determined. Guidelines for the program will be available in early May with applications being accepted between May 24-June 21, 2023. The program’s award announcement will be Sept. 11, 2023. All projects must be completed by Dec. 1, 2024. Once finalized, program information will be available through the industry newsletter and online.

A report released by the Oregon Heritage Commission in 2020 demonstrates that the work volunteers do within heritage organizations is indispensable to the preservation of Oregon’s heritage. In fact, most heritage organizations are operated primarily by volunteers. The 2023 Oregon Heritage Virtual Summit on April 27-28 will have facilitated conversation around community engagement and how that impacts volunteer strategies, panel discussions hearing from fellow volunteer managers and volunteers, and a practical workshop to help you engage, retain, and value volunteers in a way that impacts both the volunteer and the organization in meaningful ways. Learn more.

International Dark Sky Week (IDSW) 2023 is April 15-22 and there are many ways Oregon’s communities and tourism industry can support this exciting week of discovering the night. The IDSW outreach kit provides graphics, sample social media posts, newsletter blurbs, and ideas for other ways to participate like hosting an IDSW event or getting your community to adopt an IDSW proclamation.

Interested in celebrating Oregon’s dark skies but not sure where to start? Technical assistance for all things related to dark sky tourism in Oregon, including planning for International Dark Sky Week, can be requested here.

Celebrate Earth Day by volunteering for the Oregon Spring Cleanup, April 22, presented by Portland General Electric. SOLVE volunteers will join forces to improve their communities through beach cleanups, litter cleanups, tree plantings and restoration events from April 15-23, with most projects happening on April 22. Find a map of projects, learn more about each opportunity and sign up here.  Invite your friends, family and coworkers to join an event to do your part in caring for Oregon.