Bend outdoor tourism companies get some help

Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 29, 2015

Travel Oregon, the state’s tourism-promotion agency, began a two-day training session in Bend on Wednesday for tour operators, guides and outfitters to bring businesses in those sectors up to speed on what services the agency offers and explain how those services can be used to develop business.

Harry Dalgaard, destination development specialist for Travel Oregon, said the event, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on NW Franklin Avenue, was the agency’s second. A similar one was held in Portland in February, and another will take place in Ashland in November, Dalgaard said.

“The idea is that the outdoor community and the tour operating community in the state of Oregon is growing at a rate (that’s) phenomenal,” Dalgaard said. “And we really wanted to get these people up to speed as far as the services the tourism industry can offer this important segment.”

Ted Taylor, content communications director for Central Oregon Visitors Association, which helped alert local companies about the training session, said the association works with more than 60 guides and outfitters in Central Oregon.

Oregon set a record for overall tourism revenue in 2014, eclipsing $10 billion in direct and indirect spending, according to numbers provided by Travel Oregon. Dalgaard said he expects to see that record broken again in 2015.

“The tourism industry in Oregon is growing really quickly right now,” he said.

Katy Clair, global marketing account executive for Travel Oregon and one of three panelists who spoke Wednesday afternoon, said the challenge is getting local gear outfitters, tour providers and other outdoor tourism companies on board with the messaging.

While the session is open to everyone from prospective tourism entrepreneurs to existing outfitters, Dalgaard said it was aimed at businesses in Oregon that pair tourism with agriculture, as well as biking, rock climbing and mountaineering businesses.

The event centers primarily around group workshops and panel discussions. The first day of the training session focused on helping business operators in attendance better understand how Travel Oregon identifies and promotes local businesses and help them take advantage of those offerings.

For example, Clair said that while the agency highlights local tourism businesses across the state, individual businesses can increase their visibility on the website by going through Travel Oregon’s bike-friendly business program, which affirms a business provides bike-related services for visitors, or by obtaining the “Travel Oregon Forever” sustainable business designation.

The first day also included information on how businesses can target affluent and international visitors. Dalgaard added that the second day is designed to help companies navigate permits and meet with officials.

He said Bend was chosen as one of the first three destinations because of the high volume of companies in the outdoor tourism space in Central Oregon.

“Bend has just an amazing wealth of natural attractions and resources,” Dalgaard said. “Outside of that, there’s an amazing amount of businesses that are primed to take advantage of those resources.”

— Reporter: 541-617-7818, shamway@bendbulletin.com