Week 4: The Hospitality & Tourism Industry in Oregon
The Hospitality & Tourism Industry in Oregon
Hospitality and tourism have a major impact on Oregon’s economy. In fact, over the last few years, there has been a statewide focus to increase tourism in Oregon, starting with an action plan that integrated industry surveys, polls, and focus group sessions (Oregon Tourism Action Plan, 2014-16, 2014). Through this work, the group defined the Oregon Experience as:
- Authentic
- Inviting exploration
- Connected to nature
- Shaped by craftsmanship and quality
- Aesthetic, beautiful
- Widely accessible (Oregon Tourism Action Plan, 2014-16, 2014)
In addition, that group also stated that the Oregon Experience was not: “a manufactured destination; ostentatious and flagrantly expensive; passive; inhospitable or unfriendly; or a rip-off or bad value” (Oregon Tourism Action Plan, 2014-16, 2014). The action plan called for creating awareness about the economic impact of tourism and strengthening communications. Major groups spearheading the action plan were the Oregon Tourism and Hospitality Industry Consortium, the Oregon Tourism Commission, and Travel Oregon.
Source: Travel Oregon (Travel Oregon, 2019)
Economic Impact
In 2016, Oregon received $11.3 billion through tourism with 109,000 jobs, and that is without the larger hospitality industry (Morrissey, 2016). The Oregon Tourism and Hospitality Industry Consortium is governed by a steering committee representing a broad range of stakeholders from throughout Oregon. Annually there is an Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism that brings industry leaders throughout Oregon together; the conference is designed to showcase the local area and provide networking opportunities (Astley, 2019).
A 2019 report commissioned by the Oregon Tourism Commission looked at the impact travel has on Oregon (Oregon Travel Impacts, Statewide Estimates, 1992-2018p, 2019). Below are some of their findings:
- Travel activity was up over the previous year.
- Direct spending related to travel was $12.3 billion in 2018, and that was a 4.2 percent increase in dollars from 2017. That was the 9th consecutive year of increased spending.
- There were approximately 29.1 million visitors staying overnight, which was a 1.1 percent increase from 2017. There was also an increase in domestic air arrivals and room demand.
Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI, STR Inc., Energy Information Administration
and Bureau of Transportation Origin and Destination Survey
(Oregon Travel Impacts, Statewide Estimates, 1992-2018p, 2019).
Bureau of Transportation Origin and Destination Survey
(Oregon Travel Impacts, Statewide Estimates, 1992-2018p, 2019)
- It was the 8th consecutive year of increased employment with a 2.9 percent increase over 2017 with 115,400 employees.
- The travel industry is one of the three largest in rural Oregon counties (agriculture/food processing and logging/wood products are the other two). This impacts Oregon’s Gross Domestic Product by $5.5 billion in 2018.
Source: Dean Runyan Associates, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor
Statistics (Oregon Travel Impacts, Statewide Estimates, 1992-2018p, 2019)
According to the State of Oregon Employment Department, the hospitality industry employed about 206,000 workers in 2017 with the majority (about ¾) of them being from the food and beverage sector (Tauer, 2018).
Source: Dean Runyan Associates, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor
Statistics (Oregon Travel Impacts, Statewide Estimates, 1992-2018p, 2019)
Industry Cluster Map
Travel Oregon has produced an industry cluster map showing the relationships between the various industries (Tourism & Hospitality Industry Cluster Map, 2013). The map includes these major categories:
- Recreation: Indoor and outdoor
- Entertainment: Gaming, attractions, concerts, spectator sports, festivals & events, and performing arts
- Transportation: Highway, cycling, air, rail, waterways, and transit
- Accommodations: Hotels & motels, resorts, RV parks, campgrounds, vacation rentals, family & friends housing, and bed & breakfasts
- Culinary: Wineries, breweries, specialty foods, and restaurants
- Marketing & Public Relations: Industry groups and government agencies
- Meeting Facilities & Venues: Performing arts centers, hotels, fairgrounds, outdoor amphitheaters, arenas, exposition centers, convention centers, educational institutions
- Cultural & Heritage: Historical sites, visual arts, performing arts, museums
- Retail: Shopping centers, galleries, gasoline service stations, outlets, farmers’ & outdoor markets, and shopping districts
Collaborative Efforts
If it is not already obvious, tourism growth is a result of collaborative efforts throughout the state. The Oregon Restaurant and Lodging industry is another organization that connects with partners throughout the state to promote tourism, which, in turn, supports their industry. A partial list from their website include (Tourism Partners & National Affiliates, 2019):
Oregon Partners
- Central Oregon Visitors Association
- Clean & Safe Downtown Portland
- Discover Klamath Visitor & Convention Bureau
- Eastern Oregon Visitors Association
- Hood Territory/Columbia River Gorge
- Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild (OBBG)
- Oregon Coast Visitors Association
- Oregon Destination Association
- Oregon Parks & Recreation Department
- Oregon Tourism & Hospitality Consortium
- Oregon Travel Information Council
- Southern Oregon Visitors Association
- Travel Lane County
- Travel Oregon
- Travel Portland
- Travel Salem
- Washington County Visitors Association
- Washington Hospitality Association
National Affiliates
- American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA)
- American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AH&LEI)
- National Restaurant Association (NRA)
- National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF)
- US Travel Association
Source: Travel Oregon (Travel Oregon, 2019)
Environmental Impact of Tourism
With the increased use of transportation to bring in visitors, there is an increase in pollution. Depending on the activities, there may also be increased noise pollution, destruction to flora and fauna, littering, and a change to the environment. On the Oregon Coast, for example, park rangers often caution visitors to stay out of tide pools and to leave starfish and sea anemones alone. In 2019, a North Coast Tourism Management Network was formed with the intention of becoming environmental stewards of the coastal areas in Clatsop and Tillamook counties (Frankowicz, 2019). Sadly, park rangers on the north coast are seeing more waste and refuse.
Source: Pixabay.com
Tourism Marketing
Visitor centers have stocked pamphlets, maps, brochures, and travel guides for decades. While print materials have their place, today’s marketing efforts include video. With the use of smart phones, people can stream video almost everywhere. Drones have enabled people to get a bird’s-eye view of landscapes and activities.
Below are three different videos that demonstrate the power of video to entice visitors to Oregon:
For More Information
- Oregon Cluster Map Links to an external site.
- Oregon Tourism & Hospitality Commission Links to an external site.
- Oregon Travel Impacts: 1991 – 2018, Dean Runyan Associates Links to an external site.
- Travel Oregon Links to an external site.
References
Astley, C. (2019, October 5). Oregon Governor's Conference on Tourism. Retrieved from Travel Oregon: https://industry.traveloregon.com/opportunities/events/oregon-governors-conference-on-tourism/
Frankowicz, K. (2019, May 27). Tourism leaders look at impacts on natural resources. Retrieved from The Astorian: https://www.dailyastorian.com/news/local/tourism-leaders-look-at-impacts-on-natural-resources/article_47ed0ce8-7e67-11e9-b331-779a2e194882.html
Morrissey, S. (2016). Oregon Tourism and Hospitality Industry Consortium. https://industry.traveloregon.com/resources/news/oregon-tourism-and-hospitality-industry-consortium/: Travel Oregon.
(2014). Oregon Tourism Action Plan, 2014-16. Portland, Oregon.
(2019). Oregon Travel Impacts, Statewide Estimates, 1992-2018p. Portland, Oregon: Dean Runyan Associates.
Tauer, G. (2018, August 13). Oregon’s Leisure and Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from State of Oregon Employment Department: https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/oregon-s-leisure-and-hospitality-industry
Tourism & Hospitality Industry Cluster Map. (2013, January). Retrieved from Travel Oregon: https://industry.traveloregon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/oregonexperienceclustermap.pdf
Tourism Partners & National Affiliates. (2019, October 5). Retrieved from Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association: https://www.oregonrla.org/tourism-partners.html
Travel Oregon. (2019, October 5). Retrieved from Travel Oregon: https://traveloregon.com
Source: Velda Arnaud, Blue Mountain Community College, Pendleton, Oregon