Travel Oregon is hosting a group of UK operators on a fam trip as part of its attempt to grow awareness of the state among the travel trade.
Eight operators will take part in next week’s fam, which will include a tour of Oregon’s largest city, Portland, the Oregon coast, and the Cascades Mountain range.
Tour operators on the trip include representatives of Purely Travel, Travelbag, Discover North America, Best4Travel, Journeyscape, American Affair, Bon Voyage Travel and Freedom Destinations.
Oregon Trade Account Director Della Tully said: “We are really hoping to inspire operators and agents with both the fam trip and training sessions, which we can do virtually or by visiting agents and operators in their offices.
“We are finding there is a huge amount of interest from travellers who are looking to get outside and experience the diverse landscapes on one of the many trails, as well as the growing food and wine scene in Oregon.”
She said the direct British Airways flight from Heathrow to Portland is a key factor agents and operators should consider when selling to clients.
Della said: “We know that Oregon is often a third or fourth visit for UK travellers, but we want to get the message out that it’s easily accessible, with either the direct flights or twinning with California or Washington for a fly-drive of the region.”
As well as driving and hiking trails, the Oregon Film Trail – a statewide network of signs placed at iconic film locations – will be under the spotlight this year as Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Goonies’ celebrates its 40th anniversary. The town of Astoria, which is the main setting for the film, will host a celebration from 5-8 June.
Travel Oregon has also just hosted its first Oregon Media Marketplace in Portland, which brought together suppliers with 70 national and international journalists to showcase the different regions, with focuses on wellness and local culinary trends.
