Oregon Tour & Travel Alliance
E-Newsletter
Message from Your President

Thank you to all who were able to join us for our night out at Bullwinkle’s in Wilsonville.  Though we had a small group, we had great fun!  I don’t think I have bowled in over 20 years and have to say, I truly enjoyed myself (of course that could have been because of the company I was in)!   Taking the time to reconnect in person with old friends and new, was just what I needed.   As we continue on in our summer season, I am reminding you to take care of yourselves.  Whether that is spending a few hours reconnecting and bowling with friends, squeezing in that 10 minute break that you never manage to take, or treating yourself to that indulgent coffee drink (without guilt because you do deserve it!) those moments for yourself can make all the difference.  

Be well.  You’ve got this!


Tammy Thompson
OTTA President
Hotelco, LLC
Are You Willing to Serve?

A great way to enhance your membership is to participate on a committee or join our Board of Directors. Board terms are for two years and we meet one time a month, typically via Zoom, to discuss our programs and goals as well as share updates about what is going on around the state. This is a great opportunity for you to expand your tourism knowledge and network within Oregon. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to anyone on the Board

Our dear friend and Board Member, Nancy Burke, has retired from Mediamerica and in turn resigned from our Board effective June 30th.  Nancy and her soon to be retired husband are looking forward to spending more time with their families and grandson, traveling, hiking/camping and checking items off their bucket list.  I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to Nancy for her time serving on the Board and the Organization Development committee.  Thank you for making a difference!  Betsy Hand, whom many of you already know, will be our new contact for Mediamerica and can be reached at betsyh@mediamerica.net.
The Road to Hayward Field Begins
WCH Oregon22 is an unmissable global experience taking place in the United States for the very first time. The best track and field athletes in the world are coming together in a celebration of diversity, human potential, and athletic achievement. This extraordinary showcase is taking center stage in the heart and home of the sport of track and field in the U.S: in Oregon, in Eugene, in Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
 
Chris Chester is going to spend most of her July in Eugene at Hayward field as part of the Oregon 22 crew. My assignment? COVID card inspector!! Not the most glamorous of details but I will be there … live    absorbing all the excitement and will get to meet many of the visitors coming through the gate. Also hoping for time to chit chat about Lane County and the rest of Oregon. It has been a lifelong bucket list item to volunteer at a huge event. I think this is as big as it will ever get for me and I am so excited. Hope to see you there.
World Athletics Championships
Family Pack Ticket Offer for Industry Partners

CH Oregon22 has created a special “Family Pack” ticket offer for industry partners, offering an unforgettable viewing experience. The offer includes 4 tickets for $60 total. Click here to purchase tickets to four sessions listed below: 

  1. Day one opening session: Welcome the world to Oregon
  2. Day two morning session: Watch the world's best run, jump and throw in this jam-packed session
  3. Day three morning session: Watch the men's 10,000-meter final on the same track that Steve Prefontaine set an American record in 1974
  4. Day four morning session: Women in the Spotlight celebrates female athletes from around the globe

We are so excited for you to experience this extraordinary event and can't wait for you to #feeltheglory of the heart and home of track and field in Eugene. See you in July!
Member Profile: Maggie Conrad,
Best Western Agate Beach Inn

I moved to Oregon at the age of 16 years old and graduated from Siletz High School; moving from a high school in Minnesota with a graduating class of 1,000 students to a class of 19 students, talk about culture shock! But I loved it and I have lived in Lincoln County ever since, raising my two children here. I started in the hospitality business at 16 years old working for a well-known and loved restaurant in Newport called The 4J’s. My first job was a bus boy. I made bank! Or so I thought, for my age. They have since closed and the Shilo now owns the spot their restaurant was located. That experience “sealed the deal” for my hospitality career.

The Best Western Plus Agate Beach Inn Newport brings a professional meeting perspective to our charming coastal community with one of the largest conference facilities and incredible views of the Pacific Ocean, Agate Beach, and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Centrally located, we are only 91 miles from Eugene, 81 miles from Salem and only 118 miles from Portland.

The Best Western Plus Agate Beach Inn is a full-service facility offering over 5,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space. Amenities include a heated indoor pool and Jacuzzi, 24-Hour exercise room, Ocean view dining, coin-op guest laundry, sundry shop and business center. Each of our 147 beautiful guest rooms feature spacious king or two queen beds, with an option of Ocean View or Hillside accommodations. They are all equipped with air conditioning, microwaves, refrigerators, complimentary coffee, hair dryers, iron and ironing boards, flat screen TV, and high-speed wireless internet access is available complimentary in all guest rooms. I encourage you to stop by for a tour!

I first started with OTTA when I was a Sales Manager at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort. I grew very fond of the members and loved the comradery. When I received the Director of Sales job at the Best Western Plus Agate Beach Inn, I knew I needed to sign us up! I have now been a member for 5 years.

I learned about OTTA at the first Governor’s Conference I attended in the early 2000’s. I was bidding on a wonderful basket that was donated by one of the Oregon regions when I started chatting with one of the OTTA members, one thing led to another, and I asked my boss if I could join, and it’s been a delight ever since.

The Tour and Travel leads that we receive have been a huge plus for our business. Also learning about how to work with tour operators and receptive tour companies has been enlightening! I would have not known how to sell to this market without OTTA.

Our trip to Astoria a few years ago was one of my favorites. I had not been to Astoria in many years, and I was pleasantly surprised at all the new offerings this city has! Maybe I just wasn’t looking in the correct place those many years ago, but OTTA made sure I knew how special Astoria is on this visit. Again, I bid on the wonderful basket for Astoria so my husband and I could return for a special vacation, and I knew where to take him.

I look forward to getting back on track. COVID destroyed the Sales Department at my place of business. For a while I was the last man standing and had a variety of hats in our Sales, Conference Planning and Banquet departments. Last summer we hired back a Remote Sales Manager to help weed through all the cancellations and rebooking’s. In the fall we hired back our Sales Coordinator who also handles all our group reservations. In December we hired the Director of Catering, and our Banquet Manager was hired in April. I can now sigh relief that we have good people to make things run smoothly.

Last summer saw a few bus groups back but this summer, oh my! They are full speed ahead. There have been a few COVID related hiccups, but we made changes to make things work for these groups. What we do different now is allow a person on a bus to quarantine in their room for up to 5 days, if tested positive while on the tour (additional restrictions apply). In the past quarantine was not allowed at our hotel.
News Around the State
Travel Oregon Trip Ideas
Calendar of Events


Around the State
 
July 15-17, 2022: PASEO - Travel Oregon
 
OTTA Calendar
 
October 24 – Fall Meeting in Ashland – 8:30 am – 2:00 pm - registration will open in August

Oregon Tour & Travel Alliance
503.626.8197