After months of construction, the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (OTH) in North Bend has completed upgrades to its concourse and gate area. The renovations, designed to better serve passengers and SkyWest crews, include a new feature wall showcasing photography of Oregon’s South Coast. TSOC is proud to have helped select the photos and photographers for this display. The project completion will be celebrated with an official Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Open House in the airport terminal on April 6 from 4-6PM.

The Oregon Coast Travelability Group (OCTG), led by the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA), has received the highest honor in Oregon tourism, the Governor’s Award. This award recognizes the collective work our coastal communities have undertaken to make the Oregon Coast more welcoming and accessible for visitors with disabilities.

Here are a few other recent highlights from OCTG:

• In the last three years, this group has secured over $1.3 million in Travel Oregon grant funding.
• Twelve coastal destinations, including Oregon's Adventure Coast and Curry County, have partnered with Wheel the World, helping Oregon become the first "Destination Verified" state in the US.
• They have created and updated a Mobi-Mat Toolkit to help communities acquire and maintain the mats.
• Their film, "Accessible, Inclusive Travel on the Oregon Coast," won first place out of 52 international entries at the Emerging Markets Summit. It also won the Silver Award in the Destination Video category at the 34th Annual North American Travel Journalists Association Awards.
• The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) named the Oregon Coast one of the top 20 places to visit in 2026, specifically highlighting the investments in accessibility.

Thanks, and congratulations to everyone who helped make this award possible. Read the article and watch a video for highlights of the work that earned this honor.

Travel Southern Oregon Coast recently connected with hundreds of Canadian adventurers and travel enthusiasts at the Vancouver Outdoor Adventure Show, one of Western Canada’s largest outdoor recreation and travel events.

The show draws thousands of highly motivated travelers planning their next trips, especially those seeking nature-based and shoulder-season getaways.

A strong regional team attended to showcase the South Coast’s diverse offerings, from scenic coastal trails and world-class fishing to unique lodging options. The team included Julie Miller (TSOC), Megan Egli (OCVA), Dave Lacey (OCVA and South Coast Tours), Janice Langlinais (Oregon’s Adventure Coast), and Miranda Plagge (Oregon’s Wild Rivers Coast). Travel Oregon and other regional destination management organizations were also present, reinforcing a coordinated, statewide approach to developing international markets.

Events like this play an important role in our tourism strategy, building awareness and travel intent to support more resilient, year-round visitation across our coastal communities.

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Join Southern Oregon University for their Accessible Tourism Ambassador Training on April 17 in Florence. This practical, hands-on workshop is designed for tourism professionals, frontline staff, business owners, and destination planners who want to become leaders in inclusive travel. Through group activities and real-world case studies, you'll learn actionable accessibility strategies that you can apply immediately.

Oregon legislators recently passed two bills, HB4134 and HB4148, affecting how the Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) is collected and used. Here is a summary of how these bills impact tourism funds.

Amy Vick is the happy winner of our Fall advertising campaign, a "Cozy South Coast Getaway."

In addition to a two-night stay at The Wildflower Inn in Gold Beach, she received a beach bag full of Kissing Rock Coffee merchandise and South Coast Roast coffee, plus adventure gear and a two night stay at Gold Beach's stylish The Wildflower Inn.

Join Trailkeepers of Oregon for their stewardship events this April in Coos and Curry Counties. Coos events are at Sunset Bay, April 24 & 25, 10AM - 2PM. Curry events are at Rogue River Walk on April 17, 12PM - 4PM, and Samuel Boardman April 18, 10AM - 2PM.

If you have trails that you would like to work on or different days you are available, contact Trevor Bradford, our South Coast Stewardship Coordinator.

In our rural county, tourism isn’t just marketing—it’s economic development, workforce development, and community vitality all working together. And in communities like ours, tourism becomes a thread that runs through the entire local economy.

Not long ago, I spoke with a small business owner on our coast, who told me something that stuck with me. She said, "When visitors come through town, it’s not just my shop that benefits… it’s the whole community that feels it." 

That’s the reality of tourism in rural Oregon. It supports the small café that stays open through the winter. It helps a family-run motel keep the lights on. And it gives young people a reason to believe they can build a future in the place they call home.

But rural communities often do this work with very small teams and limited resources. In Curry County, we wear many hats. On any given day, we might be working on marketing campaigns, workforce initiatives, event development, partnerships, and visitor stewardship.

That’s why the Governor’s Conference on Tourism matters so much to communities like ours. For rural Oregon, it’s not just a conference. It’s where ideas take shape. It’s where partnerships begin. And it’s where small communities plug into the collective energy of Oregon’s tourism industry.

Many of the initiatives we’re building today on Oregon’s Wild Rivers Coast—from stronger regional collaboration to new visitor experiences—trace back to relationships and inspiration that began at gatherings like this one.

And perhaps most importantly, the conference reminds rural communities that we are not alone in this work. Because many of Oregon’s most extraordinary visitor experiences live in places just like ours—along rugged coastlines, wild rivers, scenic byways, and in small towns that welcome travelers with open arms.

When rural communities succeed, Oregon’s tourism story becomes stronger, more authentic, and more resilient. The Governor’s Conference helps make that possible by giving rural leaders the knowledge, partnerships, and inspiration to bring those benefits home.

And I’ll leave you with this thought: When you invest in rural tourism, you’re not just supporting destinations — you’re sustaining communities.

On behalf of Curry County and Oregon’s Wild Rivers Coast, thank you for continuing to create that space for rural Oregon.