October 9, 2023
TRAVEL SOUTHERN OREGON COAST NETWORK NEWS
TSOC SPONSORS AN ALL ACROSS OREGON EPISODE FEATURING COOS BAY, NORTH BEND & CHARLESTON

TSOC takes great pride in sponsoring an episode of All Across Oregon. The segment, featuring the coastal towns of Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston, debuted on September 29, 2023, and offers viewers a delightful exploration of Oregon's Adventure Coast.

The episode showcases the gonzo, heart-stopping Godfather Burger at Vinny's Smoking Good Burgers & Sandwiches, owned by Vinny Catanzaro. It then explores the natural surroundings and exhilarating sand rail adventures available at Boxcar Hill Campground, owned by Todd Goergen. Viewers also get to learn some local history of the tri-city area through the fascinating exhibits at the Coos Bay History Museum with Board Member Steve Greif and Executive Directory Heather Christenbury. The show concludes at Vinny Catanzaro's other restaurant, Yaya's Burrito & Bowls, where the film crew is treated to incredibly overstuffed burritos for the journey home.

All Across Oregon is a local public television program presented by Southern Oregon PBS. The show follows Vinny DiCostanzo, owner of Vinny's Italian Kitchen in Medford, as he journeys across the state in search of delectable cuisine, fascinating individuals, and thrilling experiences.
TSOC'S NEXT LEVEL ADVENTURES BRAND PARTNERSHIP WITH WILDCRAFT A SUCCESS!

TSOC is collaborating with awesome brands, passionate organizations, and authentic influencers to create multiple touch points and a “heartbeat” of content throughout the year to reach our target audience and generate interest and excitement about the Southern Oregon Coast. As part of this effort, educators from Portland's WildCraft Studio School were in Port Orford on September 30, to host an enlightening workshop entitled "Foraging the Southern Oregon Coast."

Catering to the novice wild-mushroom enthusiast, the class delved into the realm of mycology and showcased the unique characteristics of the area. Attendees acquired valuable knowledge in identifying edible mushrooms, plants, and berries, all while absorbing the amazing beauty of the surrounding forest and enjoying sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. The workshop concluded with an enticing outdoor cooking demonstration and a teasing taste of the day's discoveries.

The gathering brought together a diverse set of foragers to the Southern Oregon Coast from across Oregon, California, and as far away as Austin, TX. Most out-of-town visitors spent at least one night in the area, while a few extended their stay and transformed it into a delightful week-long vacation. This collaboration between TSOC and WildCraft is just one more example of TSOC's success in bringing visitors and recognition to the Southern Oregon Coast.
IN A LANDSCAPE PROVIDES A UNIQUE INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL MUSIC

Travel Southern Oregon Coast, Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, and the Coos Bay – North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau partnered once again to bring the entertaining “In A Landscape” concert series to Coos and Curry counties. A trio of classical performances took place on the South Coast this September. Two shows were held on the grounds at Shore Acres State Park in Coos Bay September 7 & 8, while another melodic masterpiece was staged at Valley Flora Farm in Langlois on September 6.
 
Created in 2016 by Oregon native and concert pianist Hunter Noack, "In A Landscape" reimagines the classical music experience. Departing from the conventional concert hall, Noack places a nine-foot concert grand Steinway piano amidst natural landscapes such as parks, ranches, and farms.

Concert attendees are invited to traverse the surrounding environment while listening to classical music played through wireless headphones. This harmonious blend of sound and nature fosters a profound connection not only with the music itself but also with the surrounding environment and fellow listeners.
DON'T FORGET THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE THIS WEEKEND!

It's almost here! On October 14, 2023, the sun and moon will perfectly align to orchestrate an annular eclipse, giving birth to a rare "ring of fire" that will be discernable in the southeastern sky. Beginning a few minutes past 8 AM, this continent's first glimpse of the eclipse will be visible from Langlois to Gleneden Beach, with Reedsport serving as the optimal vantage point.

The peak shadow, when the "ring of fire" occurs, lasts only about 3 to 4.5 minutes with the total duration of the eclipse lasting around 2.5 hours. Yet, on the Southern Oregon Coast, revelries will begin on Friday afternoon and continue through Saturday. Read on to find out what is happening in the towns of Reedsport, North Bend, Charleston, and Bandon. Learn how you can make the most of this rare event.
TRAVEL OREGON LISTS RESOURCES FOR VISITOR EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Travel Oregon has compiled a list of resources to help businesses improve and develop the visitor experience when traveling in Oregon. Resources are available for Culinary & Agritourism, Outdoor Recreation & Stewardship, Tour Operators, Guides & Outfitters, Business Marketing Support, as well as Funding & Additional Resources.

Resources include handbooks, guides marketing templates, toolkits, research results, and on-call technical support. Travel Oregon also lists competitive grants and external funding opportunities. Read on to learn more and to find a resource right for your business or organization.
OREGON COAST VISITORS ASSOCIATION PARTNERS WITH KIND TRAVELER TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

OCVA has announced a destination partnership with Kind Traveler in supporting their "Every Stay Gives Back" community impact campaign. The program, which launched in September, helps OCVA market to sustainable-seeking visitors looking to book Oregon Coast lodging. This partnership is part of OCVA's larger Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Plan.

In this program, every guest stay with participating lodging partners benefits local charities along the Oregon Coast. (Participating charities and lodging partners to be announced soon!) This exciting campaign helps ensure future visitors positively impact our destination and advance responsible tourism principles.

Check out these interesting statistics on how consumers view sustainable travel.
  • 90 Percent of consumers look for sustainable options while traveling.
  • In the last two years, 3 out of 5 consumers have opted for more environmentally-friendly lodging or transportation while traveling.
  • More than half of consumers said they would be willing to pay more for sustainable options.
  • 7 in 10 travelers avoided destinations or services that they did not perceive as sustainable.

Last year OCVA vetted environmental organizations that could be recipients of a give-back program like this one. That application is still open on a rolling basis and interested parties can check out the criteria.

OCVA has a preliminary list of hotels that have expressed an interest in participating in a program like this. Finn Johnson, OCVA North Coast Destination Management Coordinator, will start introducing them to Kind Traveler to see if they want to participate. Anyone can also suggest hotel properties to Finn by emailing him directly.

Stay tuned for more details from OCVA as they prepare for the destination's official launch announcement — coming soon!
OCVA PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE TOURISM TO THE OREGON COAST ON JEFFERSON PUBLIC RADIO

How can you measure the carbon impact of your travel to the Southern Oregon Coast? What can you do to be kind to the Coast, plan a more sustainable trip, or visit and give back?

Listen to Finn Johnson, North Coast Destination Management Coordinator, explain OCVA's new Travel Impact Calculator and sustainable tourism work on Jefferson Public Radio.
OSU WILDFIRE SMOKE TOURISM IMPACT SURVEY

The OSU Sustainable Tourism Lab is surveying the business community about the impact of tourism and wildfire smoke on their businesses.

The survey is part of a larger project to better understand the costs and benefits of tourism across the globe. The survey is open through October 31 and takes about one minute to complete.
Travel Southern Oregon Coast Network
541-297-2821
PHOTO CREDITS: All Across Oregon photos courtesy of Southern Oregon PBS, Foraging on the SOC photos by Sharon Lippold, "In A Landscape" photo by Steven Michael, Schooners Cafe photo by Allison Richards, Kind Traveler photo courtesy of OCVA