Oregon150

By: Todd Davidson, Travel Oregon

I am often asked which of Oregon’s attributes and amenities makes it a more desirable travel destination. For all her beauty and diversity and vistas and experiences - which one makes Oregon special…memorable…cherished?

On September 11, 2001 a plane full of female Japanese junior high school students were flying into Portland, Oregon for a week long educational study tour. The terrorist attacks of that tragic day resulted in their flight being rerouted to Vancouver B.C. - but the efforts of the professionals at Azumano International and an immediately dispatched motorcoach meant their trip across the Canadian border and on into Oregon was only delayed by a day. But they were not allowed to bring their luggage.

And this is when the magic began: their “homestay” families in Oregon met them at the school with clothing; retail stores stayed open late offering the girls personal items and shoes; and attractions they visited in Oregon, knowing the girls were making up time for their lost day, presented them with popular souvenir items from their gift shops as the time to shop was eliminated from their tours.

And for everything the girls saw and did during their six days traveling across Oregon, what was it that was most special and cherished?

It was Oregonians.

And one month after that tragic day, 1000 Oregonians traveled to New York to show America that travel was safe and that we were united as a country. I had the honor and privilege of traveling with this band of Oregonians and experience the gratitude of the hotel employees who were brought back from being furloughed because of the business we brought to their property. But nothing touched me like an elderly woman who was standing along the route of New York’s Columbus Day Parade. The Oregonians had been invited to walk in that parade and the shouts from the crowd expressing their love and appreciation were overwhelming…but this one woman stood on the curb shaking the hand of every Oregonian she could reach and when she got to me she held on. And then as she embraced me, she whispered through her tears, “You have no idea what you all have done for me, for this city.”

This is true power of the tourism industry when unleashed by Oregonians.

For all of her diverse natural beauty, amazing culinary offerings, abundant outdoor recreation, dynamic urban centers, cherished rural communities and sweeping scenic vistas found along backroads throughout the state - to appreciative Japanese students, to the grateful tears of a New Yorker, and to millions of visitors who travel to Oregon each year on vacation from across the country and around the world - it is Oregonians themselves that are our greatest asset.

Travel Oregon’s current campaign has sought to capture “this” effect in our advertising and marketing efforts. The images contained in the ads depict Oregonians who have worked to make or keep Oregon the amazing vacation destination that she is - intimate experiences with a local chef, vintner or purveyor at a farmer’s market; Native Americans who collaborated with their neighboring farmers and ranchers to restore a salmon fishery; a family who shares flyfishing experiences on the McKenzie, and the folks who insured that Oregon’s beaches were always public.

And fifty years from now, as Oregon celebrates her 200th birthday (and me my 100th) I hope we still value how special it is to be an Oregonian and the tremendous opportunity we have to share our amazing corner of the world with our guests and subsequently impact them, our communities and our world.

Photo Caption: Todd with his first Umpqua River steelhead