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Oregon Businesses Gear Up for the Return of International Travel – Travel Oregon

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Oregon Businesses Gear Up for the Return of International Travel – Travel Oregon


When Holly Roberson, the co-founder of Sip Savor Discover Oregon acquired an e-mail about an academic program on find out how to work with the worldwide journey commerce, she instantly signed up, enthusiastic about new methods to develop her enterprise. “We discovered the workshop tremendous illuminating as a result of worldwide vacationers weren’t on our radar,” she says.

Hosted by Journey Oregon’s worldwide crew in the course of the first week of February, Steps to Success,  a program developed by Worldwide Inbound Journey Affiliation (IITA), was held in 5 areas over the course of 4 days with a complete of six workshops. Every 90-minute program catered to 25-30 members starting from resort groups and boutique inns to eating places and tour operators.

One among Roberson’s key takeaways was studying how most worldwide vacationers plan. “We by no means knew they use journey businesses to e book packages,” she says. In markets from Europe to Japan, vacationers can stroll right into a nook retailer and buy a whole journey from a tour operator that features resort, transportation and some sights and actions or excursions alongside the best way.

“Within the U.S., we don’t actually consider using journey brokers or third-party reserving businesses,” says Laurel McMillan with Go to Central Oregon, who helped arrange the workshop held in her area. “However within the U.Ok. or Australia, it’s quite common to purchase a trip bundle.”

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How these packages are pieced collectively is a considerably hidden side of the tourism business that McMillan and different vacation spot advertising and marketing organizations (DMOs) assist native companies decode. Journey Oregon’s latest workshop, tapped business leaders like ALON Advertising Group and America’s Hub World Excursions to share their experience on the method.

Within the workshop, companies have been coached on find out how to body their hospitality choices as a sellable “product,” making a centered one-sheeter, together with recommendations on find out how to pitch wholesalers (additionally referred to as receptive operators). “When individuals take into consideration on-line journey brokers, it’s locations like Expedia,” says McMillan. “However there’s a community of wholesalers and tons of of tour operators who purchase from them.”

For instance, Rocky Mountain Vacation Excursions (RMHT), one of many largest regional receptive operators, has appreciable entry to the European market. RMHT is considered one of many tour liaisons Journey Oregon works with to showcase inspiring itineraries for the state that any tour operator can then buy. These bookable experiences vary from biking with the Portland-based Pedal Bike Excursions to caving with Bend’s Wanderlust Excursions.

“One among our greatest takeaways from the workshop was the reminder of how helpful it’s to work with third-party reserving businesses,” says Courtney Braun of Wanderlust Excursions. “Even within the mixture of the busy season when it might probably really feel like an excessive amount of legwork, the advantages are at all times well worth the time funding.” Many tour operators create a catalog of curated actions and locations to remain, which makes it straightforward for them to construct a compelling bundle to promote to customers — time and again.

The state and regional DMOs constantly construct connections with tour operators that target completely different markets – from Japan and China to India – once they attend commerce exhibits, just like the latest Go West Summit. The receptive operators then promote Oregon’s inns, sights and excursions to tons of of tour operators, who then promote it to journey brokers, who promote it to customers.

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Leo Rosen-Fischer, the founding father of Tree Climbing at Silver Falls, additionally attended the latest workshop and located the expertise revealed a complete new market. “I’d by no means actually considered connecting with my native DMOs,” he says. He shortly honed in on the one-pager for his enterprise. “It actually took off,” he says. “After a couple of tradeshows I had individuals reaching out to me straight. I feel it’s as a result of climbing old-growth timber is so distinctive to Oregon.”

Rosen-Fischer was so impressed, he booked a visit to Asia to satisfy with extra journey businesses. In his analysis, he found there’s a direct flight from the Philippines to Seattle. “Portland is sensible as a facet journey and tree climbing is that very best attraction,” he says. One other high-quality level that resonated with many members is that worldwide vacationers e book longer stays, starting from 4 to eight weeks at a time.

“On that longer journey, if somebody is touring to San Francisco and Seattle, we’re within the center and we’re very well positioned to seize a few of a few of that visitors,” says Roberson.

“We additionally realized that 20% of tourists are becoming a member of guided excursions.” Roberson and her husband provide excursions primarily by means of wine-tasting experiences. However now she’s working with Journey Lane County to construct out extra itineraries that embrace historic landmarks, museums and even the Cascade Raptor Heart.

Whether or not the receptive tour operator is working with a boutique enterprise or a regional DMO, it’s a mutually helpful partnership. Sunriver is a hotspot for summer season and spring break and outstanding within the home market. “However we’ve been working exhausting to develop the worldwide side and diversify for our shoulder seasons,” says McMillan. And the operators can look to promote particularly in that timeframe.

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“I additionally thought it was fascinating to study from America’s Hub World Excursions that we’ll begin to see extra inbound journey from India and Mexico,” says Roberson. She’s already planning on how that can play into a few of their future initiatives. “It’s actually necessary to me that individuals can see themselves mirrored within the images we share, so making certain that our advertising and marketing encompasses a numerous array of people is a precedence.”

Total, many members discovered the workshop exceeded expectations in sudden methods. Sure, there have been invaluable insights on partnering with the worldwide journey commerce. However this primary in-person model reignited the collective group. “It’s so useful to satisfy face-to-face and brainstorm and gas concepts for future initiatives. The power that everybody got here with is tough to seize over Zoom,” says Braun.

“We have been motivated by all of the assist that exists. We’re a small enterprise and really feel like we’re on somewhat island doing this little factor,” says Roberson. “It was thrilling to find there are companions with lots of attain. It’s not simply my Google adverts and social media posts. We will faucet into a wider community.”For McMillan, the occasion bolstered the significance of the tourism ecosystem — from inns and eating places to actions that each one unite to form the customer expertise. “Typically tour operators are heads down, working in a silo, and it’s straightforward to overlook that there’s a community of companions from the chamber to the DMO and RDMO,” she says. “We’re all on this collectively.”



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Oregon

Powerball ticket worth $328.5 million sold in Oregon

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Powerball ticket worth 8.5 million sold in Oregon


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The first Powerball jackpot of 2025 was sold in Oregon and is worth $328.5 million, according to lottery officials.

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The winner purchased the winning ticket in Beaverton on Thursday, Jan. 17, the Oregon Lottery said. The retail location will not be revealed until a winner has come forward.

The winning numbers for the Saturday drawing were: 14, 31, 35, 64 and 69 and Powerball 23.

The winner has a year to claim their prize, Oregon Lottery spokesperson Melanie Mesaros said. After the winning ticket is presented, “it will take time before a winner can be identified due to security and payment processes.”

Oregon lottery winners, with few exceptions, cannot remain anonymous, Mesaros said.

The winner will have a choice between an annuitized prize of $328.5 million or a lump-sum payment of $146.4 million, according to lottery officials, which are both options before taxes.

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Last year, the largest Powerball prize won in Oregon — a $1.3 billion jackpot — was split between a Portland man, his wife, and friend.

Before Saturday, the most recent Powerball jackpot was sold in December in New York and was worth $256 million.

Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Fernando Cervantes Jr., a news reporter for USA TODAY, contributed to this story.

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Cherrill Crosby is the executive editor of the Statesman Journal and The Register-Guard. Reach her at crosbyc@gannett.com



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Oregon’s Dan Lanning visits 5-star recruit Cantwell, top TE Premer during Midwest run

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Oregon’s Dan Lanning visits 5-star recruit Cantwell, top TE Premer during Midwest run


Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning has been a busy man.

But when you’re the man tasked with running one of the top college football programs in the country, burning jet fuel to shake hands and take photos is a big part of the gig. And Lanning was doing plenty of that last week.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Lanning returned home last week on a two-day tear recruiting some of the top 2026 prospects in the country.

Lanning’s known stops included Lee’s Summit on Jan. 16, where the Tigers have 2027 interior line prospect Zach Harsha (6-5, 260) and 2028 tight end Max Trillo (6-4, 225).

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He was even busier the following day. He had stops at Raymore-Peculiar, where he visited with and offered four-star uncommitted running back DeZephen Walker (6-0, 205) who is believed to be heavily considering Kansas and Nebraska.

Raymore-Peculiar running back DeZephen Walker

Raymore-Peculiar running back DeZephen Walker. / Photo by David Smith, SBLive

He also headed to Illinois, where he swung by Lincoln-Way East to visit with quarterback Jonas Williams, who agreed with the Ducks on Aug. 3, 2024,

A trip to the Springfield, Mo. area was also on the docket, as Lanning traveled to Nixa High School to again meet with the country’s No. 1 2026 offensive lineman, Jackson Cantwell, on Jan. 16. The 6-8, 315 offensive tackle has offers from just about everyone in the country, though he has spoken highly of Lanning and his relationship with the Ducks coach – making Oregon one of the favorites for his services.

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Cantwell was honored by the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 18 during their AFC Divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans after he was selected to represent the Chiefs at the ‘Nike Ones’ showcase during Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans.

Lanning concluded his trip with a little basketball in Hutchinson, Kan., where he watched Great Bend tight end Ian Premer (6-6, 215) – the top tight end in the 2026 class – take on Hutchinson. Premer, a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball, impressed with 22 points in the game.

The Midwest swing adds to a busy month for Lanning, who also has been spotted with Utah No. 1 athlete Salasi Moa and recently secured a visit with top 2026 quarterback and Nashville native Jared Curtis.

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People with disabilities are extra vulnerable in major disasters like wildfires, says Oregon advocate

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People with disabilities are extra vulnerable in major disasters like wildfires, says Oregon advocate


FILE – Scorched wheelchairs rest outside Cypress Meadows Post-Acute, a nursing home leveled by the Camp Fire on Dec. 4, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. The staff was able to safely evacuate all 91 patients.

Noah Berger / AP

Jake Cornett, Executive Director and CEO of the advocacy group Disability Rights Oregon, says he will forever be haunted by Ashlyn Maddox’s death during the 2021 Oregon heat wave.

The Portland woman, 36, was disabled and living in a group foster home. She was dropped off by a medical transport company, but the company didn’t make sure she made it safely into her air-conditioned home. She ended up wandering around for hours in the heat, and died only 50 feet from safety.

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Cornett says, “These deaths are preventable with the right planning, the right strategy for mitigation, the right preparedness and a response plan that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and respects the needs of people with disabilities.”

Jake Cornett, executive director and CEO of Disability Rights Oregon.

Jake Cornett, executive director and CEO of Disability Rights Oregon.

Courtesy of Ramsey Cox

Cornett spoke with “All Things Considered” host Geoff Norcross about Oregon’s ability to help people with disabilities during a natural disaster, such as the deadly wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.


Geoff Norcross: If we were to transport those fires in Southern California here, would we see a similar catastrophe for people with disabilities?

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Jake Cornett: Surely, we fear that the same disasters we’ve seen play out in the catastrophes in the lives of people with disabilities in LA would play out right here in Oregon as well. And I don’t think this is just a theoretical question. It’s only a matter of time before we have major wildfires along Highway 20, very close by in Portland and in other major cities throughout our state.

Norcross: What is the obligation of local governments to provide for people with disabilities when disaster strikes? I guess I’m asking if the Americans with Disabilities Act applies here.

Cornett: Absolutely. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that cities, counties, the state and the federal government are taking into account what the needs are of people with disabilities, and providing accommodations for those needs when engaging in disaster planning.

Norcross: Getting information out to people quickly in a disaster is so critical, especially for something that’s as fast-moving as the LA wildfires. For people who are deaf or blind, can you talk about how that’s extra complicated?

Cornett: Absolutely. You know, emergency response notification systems that happen on your phone are a great tool if you have a phone, or if you have the technology to make your phone provide you the information you need. And that’s particularly important for folks who are blind.

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I think about a blind person who may not have the same visual access to information as others. If police run around your neighborhood and put a notice on your door that says “get out of town, there’s an evacuation order, you’re under wildfire threat,” that notice on your door might not be enough because you can’t access that information.

And this is where cities, counties and the state really have an obligation to adjust to how they communicate so that it’s effective for all people with disabilities.

Norcross: And again, when you say obligation, you mean a legal obligation, not just because it’s the right thing to do.

Cornett: Absolutely. There’s a legal obligation to do that under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Norcross: Even if an evacuation order gets to affected people quickly, there’s this expectation that most people will get in their car and they will leave. How does that expectation leave people with disabilities in even greater danger?

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Cornett: Yeah, that’s another huge issue for people with disabilities, especially when it happens quickly like the LA fires. People think evacuating is getting in the car, driving quickly away to safety.

But many people with disabilities don’t have access to a car, or they can’t physically drive a vehicle. They’re totally reliant on others to transport them to safety. So just providing that notice is not an adequate way to ensure that we are saving the lives of people with disabilities in the way it needs to be done.

Norcross: Is there an event here in Oregon that you can point to that shows us how situated we are to help people with disabilities when disaster strikes, good or bad?

Cornett: Here in Oregon, we’ve seen hundreds die or have serious injuries because of heat in the past few years. Climate change is real. We live in a warming environment, and it’s having a really disproportionate impact on seniors, on people with disabilities and people with underlying medical conditions.

And I’ll forever be haunted by a story of a 30-something year old woman who was dropped off by a medical transport company, but didn’t wait in their air-conditioned van to make sure that she got inside her home where there was air conditioning. Instead, they took off. She wandered around for hours before dying of heat, just 50 feet from her adult foster home.

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These deaths are preventable with the right planning, the right strategy for mitigation, the right preparedness, and a response plan that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and respects the needs of people with disabilities.



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