(Photo above: Riverhouse on the Deschutes in Bend | Photo courtesy of Riverhouse on the Deschutes)
If winter tourism numbers are any indication of the volume of visitors headed to the High Desert for spring and summer 2016, then the many new and remodeled local lodging options will see much traffic.
Dave Rathbun, president and general manager of Mount Bachelor — possibly Central Oregon’s most enticing winter tourist draw — says from the start of the season through Presidents Day weekend sales were up 14 percent this winter from last year. As one might suspect, Rathbun explains, “This is mostly snow related. If we continue to get snow we are expecting the best year in the
last 15.”
And when the sun sets over the Cascades, whether winter, spring or summer, visitors are looking to recoup in the spectrum of overnight offerings our area has to offer.
Ben Perle, regional vice president of operations for downtown lodging institution the Oxford, is looking forward to serving tourists and visitors in transit for seasonal recreation as well as business. “Consumer indications point to a strong year for 2016, likely up a few points from last year. After being recognized as the fifth best place to stay in the nation by Trip Advisor, we are eager to deliver. In particular, we expect an increase in business travelers since the economy is doing so well.”
Having witnessed tourism trends as Visit Bend CEO since 2007, Doug La Placa, says, “The health of Bend’s tourism industry has been growing steadily since 2009.” La Placa points to data generated by RRC Research indicating approximately two and a half to three million visitors came to Bend last year for around two and a half days per visit. RRC Research also estimated Bend to have 2,907 units (hotel/motel rooms) available for visitor use and on average, throughout the season, two and a half individuals stayed in those units during a visit.
Adding to the 2016 pool of units available are latest lodging entrant, My Place Hotel, with 63 units and longtime lodging providers, McMenamins, with 40-44 units.
To meet the demands of economy travelers looking for short- or long-term stays, My Place vice president of development Joe Dinger said the spacious, well-designed hotel offers modern rooms (including kitchen facilities) at a reasonable price. Guests have internet access, on-site laundry, storage options, pet-friendly accommodations and a 24-hour store located in the lobby. Company leaders believe the efficient concept, which dispenses with extras like swimming pools and conference centers, means value can be maximized and savings passed on to the traveler.
“When we looked at Washington and Oregon as a whole, Bend was pretty much top of the list and market analysis pointed to the Old Mill District as the prime site within the city. Part of our template is convenient location,”
Dinger said.
McMenamins will complete their expansion this summer. Marketing Manager Renee Rank Ignacio explains, “Over the years, we found that we were turning away more visitors than we were able to book in our hotel. Combine that with the growth in Bend, and it made sense for us to add more hotel rooms. Whether locals, visitors or meeting attendees, we look forward to welcoming more visitors to stay in downtown Bend and at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.”
Overnight facilities sure to draw attention for renovations include Sunriver Resort, The Riverhouse and the Pine Ridge Inn.
Since its inception 50 years ago, Molly Johnson, senior marketing manager for Sunriver Resort, says they have undergone many upgrades and expansions, and their most recent were to the lodge. “It’s a major transformation project,” Johnson said. “All the guest rooms have been remodeled, the bathrooms have been redesigned and we’ve added new artwork. It’s a complete face-lift to the main lodge as well as the 245 guest rooms. We overhauled The Spotted Frog and we’ve added a lobby bar: The Twisted Tavern. We wanted to offer the most up-to-date accommodations while still keeping with the Pacific Northwest style.”
Proposed overnight facilities, which would add additional units in 2017, include the Best Western Premier near the Oregon State Cascades campus, the Troy Field project and the InnSight Hotel Management Group project at the former Bulletin lot on north Wall Street.
The Best Western Premier will hold ground breaking in summer 2017 and is expected to host 120 units with amenities like a bar, lounge, pool and spa. Walt Ramage, project broker for NAI Cascades boasts, “The site is perfectly positioned for anyone visiting the Central Oregon area as it is located on Century Drive, the main artery to the Cascade Lakes and Mount Bachelor. It also benefits the site to be just up the road from the OSU campus. How convenient is that for parents visiting their children and future students visiting the campus?”
My Place, McMenamins and The Best Western Premier combined offer an additional 227 units to the 2,907 already available, though The Best Western Premier won’t be hosting overnighters until late 2017 at the earliest.
Though the proposed sale of downtown Troy field for an accommodations build has been quite controversial, La Placa projects, “The downtown corridor tends to drive the highest occupancy rates and demand the highest room rates in the City. If the project being proposed comes to fruition, my guess is it will be quite popular amongst visitors.”
When asked if the low price of petroleum might be a driver in attracting tourists to Bend in 2016, La Placa said he didn’t expect transportation cost to be a big factor in the volume of tourists. However, he did note, “When gas prices are low, visitors have more discretionary spending money for lodging, shopping, dining and activities during their vacation.” This is good news for retail, food and other service industries which might have been experiencing a lull between holidays and warming months.
The downside of low petroleum prices this winter has been the increase of single occupancy vehicles en route to Mount Bachelor. Rathbun notes, “With so many locals getting back into skiing; car pool, jump on the shuttle, be social, share the ride!”
For comprehensive Central Oregon visitor data see www.visitbend.com/About-Us/summer-survey-2008
