(Photo | Courtesy of Visit Central Oregon)
The tourism outlook for 2022 looks positive. According to data from the U.S. Travel Association, domestic leisure travel nationwide is projected to reach 99 percent of the pre-pandemic peak this year and to grow steadily thereafter.
According to research on U.S. travelers from Destination Analysts, current traveler sentiment is a dichotomy between concern and excitement as the year kicks off. While American travelers are more worried than ever about contracting the virus, they are also excited to travel and are making plans.
Eighty percent of American travelers surveyed have trips currently planned in 2022. The average number of anticipated leisure trips planned over the next 12 months is at its highest peak since the pandemic started at 3.1 trips.
Not surprisingly, business travel and large meetings and events are facing a slower rebound from the pandemic. Spending on travel for large, in-person meetings and events declined by 76 percent last year resulting in a $97B loss to the industry nationwide. Business travel is critical to the full recovery of travel and is not projected to fully recover before 2024.
With the workforce landscape changing at a rapid pace, it may beg the question whether business travel will ever fully rebound. Currently 18 percent of the U.S. workforce is estimated to be in permanently remote jobs and that number is projected to reach 25 percent in the near future. Many of us have grown accustomed to remote working and video conferencing is now the norm. But as more people move to permanent remote work, the need to connect with co-workers and build relationships will be strong. Business travel may look different in the future and travelers may re-evaluate their business trips. However, the desire to connect with others and build teams will drive meetings of the future.
One of the biggest concerns facing the travel industry is the labor shortage which is impacting all tourism sectors including airlines, hotels and restaurants. It’s no surprise that jobs in hospitality were the hardest hit during the pandemic with one in five jobs lost related to tourism. While there has been some rebound in labor shortages, this will be a longer-term recovery for the industry. According to the Oregon bureau of labor, one in five hospitality workers still employed in Oregon have shifted to another industry. Employers in the tourism sector are facing more competition for an already tight labor market.
Despite the challenges facing the tourism industry over the last two years, Central Oregon has fared well. Consumer demand remained strong throughout the pandemic. Visitors continue to seek out our natural places and scenic beauty, culinary experiences and the arts and culture that the region offers.
At Visit Central Oregon, we continue to innovate our marketing and programs to attract visitors to the region. New initiatives include a newly launched brand, logo and website. We’ve broadened our content to include all types of adventures and featured a diversity of people to be welcoming to all.
Our mission at Visit Central Oregon is to drive economic impact through promoting leisure travel, meeting, events and group business. By dispersing visitors throughout the region and promoting off-peak visitation, we support a robust tourism economy year-round for Central Oregon.
As part of our efforts to responsibly market the region, we’re proactively promoting outdoor experiences and destination stewardship. Our video series Take Care Out There, in collaboration with Discover Your Forest and Travel Oregon, educates people on how to respect our natural wonders while recreating in the region.
We’ve also committed to creating experiences both visitors and locals alike can enjoy through our murals project: The Central Oregon Mural Trail. These large-scale art installations are vibrant reminders of what makes each of our communities in Central Oregon special. Murals have been installed in Redmond, Maupin, La Pine, Sunriver and at the Visit Central Oregon welcome desk at the Redmond Airport. More murals are planned for the future.
