Visit Central Oregon (VCO) announces the launch of the Central Oregon Regional Business Development Initiative, a collaborative effort between the destination marketing organizations of Visit Bend, Discover Redmond, Explore Sisters and Explore Prineville. The initiative was designed to leverage regional resources and marketing strategies to support the greater lodging community and foster a robust, year-round tourism economy.
Visit Central Oregon’s Director of Business Development JoAnna Eisler is spearheading the Central Oregon Regional Business Development Initiative as executive director. Jointly funded by the participating DMO partners, the initiative aims to drive consistent travel demand during the off-season, helping Central Oregon’s hotels, resorts, and other lodging partners sustain stable operations and year-round employment.
“Central Oregon’s hospitality sector is a vital component of our regional economy,” said Eisler. “By working together, we can encourage travel during traditionally slower seasons for our region, helping lodging partners provide steady, year-round employment and plan for the future with greater predictability.”
“Proactive and collaborative efforts to attract group business are the next chapter for sustainable and balanced visitation in Central Oregon,” said Jeff Knapp, CEO of Visit Bend. “Group travel for events and conferences helps mitigate the potential negative economic impacts of smoke on leisure travel and reduces pressure on our natural resources by attracting a more diverse visitor base.”
Key objectives of the Central Oregon Regional Business Development Initiative include:
- Strategic Sales, Marketing and Services: Cultivate an integrated sales, marketing and services strategy to drive visitation to Central Oregon during shoulder seasons and optimize promotional efforts and partnerships for expanded regional brand awareness.
- Enhance Regional Collaboration: Unite regional DMOs to amplify Central Oregon’s appeal and share resources for greater economic impact.
- Strengthen Community Well-Being: Support stable jobs and generate substantial spending to the region to strengthen the tourism economy and overall local business
“We’re thrilled to see this level of collaboration taking shape across Central Oregon,” said Jeanine Conforti, director of sales and marketing at Riverhouse Lodge in Bend. “The Central Oregon Regional Business Development Initiative is exactly the kind of strategic, forward- thinking effort our industry needs to support lodging partners and drive sustainable, year-round tourism. It’s exciting to be part of something that strengthens our region while honoring the unique character of each community.”
“”I am incredibly excited to see Visit Central Oregon launching this new regional initiative, particularly with the mix of amazing partners we have involved,” said Scott Larson, CEO of Visit Central Oregon. “When thinking about growing group business, especially during shoulder and winter seasons, this is a great way for us to increase regional collaboration, go places together that none of us can go alone, and bring some of our smaller, regional partners to the table in ways that they previously were unable to do. We believe in supporting a strong, year-round tourism economy that works for all of Central Oregon, and we believe this will be a great addition to our work toward that goal.”
Through the establishment of the Central Oregon Regional Business Development Initiative, Visit Central Oregon and its partners are committed to ensuring that the benefits of tourism are felt across the region, from Sunriver, Bend and Redmond to Prineville and Sisters, for both visitors and residents alike.
About Visit Central Oregon:
Visit Central Oregon is a 501c6 that serves as the regional destination marketing organization. We drive overnight visitation to the region to support a thriving tourism economy. We inspire travel to the region through an integrated marketing campaign that celebrates our unique culture, people, and landscapes. As the Regional Destination Management Organization (RDMO) appointed by the Oregon Tourism Commission, we manage the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP), which is leveraged by the Deschutes County budget to optimize the economic impact of tourism to the region. We collaborate with industry partners towards a shared healthy vision of tourism for the region.
