Visit Central Oregon has been reappointed by Travel Oregon to serve as Central Oregon’s official Regional Destination Management Organization (RDMO), both organizations announced on June 4 during the Oregon Tourism Commission meeting held in Medford.
The decision renews Visit Central Oregon’s role as RDMO — which the organization has performed since 2006 — through fiscal 2032-33. As one of seven RDMOs statewide, Visit Central Oregon manages Central Oregon’s Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP). Travel Oregon’s program dedicates 20 percent of the state’s transient lodging taxes to regional programming and activities across the state’s seven regions. In Central Oregon, Visit Central Oregon also utilizes Deschutes County funds to further maximize the economic impact of tourism in the region.
To be designated RDMO, Visit Central Oregon submitted a regional plan that included a proposal on how best to allocate state funds for the RCTP. Travel Oregon approves plans based on specific metrics and accountability standards that govern the program.
“We are thrilled that Travel Oregon has once again entrusted Visit Central Oregon as the region’s official Regional Destination Management Organization,” said Kristine McConnell, Visit Central Oregon’s vice president of regional programs. “This is a vitally important role that not only allows us to continue overseeing the RCTP in Central Oregon but also ensures that Visit Central Oregon’s stewardship efforts with Travel Oregon will not be disrupted. Visit Central Oregon works with industry partners toward a shared and sustainable vision of tourism for this region that we all love, and the support of Travel Oregon and our regional partners is so important for us to reach those long-term goals.”
“In the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program Request for Proposal, we asked applicants to develop a plan and budget that aligns with Travel Oregon’s 10-Year Strategic Vision to deliver remarkable tourism experiences that optimize economic opportunity, advance equity, and respect the ecosystems, cultures, and places that make Oregon … Oregon,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Visit Central Oregon successfully showcased their commitment and ability to help achieve this shared vision and we look forward to collaborating over the next eight years to steward a sustainable, resilient, and equitable tourism economy in Central Oregon and beyond.”
Visit Central Oregon works together with Travel Oregon and regional industry stakeholders to responsibly and creatively establish the region as a year-round visitor destination. With programs such as the Central Oregon Future Fund, which has contributed $1.3 million in grant funds for 27 regional tourism projects in its first two years, and the newly launched Central Oregon Destination Management Studio. Additionally, they collaborate to create and elevate management systems and strategies that support emerging communities and manage high-use, thereby preserving community livability, improving resident sentiment, leveraging the visitor experience, and enhancing the regional economy.
Serving Deschutes County since 1971, Visit Central Oregon is the longest-serving Destination Marketing Organization in the region. Its annual budget of more than $3 million is primarily funded by transient room tax revenues generated within Deschutes County. For more than 18 years, Visit Central Oregon has also served as the regional conduit for statewide, national, and international programs developed by Travel Oregon, providing organizational coordination, staffing, collaboration, implementation, and program follow-through for the RCTP.
The designated tourism region of Central Oregon includes Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, South Wasco counties, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
For more information about Visit Central Oregon or the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program, visit visitcentraloregon.com.
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.
