Travel Oregon is pleased to announce the launch of several new marketing channels now available for the promotion of destinations, attractions and businesses that serve the visitor market.

Today's consumers acquire information through a multitude of channels spanning print, online, e-newsletters, blogs and social media portals. In order to capture the attention of these active, engaged prospects, Travel Oregon has aligned its marketing products to adapt to consumers' shifting media habits.

Three new advertising opportunities are available to reach the consumer with your marketing message every step of the way:

The Curious Traveler ... www.TravelOregon.com
NEW region and activity specific display ad positions available

• The key portal for travel information promoted by Travel Oregon's 4.8 million dollar marketing campaign
• 1.6 million unique visits and more than eight million pages viewed annually
• 25% traffic growth year over year
• Consumers spend an average seven minutes on the site, planning

The Serious Traveler ... Oregon Trip Planner
Select a full-color display ad that fits your budget

• Now the only official state visitor guide in print
• EXPANDED distribution of 300,000
• The key information piece used by visitors and welcome center staff
• Distributed at high traffic locations such as Portland International Airport

Oregon Fans ... E-Newsletters and our new online/interactive magazine
Tap into this engaged audience with ads and sponsorships

• They love Oregon! - 130,000 subscribers opt-in to receive information every month
• New! Niche newsletters - geared to the outdoor recreation and culinary frequent traveler who takes longer trips
• New! Quarterly interactive magazine creating a dialogue with the consumer

For advertising inquires, please contact MEDIAmerica. As our content provider and advertising sales firm, MEDIAmerica is ready to create a custom program for you - opportunities exist at every budget level, and discounts are available when purchasing multiple media.

Contact Betsy Hand for your custom consultation at betsyh@mediamerica.net or call 503.445.8809.

A recent research study reveals that 78 percent of all U.S. leisure travelers participate in cultural and/or heritage activities while traveling, translating to 118.3 million adults each year. With cultural and heritage travelers spending an average of $994 per trip, they contribute more than $192 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

The study is the first to segment cultural and/or heritage travelers, showing the diverse groups that exist within this broader category of traveler. The segmentation analysis uncovered five different types of cultural and heritage travelers: Passionate, Well-rounded, Aspirational, Self-Guided, and Keeping it Light. Three segments - Passionate, Well-rounded, and Self-guided - were more serious about their travels and said that cultural and heritage activities had a greater impact on their destination choice. Together, these three segments represent 40% of all leisure travelers and contribute nearly $124 billion to the U.S. economy.

Cultural and heritage travelers as a whole are more frequent travelers, reporting an average of 5.01 leisure trips in the past 12 months. They are more frequent business travelers and more likely to have taken an international trip in the past 12 months than their non-cultural/heritage counterparts. They are also likely to travel farther to get the experiences they seek: about half of most recent overnight leisure trips were 500 miles or more from home. More than a third say they traveled between 100 and 300 miles for a day trip.

The study found that cultural and heritage travelers are more likely to participate in culinary activities, such as sampling artisan food and wines, attending food and wine festivals, visiting farmers' markets, shopping for gourmet foods, and enjoying unique dining experiences as well as fine dining.

Other cultural and heritage activities identified by travelers include visiting historic sites (66 percent); attending historical re-enactments (64 percent); visiting art museums/galleries (54 percent); attending an art/craft fair or festival (45 percent); attending a professional dance performance (44 percent); visiting state/national parks (41 percent); shopping in museum stores (32 percent); and exploring urban neighborhoods (30 percent). The vast majority of these travelers (65 percent) say that they seek travel experiences where the "destination, its buildings and surroundings have retained their historic character."

The study was conducted by Mandala Research for the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Heritage Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, and its website www.gozaic.com was lead sponsor of the study.

Oregon bicycle riders can now nominate their favorite routes for consideration as State Scenic Bikeways.

Such designated bikeways would follow roads and bicycle paths that connect riders with outstanding scenic, historic and natural settings.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will accept nominations through Jan. 31, 2010, and annually from Nov. 1 - Jan. 31 thereafter.

An Oregon Scenic Bikeways handbook is now online at www.oregonscenicbikeways.org and gives a step-by-step designation process and provides instructions and forms for nominators.

Nominations will be considered by the Oregon Scenic Bikeway Committee, an advisory group that will recommend scenic bikeway designations to the OPRD director.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission must give final approvals.

The Oregon program is the first state government-sanctioned scenic bikeway designation process in the nation.

The program is a partnership between Cycle Oregon, Travel Oregon, the Oregon Department of Transportation and OPRD.

The Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, which was developed as a 2005 pilot project by the partnership, serves as a prototype for the program. The Willamette Valley route has been officially recognized as Oregon's first state scenic bikeway.

For more information on the Scenic Bikeways program, contact Alexandra Phillips at 503.986.0631 or alex.phillips@state.or.us

As part of its business luncheon series, Travel Salem will engage the speaking talents of Melody Johnson of the International Culinary Tourism Association on November 19, 2009 at the Mission Mill Museum.

Johnson will speak on the topic of "Culinary Tourism: Successful Ingredients in Economic Development"

RSVP's and prepayment of $18 is required / $23 at the door. Space is limited for the 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. event. Lunch is included in the cost.

Click here to for more information and to register

The northeastern Oregon town of Echo has been given the national America in Bloom Award for cities of under 4,000 population. The award was given at the eighth annual America in Bloom Symposium and Awards Program at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa.

America in Bloom is a national campaign and contest that promotes enhancing communities through beautification. In the friendly competition, communities are matched by population and evaluated on their efforts related to heritage conservation, floral displays, urban forestry, landscaped areas, turf and groundcover, tidiness, environmental awareness, and community involvement.

Over the previous three years Echo had earned special recognition from America in Bloom for its heritage preservation efforts (twice) and urban forestry efforts. This year, as well as winning overall in its population category, the city received special recognition for community involvement.

The community has 10 properties on the National Register of Historic Places and many other historic buildings and sites in and within a few miles of town. There are three town history books and a cultural inventory to tell the city's history. The 1920 Echo Bank Building, which is on the National Register, has been converted to a historical museum.