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.

The Federal Highway Administration and Oregon Department of Transportation this week awarded Travel Oregon with a $313,000 grant to develop an interactive guide to Oregon's Scenic Byways.

The program, to be developed in 2010, will involve creating a specialized website that leverages the brand cache' of its acclaimed print companion, the Scenic Byways Driving Guide, and extends it into the digital medium.

The new online interface will allow Travel Oregon to weave practical and powerful trip planning information into the Byways experience, including waypoint information (things to see and do, places to stay, etc.), weather and road conditions. With this grant, Travel Oregon can potentially develop the most interactive and comprehensive state Scenic Byways online resource in the country, bringing significantly more travelers to Oregon's spectacular Byways and Tour Routes.

Click here to discover Oregon's Scenic Byways and Tour Routes

We're happy to announce that we've launched Version 1.0 of a new searchable online database that allows tourism industry partners to search for relevant "Partnering Opportunities".

The online guide - a more robust and detailed version of the previously printed document - allows partners to seek out opportunities by department, niche, cost, and relevant keywords.

Once you've selected your interests, the system will create a shopping cart of items the user can print out, and will generate an email to the Travel Oregon team so that we can follow up with you directly.

The Partnering Opportunities database can be accessed here: http://industry.traveloregon.com/partnering

As always, we'd like to hear what you think. Please share your feedback or thoughts with Amy Nyberg at 503.378.8801 or at amy@traveloregon.com

A panel of judges selected seven winners in the Oregon Bounty "Cuisinternship" (pronounced: quiz-een-turn-ship) contest. Each winner will be treated to a weeklong trip to Oregon to shadow one of seven culinary artisans.

More than 130 foodie dreamers from 28 states applied to win the contest by submitting a video and a 140-character "tweet-able essay" explaining why they wanted to win the "Cuisinternship" of their choice.

The contest helped kick off Travel Oregon's largest statewide tourism promotion, Oregon Bounty, celebrating the state's culinary products and the artisans who make them.

The winners in the "Cuisinternship" contest are:
Artisan Food Producer: Lisa Graff from Brooklyn, N.Y. Graff will become a culinary artisan in Southern Oregon with chocolatier Jeff Shepherd of Lillie Belle Farms and cheese maker David Gremmels of Rogue Creamery.

Brew Master: Kevin Kozlen from Bloomington, Ill. Kozlen will turn hops and grains into craft beer with brew master Jamie Emmerson of Hood River's Full Sail Brewery.

Chef: Steve Loh from Los Angeles. Loh will be immersed in Portland’s dynamic food scene working alongside chef Gabe Rucker - one of Portland's culinary provocateurs - learning how to turn out inventive, gourmet meals that delight diners at the award-winning Le Pigeon restaurant.

Distiller: Kitty Gallisa from San Francisco. Gallisa can look forward to obtaining an advanced degree in mixology and learn about Oregon's booming craft spirits industry with distiller Jim Bendis of Central Oregon’s Bendistillery.

Rancher: Seth! Leary from Kirkland, Wash. Leary will saddle up and herd cattle while learning sustainable ranching on two of Eastern Oregon's Country Natural Beef ranches with the Pickard and Boyer families, who have been in the business for generations.

Fisherman: Benjamin Pri-Tal from Portland, Ore. Pri-Tal will head out to sea with charter boat skipper Lars Robison of Dockside Charters and learn the fine art of catching the Oregon Coast's prized wild salmon and rockfish.

Winemaker: David Katz from North Hollywood, Calif. Katz will walk the Willamette Valley vineyards of Penner-Ash Wine Cellars with renowned vintner Lynn Penner-Ash, learning the hands-on techniques involved in vineyard designate winemaking.

Aspiring culinary artisans and foodie travelers can plan their own getaways on Travel Oregon's new comprehensive culinary website: www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty. This planning tool provides an enticing portal into everything there is to taste, sip, see and do in Oregon - from wineries, distilleries and breweries to chefs, artisan producers, farmers markets and insider tips on where to taste the best local flavors - all in a searchable database. Visitors may also order a print travel guide through the site.

To view the winning Cuisinternship videos and essays along with all video submissions go to: www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty

Find more information about the contest and mentors, Travel Oregon's new culinary website, and Oregon Bounty here: http://TravelOregon.Mediaroom.com.

The Oregon Bounty Cuisinternship contest is presented by Travel Oregon, Horizon Air and Best Western Hotels of Oregon.

Take a peak at this creative gem from Lisa Graff, the Artisan Food Producer winner. All of the videos are linked to the winners' names listed above.

According to the editors of Trip Advisor, Oregon has two of the best wine destinations in North America. In their top 10 list of wine regions, the Willamette Valley and the Umpqua Valley placed in the top 5.

Click here to view the complete article