175th Oregon Trail Anniversary
Partnering with the Oregon Trails Coalition, ODOT, and area RDMOs, to name a few, Eastern Oregon had a unique opportunity to further Oregon’s Heritage Tourism product through the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail in 2018. With a focus for people to come experience the rich physical beauty and diversity of visitor opportunities all along Oregon Trails, and to leave having a greater understanding of our history and what ultimately shaped our Oregon culture. With an emphasis to recognize that we still live our history every day, whether it be eating lunch with a pioneer descendent, or attending an event with the people who have always been here, we want visitors to blend their experiences along the Oregon Trail with its rich and varied landscapes, unique cultural adventures and discover that Oregon is more than just a scenic backdrop, but rather a spiritual experience to be remembered.
The Promotion of the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail was very successful. The brochures have been very popular throughout the state’s welcome centers, NE Oregon, The Dalles, Hood River, and Mt. Hood. The contract for distribution was renewed and will currently continue through the end of March 2020.
Goals
The event creation and promotion of the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail was driven by the 17-19 plan to create more destination development opportunities for cultural heritage and tourism in Eastern Oregon, and to have visitors become more engaged with Oregon’s heritage sites along the Oregon Trail.
The event creation and promotion of the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail was also in direct response to stakeholder feedback to continue product development for cultural, arts, and heritage, working collaboratively throughout the sub-regions with cooperative marketing opportunities.
Outcome
To develop cultural heritage tourism in Eastern Oregon, EOVA supported the commemoration of the Oregon Trail’s 175th Anniversary through the collaborative efforts to renovate the Oregon Trails Marketing Coalition (OTMC)
Results
The Promotion of the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail increased visitation to the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, as well as an increase in visitor spending and overnight lodging. The promotional material for the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail helped to introduce the customer to more experiences along the Oregon Trail throughout all four sub-regions of Eastern Oregon.
Moving Forward
The success of the promotion of the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail reinforced the impact for continued product development for cultural, arts, and heritage and the importance of working collaboratively throughout the sub-regions with cooperative marketing opportunities.
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