The warmer weather always indicates the start of high season for agritourism in Oregon. While increased visitation is wonderful for your bottom line, the amplified workload can place a strain on staff and put customer service to the test. Below are five simple suggestions to support your organization’s customer service during the coming summer season.
The Willamette Valley Visitors Association (WVVA) is a private, non-profit organization that supports travel and tourism in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Comprised of six visitors associations, WVVA works to maintain the Willamette Valley as Oregon’s premier wine destination, while highlighting the culture and natural resources of the region.
The tourism region of Willamette Valley includes Benton, Linn, Marion, Polk, Yamhill and portions of Clackamas and Lane counties. The region stretches from the crest of the coast range to the crest of the Cascade Range. The Willamette Valley Visitors Association (WVVA) has been appointed as the tourism entity to contract with Travel Oregon to represent the region.
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The Willamette Valley Visitors Association is honored to be the recipient of the Outstanding Overall Oregon Marketing Program. This award recognizes the best domestic or international marketing program or campaign that attracted visitors to Oregon. WVVA won for the eight-week "Slice of Oregon" promotion that had a 14ft acrylic Pinot noir shaped wine bottle at the San Jose Airport. The bottle was divided into slices showing all the amazing things to do in the Willamette Valley. During its time in San Jose, the bottle reached 660,000 travelers with 3,880 sweepstakes entries.
The 2018 Governor’s Conference on Tourism occurred April 29 - May 1, 2018 at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes in Bend. Travel Oregon presented the 2017 Travel & Tourism Industry Achievement Awards.
WVVA Background and Structure
WVVA was founded as a collaborative regional organization made up of six sub-regional organizations. WVVA's members have been a successful team for over twenty-seven years, and have supported each other’s individual organizations while concurrently working as a cooperative to successfully adopt structural additions like Travel Oregon's Regional Cooperative Tourism Program and the Oregon Wine Country License Plate program. The six entities that comprise WVVA are represented by members of a Board of Directors and Public Relations and Marketing team. Each serve in the following capacities:
Willamette Valley Visitors Association Board of Directors:
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| Irene Bernards President Marion & Polk Counties 181 High St. NE Salem, Oregon 97301 ibernards@travelsalem.com | Rebecca Bond Linn County 110 3rd Ave SE Albany OR 97321 rebecca@albanyvisitors.com | Jeannine Breshears Vice President Secretary Marketing Co-Chair Clackamas County 150 Beavercreek Road Oregon City, OR 97045 jeannine@mthoodterritory.com |
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| Jeff Knapp Yamhill County McMinnville, OR 97128 jeff@visitmcminnville.com | Natalie Inouye Marketing Co-Chair Lane County 754 Olive St. Eugene OR 97401 natalie@eugenecascadescoast.org | Christina Rehklau Benton County 420 NW 2nd St. Corvallis, OR 97330 christina@visitcorvallis.com |
The Willamette Valley Visitors Association’s Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP) plan has been approved by Travel Oregon and is underway. Thank you to all of the Willamette Valley stakeholders that participated in surveys and in-person gatherings to share your thoughts and creativity for this plan.
