Tourism generates more than $822 million annually for Salem and the Mid-Willamette Valley. Behind that economic impact are thousands of people, businesses and organizations working every day to create exceptional experiences for our visitors. The Tourism Summit is our opportunity to come together, invest in ourselves and one another, and prepare for what’s next.

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For more information on Breakout Sessions, see our Featured Programming section below.

Oregon's Tourism Industry: Winning with Bold Resilience

There is no doubt tourism is under strain, but there are plenty of reasons for optimism. As the world gets even more complex, the Oregon experience becomes rarer and more valuable. We must be fierce stewards of our land and culture, and open for the next generations of visitors. While resilience is essential, it would be a mistake to simply play defense; Oregon tourism demands bold leadership.

Join Randy Harrington Ph.D. For a tour of the "Bold Resilience Matrix": Specific strategies and tactics for taking on the big issues facing Oregon Travel and Tourism—while developing a new, inclusive, bold story about why the magic of Oregon is more precious than ever.

This is not a motivational speech—it is a playbook designed to increase the effectiveness and optionality for active professionals working at the local, statewide, or international level. We will cover everything from governance and lodging tax challenges to marketing communications in an age of influencers. The session will be interactive and, if we keep things in perspective, a good time for all.

breakout sessions

• Meetings & Sports Group Sales: Where You Fit in the Visitor Journey
  Every meeting attendee and sports family visiting Salem creates opportunities for local businesses—from arrival and downtime to dining, shopping, excursions, receptions and extended stays. The key is knowing where your business fits into their experience and how to turn those moments into new customers. This session maps both the Meetings & Conventions attendee journey and the sports family journey, showing hotels, restaurants, attractions, venues and vendors where opportunities exist before, during and after an event. Learn how your business can help enhance the visitor experience while benefiting from group and sports business already coming to our community. You’ll leave with practical ideas, a clearer understanding of Travel Salem’s sales pipeline, and concrete next steps for positioning your business for upcoming meetings, conventions, tournaments and sporting events.

• Don’t Skip the Basics: Build a Stronger Marketing Foundation
  Great marketing starts with a strong foundation. This practical workshop will help tourism and hospitality businesses understand the essential marketing basics that make it easier to gain exposure through Travel Salem’s existing channels. Learn how to better position your business for inclusion in content, PR and media opportunities, publications, digital marketing, visitor communications and more. The bottom line: The easier you make it for us to market your business, the more opportunities we have to put you in front of potential customers.

• The New North Star for Marketing Communications: First-Person Lived Experience
  You see it everywhere. Everyone is in their phones. Younger generations struggle with commonplace communication challenges. Institutions have lost their mojo—health care, universities, schools, government, corporations... News, such as it is, is cobbled together from a dozen apps and influencers. For most of us, our compass wheel is spinning. We don't know what to believe.
  
  For the last year Harrington has been researching the powerful relationship between biology, neurology, and consciousness—and the modern world of marketing communications. At the very least, these scientific models are amazing metaphors for the way complexity unfolds in a digital world. But if we look and listen closely, we will see there is much more understanding and value to be gained.
  
  This session will explore how you can discover and share bold visions, solve long-term and complex problems, and reduce stress for yourself and your team—all by seeing and valuing first-person, lived experience. And yes, that is also the center of the bulls-eye for Oregon tourism. Learn how to discover and develop powerful narratives that are easily sharable. Learn to leverage new methodologies for understanding—especially qualitative measure (ethnography for example).
  
  This will definitely push the boundaries, and it is a little deep at times, but it will also help crack the code to make more sense of a crazy world.

• Oregon’s Tourism Political Landscape
  What’s happening at the state and local level and how changes could impact the industry

Attendees will leave with more than great ideas. You’ll take home real-world tools, actionable resources and practical techniques you can put to work immediately in your organization. Registration deadline is October 27, 2026.

Register your group today

1. Who should attend the Tourism Summit?
The Tourism Summit is for anyone who plays a role in making the Mid-Willamette Valley a great place to visit. Tourism professionals, local businesses, community partners, attractions, hospitality businesses, and curious community members are all welcome. Whether you work directly with visitors or support the visitor economy behind the scenes, there’s something here for you.

2. Is the Tourism Summit intended for businesses of all sizes?
Absolutely. The Tourism Summit is designed to bring together organizations of different sizes and backgrounds, from small businesses and independent operators to larger organizations and community partners.

3. What can I expect at the Tourism Summit?
Expect a day filled with practical ideas, fresh perspectives, and opportunities to connect with others from across the region. The Tourism Summit features educational sessions, conversations about the future of tourism, networking opportunities, and plenty of chances to celebrate the people and organizations helping our region thrive.

4. What are the MOPO Awards?
MOPO stands for The Most Oregon Part of Oregon — a celebration of the people, places, businesses, and ideas that make the Mid-Willamette Valley uniquely Oregon. The MOPO Awards annually recognize those making a meaningful contribution to our visitor economy and helping showcase what makes our region special.

5. Will there be opportunities to network?
Yes! Connecting with fellow local businesses and tourism partners is a big part of the Tourism Summit. Come ready to share ideas, make new connections, and maybe meet the person you’ve been meaning to put a name to.

6. Will lunch be provided?
Yes! Each registration includes buffet lunch provided by Salem Convention Center. For participants with dietary restrictions, please clarify your needs and preferences in the form when you register.

7. When can I register?
Registration is now open and will close October 27. The registration fee is $75.

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