Tourism Spending In Oregon Experiences Eighth Consecutive Year Of Robust Growth

PORTLAND, Ore., May 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Travel Oregon announced that 2017 was the travel industry’s eighth consecutive year of strong growth and economic impact, generating record revenues for the state. Independent findings by Dean Runyan Associates indicate that travel-related spending throughout the state increased by $500 million last year, reaching a record $11.8 billion, while the number of Oregonians directly employed in the industry rose to 112,200, a 2.2 percent increase over the prior year.

“From destination marketing to regional investments in tourism and matching grant programs, everything we do at Travel Oregon is aimed at improving the lives of all Oregonians,” said Todd Davidson, Travel Oregon CEO. “This report affirms the impact of our mission – to drive economic development, enhance communities and create jobs through tourism in every corner of the state.”

The report, which provides detailed estimates of statewide, regional and county travel impact, includes the following findings:

Visitors to Oregon generated $11.8 billion in revenue for the state in 2017. This represents a 4.7 percent increase in spending in real dollars compared to the previous year and marked the eighth straight year of growth.
Last year, Oregon destinations hosted 28.8 million overnight visitors, with hotel room revenue throughout the state increasing by 8 percent.
Domestic visitor air arrivals to Oregon increased by 5.5 percent over the previous year.
The travel industry added more than 2,700 new jobs in 2017, a 2.2 percent increase over the prior year, bringing total statewide travel industry jobs to 112,200.
Secondary impacts from the re-spending of travel-generated revenues by businesses and employees were equivalent to 58,300 jobs in 2017, with earnings of $2.8 billion.
The travel industry’s gross domestic product was $5 billion in 2017.
The travel industry is one of the top three export-oriented industries in rural Oregon counties.

The findings reported by Dean Runyan Associates confirm the economic significance of the travel industry in Oregon. To read the full report, including specific regional and county breakouts, go to Industry.TravelOregon.com/EconomicImpact.

About Travel Oregon
The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors’ experiences by providing information, resources and trip planning tools that inspire travel and consistently convey the exceptional quality of Oregon. The commission aims to improve Oregonians’ quality of life by strengthening economic impacts of the state’s $11.8 billion tourism industry that employs 112,200 Oregonians. Visit Industry.TravelOregon.com to learn more about the industry’s positive impacts and go to TravelOregon.com to be inspired.