To the Editor:

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, where Oregon’s best and brightest in the travel and tourism industry came together to share ideas and strategize for strengthening communities through the power of travel.

Here in Oregon, travel contributes $9.6 billion – that’s billion with a “B” – to Oregon’s economy and directly supports nearly 94,000 jobs. In the John Day River Territory, visitors spent nearly $19 million last year. This spending directly supports local businesses and nearly 300 jobs in hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, and businesses throughout Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Grant counties.

Much of this success comes from the energy and creativity of the John Day River Territory, a group of businesses, government entities, and local organizations who doggedly pursue one mission: To put our little corner of the world on the map as a must-see destination for travelers.

People are taking notice. The John Day River Territory was featured in an online video, shared at the conference as a case study for how rural communities can harness the power of travel to drive economic growth.

Plans are underway to make the John Day River Territory the most bike-friendly region in Oregon with an innovative Bike-Friendly Business Program and the designation of a second Oregon Scenic Bikeway. This will help local businesses and communities capture a larger share of the $400 million cycling contributes to Oregon’s economy each year.

And Travel Oregon also is investing to introduce the Painted Hills and the John Day River Territory to travelers as part of its multimillion-dollar “7 Wonders of Oregon” marketing campaign.

There are many ways you or your business can keep the momentum going. The easiest is to connect with the John Day River Territory through their monthly meetings or online via Facebook, Instagram or www.johndayriverterritory.com.

As the tourism season kicks off, please remember our biggest strength is who we are: proud of our communities, welcoming to visitors, and enthusiastic about sharing this special place we call home.

Happy Travels!

Elizabeth Farrar

Wagon Wheel Media

Condon