The 2024 People’s Coast Summit is a wrap!
Our annual tourism conference concluded on October 9, wrapping up two days of engaging workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and invaluable networking for Oregon’s tourism professionals. This year’s summit brought together industry leaders, local businesses, and community stakeholders to explore key trends shaping the future of Oregon Coast tourism.
The conference is hosted in a new town each year, and this year Florence took center stage. Keynotes were held at the Florence Events Center, and workshops were hosted around town in various venues, which allowed attendees of the conference to get out and explore all Florence has to offer.
Some highlights of the conference included:
- An opening keynote panel titled “Tourism in Focus,” led by Paul Schuytema, which examined the complexities of the tourism landscape along the Oregon Coast
- An exploration of how partners can utilize AI in tourism marketing, led by Rebecca Adelman and Amara DePaul
- A dinner keynote at Driftwood Shores led by Lisa Norton and Jesse Beers on Indigenous Perspectives on Regenerative Tourism
- A great discussion around local arts and culture for economic growth with Liora Sponko, Harlen Springer and Mayor Rod Cross
- A feature from Paul Linnman, reporter for the world-famous exploding whale video, headlining a panel on crisis communications with Angie Galimanis and Julia Amato
- A series of 12 collaborative workshops around town, which dove deeper into topics like business marketing, cycling tourism, plug-and-play graphic design, tourism taxes, inclusive hospitality, and more
- Post-conference activities which showed attendees more central-coast attractions like sandboarding, local art, nature walks, and beach accessibility
- And of course, no Oregon Coast Visitors Association event could be complete without a classic beach bonfire to round out two incredible days of learning and networking.
What Else?
Oregon Coast Hospitality in Focus
How can we strengthen and elevate the hospitality industry across our coastal communities? Bringing together local businesses, industry leaders, and community members at events like this is a great start.
Lane Workforce Partnership (LWP), alongside partners from Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board (SOWIB), Northwest Oregon Works (NOW), Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF), and Collaborative Economic Development Oregon (CEDO) lead a keynote panel at the summit, where they explored how a $446,786 Department of Labor Grant will collaboratively strengthen the hospitality sector, generating nearly 40,000 jobs by 2031.
This is the first grant of its kind awarded to the Oregon Coast hospitality sector and we’re excited to see the momentum continue for the sustainable future of hospitality on the Oregon Coast.
Funding for the Future Seafood Workforce
Another big win showcased at this year’s summit was the success of the High School Seafood Butchery Program, which has been taking place at several Oregon Coast High Schools in efforts to address the gap in Oregon’s blue economy workforce.
NOW’s Maritime Program Coordinator, Len Tumbarello, presented a check to Marcus Hinz and Maggie Michaels for their work on this program in the amount of $72.5K to help OCVA fund all parts and parcels of this Seafood processing training which will expose young Oregonians to the vast resources of the Pacific Ocean and Oregon’s waterways, and encourage careers in the field.
We are honored to host this event year after year as an opportunity for our partners to rest, recharge, and get inspired for the coming seasons. With the support of our partners, we will continue to empower local tourism professionals with the knowledge and resources needed to adapt and thrive in a dynamic and evolving industry.