October 21-22, Reedsport, OR
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association is excited to bring you a full lineup of engaging and inspiring workshops at the 2025 People’s Coast Summit in Reedsport.
In this campus style summit, attendees will break out into different venues across town to learn about everything from content and marketing strategies for their business, working with influencers, AI tools, grant writing, stewardship, and more.
Read on for a full breakdown of the workshops and activities that will be available to attendees of this end-of-season tourism event.
Learn more and Register here!
Workshops announced for 2025 People’s Coast Summit!
Travel Oregon International Sales 101
Presented by: Thomas Moser, Global Sales Manager, Travel Oregon
International tourism is a key part of Oregon’s economy. Research shows that international visitors stay longer, spend more money and visit the United States during off peak travel periods. From overseas sales missions, to local familiarization tours, to the receptive operator buying chain, you’ll find out how Travel Oregon is attracting over 1.5 million international visitors to Oregon and how your organization can benefit by working with these markets.
This session will help you develop successful tactics and identify existing resources to help drive your organization toward success in the international tourism marketplace.
Level Up with AI: Smarter Tools for Tourism
Presented by: Zach Martin, Tactical Adaptability Group
From streamlining guest communication to automating bookings and content creation, AI is changing the way tourism businesses operate. This hands-on workshop will introduce practical tools, tips, and use cases for incorporating AI into your workflow, whether you’re a small business owner, DMO, or tour operator. Learn how to boost efficiency, enhance customer experience, and free up time for the creative, human side of your work.
This workshop is a great jumping off point for anyone who has started exploring the potential for AI in their business, and are ready to take the next steps in learning how to utilize these tools efficiently and responsibly.
Grants 101: Crafting Compelling Proposals with Travel Oregon
Presented by: Dawn Smallman, Stewardship Investments Manager, Travel Oregon; Deb Vaughn, Grants Manager, Travel Oregon
Join Travel Oregon for Grantsmithing 101, a hands-on, conversational workshop designed to sharpen your grant writing skills and deepen your understanding of the grantmaker’s perspective. Led by Grants Manager Deb Vaughn and Stewardship Investments Manager Dawn Smallman, this session will help you avoid common pitfalls, align your proposals with funder priorities, and craft compelling narratives and budgets that stand out.
You’ll gain insights from real-world examples and reviewer feedback while building a stronger, more strategic approach to securing funding. Ideal for nonprofits, destination organizations, city and regional leaders, and tourism businesses ready to level up their grants game.
Telling Your Story Through Social Media and Partnerships
Presented by: Alanna Kieffer, Marine Science & Sustainable Seafood Educator
In a world flooded with content, how do you create meaningful, consistent messaging that benefits your brand and your community? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn from Alanna Kieffer—a marine science and sustainable seafood educator based on the Oregon Coast—who brings a thoughtful, values-driven approach to digital storytelling that has skyrocketed this past year.
Social media doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Alanna will share her tips for making social media more approachable, enjoyable, and strategic. You’ll learn how to develop a content calendar, use AI tools to brainstorm content ideas, and schedule posts in advance all to reduce stress and time.
The workshop will cover how to build authentic community and influencer partnerships, what to ask for (and offer), and how to ensure the collaboration feels aligned and worth sharing. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to refine your strategy, you’ll walk away with actionable tools to help you plan, post, and connect with purpose.
Lorax Like a Local – How to Share Your Stewardship Message
Presented by: Taryn Sutton, Education Program Coordinator, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
There are many stakeholders along the coast with shared goals and values, from protecting natural resources to fostering respectful visitor behavior. Why not join forces to amplify those messages? In this interactive session, Yaquina Head’s Education Coordinator, Taryn Sutton, will share practical strategies to help you “Lorax Like a Local” — speaking for the coast in ways that inspire action, foster community pride, and resonate with residents and visitors alike. Walk away with tools, examples, and collaboration ideas to strengthen and unify stewardship communication across our region.
Content Strategies: A Practical Guide to Starting (and Elevating) Your Content
Presented by: Amara DePaul, Social Media Manager, Oregon Coast Visitors Association
Whether you’re just beginning or looking to elevate your existing content, this hands-on workshop will guide you through the essentials of creating content that connects, informs, and inspires. Designed for small business owners, city staff, or community leaders, this session will help you clarify your message, identify your audience, and build a content strategy that fits your time and resources.
We’ll cover:
Real-world examples from other towns and small businesses doing it well
How to get started when you don’t know where to begin
Creating content pillars that align with your mission and values
Tools and tips for writing, photography, and video, even if you’re a team of one
Simple ways to level up your content with storytelling, visuals, and strategy
Sustainable Trails: Lessons from the Oregon Coast
Presented by: Daniel Fenn, Park Ranger, South Slough Reserve; Trevor Bradford, South Coast Stewardship Coordinator, Trailkeepers of Oregon; Eddie Kessler, Ptarmigan Trails
What is a sustainably built trail—and why does it matter? This workshop explores the fundamentals of sustainable trail design, construction, and maintenance, with real-world examples from the Oregon Coast. Hear from Trevor Bradford of Trailkeepers of Oregon, who brings expertise in trail stewardship and volunteer coordination, and Daniel Fenn from South Slough Reserve, offering insights from land and habitat management.
Whether you’re working with volunteers or paid crews, you’ll gain practical strategies for creating trails that minimize impact, reduce maintenance, and enhance the user experience.
Fueling Small Business Success: Tools, Funding & Financial Know-How
Presented by: Derek Tonn, Director, Southwestern Oregon SBDC
Led by Derek Tonn, Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), this session will begin with an introduction to the free, confidential one-on-one advising services available through your local SBDC—on topics ranging from business planning, branding and identity, business acquisition and/or exit strategies to accessing regional and statewide networks of other partners and resources.
From there, we will explore the topic of financial literacy, tailored for small business owners on the Oregon Coast. Derek will walk participants through the reframing of the classic business equation—shifting from Sales Revenue – Expenses = Income to Income + Expenses = Sales Revenue. This flipped perspective begins with your personal financial needs: what do you need your business to pay you (in total and per-hour) to afford to live here? From there, we’ll discuss business expenses and confront the all-important question—can your business realistically generate enough sales revenue to pay both your personal income needs and your business expenses?
Opening Doors: Inclusive Employment in Tourism and Hospitality through the Employment First Initiative
Presented by: Arica Sears, Deputy Director of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, Melanie Hartwig, Office of Developmental Disability Services
What happens when the tourism industry becomes a leader in inclusion? Along the Oregon Coast, that question is being answered through the collaborative efforts of the Employment First Initiative, employers, and workforce partners committed to expanding supported employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In this session, Arica Sears, Deputy Director of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, joins Melanie Hartwig of the Office of Developmental Disability Services (ODDS) and a panel of business leaders who have embraced inclusive hiring. Together, they will explore how accessible employment practices not only transform lives—but also strengthen businesses and communities.
Attendees will learn:
- How Employment First connects individuals with disabilities to meaningful, community-based employment
- Success stories from Oregon tourism and hospitality employers and employees who have benefitted from integrated supported employment models
- Practical steps for workforce boards and businesses to build inclusive hiring pipelines
- Tools and resources available through ODDS and local partnerships
With Oregon’s coastal economy relying on service-driven sectors, this session offers a compelling look at how inclusion can be a strategic advantage—and a moral imperative. Join us to learn how your organization can be part of this movement toward a more accessible and equitable workforce.
OCVA 101 Study Hall
Presented by: Oregon Coast Visitors Association Staff
Join us for an informal and interactive session with OCVA staff members, where you’ll dive deeper into their current projects and explore how their work aligns with your organization’s goals. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, find areas of collaboration, and gain a clearer understanding of how OCVA can support your efforts. During a summit filled with valuable information, take advantage of this one-on-one time to engage with the team and connect in a meaningful way!
The People’s Coast Summit is a campus style event taking place across multiple venues in Reedsport. This year’s full agenda (coming soon) will feature a line up of speakers and workshops that will offer big-picture thinking and topics valuable to tourism stakeholders from all over the coast. Attendees can expect to takeaway valuable knowledge and resources around destination marketing, technology, sustainability, and more!
Get ready for the Oregon Coastal tourism event of the year.
Register here!
Sponsorship
Thank you to Cardwell Creative, Oregon Coast Today, Media America, Pelican Brewing, and Explore Lincoln City for their sponsorship of the 2025 People’s Coast Summit.
For partners who want to get even more involved, we are offering various sponsorship levels to suit your goals and budget, including exclusive benefits such as logo placement on event materials, complimentary summit registrations, and opportunities for direct engagement with attendees.
Sponsorship offers a great opportunity for you to gain brand visibility, engage in networking opportunities, be seen as an industry leader, and make a community impact.
View our sponsorship opportunities here, and contact Deputy Director Arica Sears for more information about becoming a sponsor of the 2025 People’s Coast Summit.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association organizes this event to keep coastal businesses, leaders and nonprofits up to date on new trends, studies and topics for the tourism industry while providing plenty of casual networking and fun entertainment. Stay tuned for details on workshops, speakers, and more for this year’s Summit.