Hosted by Travel Oregon in partnership with Travel Portland, the annual conference brought together more than 600 tourism professionals for an immersive programme focused on learning, collaboration, and networking. The gathering highlighted efforts to enhance visitor experiences while ensuring tourism contributes to residents’ quality of life, advances equity, respects Oregon’s diverse ecosystems and cultures, and strengthens economic resilience across communities.
Governor’s Award: Oregon Coast Travelability
The Governor’s Award—the highest recognition in Oregon’s tourism industry—was presented to Oregon Coast Travelability, a coastwide, cross-sector initiative working to make the Oregon Coast more accessible for people with disabilities.
Launched in 2022 by a small group of coastal tourism partners, the coalition has grown into a collaborative network of tourism professionals, disability advocates, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses.
The initiative has secured more than $1.3 million in Travel Oregon grant funding for accessibility projects. These include accessibility verifications by Wheel the World, a platform that helps disabled travelers make informed decisions, as well as projects such as accessible tidepool touch tanks at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, an accessible trolley in Yachats, interpretive signage on the Coos Bay Boardwalk highlighting the region’s three Indigenous Tribes, an inclusive playground in Lincoln City, and expanded accessibility assessments.
Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson said the group’s efforts helped spark broader statewide change. He noted that Oregon became the first U.S. state to be Accessibility Verified in partnership with Wheel the World in 2025, describing the coalition’s work as a driving force behind the achievement.
Oregon Marketing Award: Travel Portland
The Oregon Marketing Award was awarded to Travel Portland’s public relations team for its 2025 campaign positioning Portland as America’s Literary Capital.
The “Golden Bookmark” campaign used a creative approach to engage audiences in five literary-focused cities across the United States. In partnership with Little Free Library and Orox Leather Co., the team hid specially crafted bookmarks in Little Free Libraries nationwide. Content creators in each target market were invited to Portland to explore and share the city’s literary culture, highlighting independent bookstores and encouraging audiences to participate in the nationwide search for the Golden Bookmark.
Oregon Prosperity Award: Oregon Main Street Statewide Coordinating Program
The Oregon Prosperity Award recognized the Oregon Main Street Statewide Coordinating Program for its long-standing role in community revitalization.
Since 2008, the programme has supported more than 100 towns across Oregon using a framework built on promotion, organizational support, design, and economic vitality, all with a focus on historic preservation.
By 2021, the programme and its partners had generated a total economic impact of $134.6 million, while also providing free technical services, revitalizing downtown areas, and distributing millions of dollars in grants to communities statewide.
Oregon Equity Award: Oregon Black Pioneers
The Oregon Equity Award was presented to Oregon Black Pioneers for advancing inclusion through storytelling, education, and cultural preservation.
The organisation has played a leading role in elevating Oregon’s Black history through initiatives such as statewide Black History Walking Tours, York Fest, and programmes celebrating Black-owned businesses. Its work has helped bring greater visibility to underrepresented histories while fostering cultural understanding and inclusivity within the tourism sector.
Oregon Stewardship Award: Local Ocean
Local Ocean received the Oregon Stewardship Award for its commitment to sustainability and innovation in the coastal food ecosystem.
In 2025, the organisation introduced a 100 percent fish utilization programme aimed at reducing waste by transforming previously discarded materials into new products. Following the Blue Foods Forum, the group also created a Business Innovation Specialist role to develop seafood byproducts into high-value goods, supporting both environmental sustainability and revenue generation.
These efforts are part of a broader ambition to become the first fully 100 percent fish-utilization restaurant in the United States.
Gene Landsmann Gemütlichkeit Award: Colleen Dougherty
Colleen Dougherty of Oregon Adaptive Sports was honored with the Gene Landsmann Gemütlichkeit Award, which recognises individuals in the Oregon ski community who embody warmth, inclusivity, and a strong sense of belonging.
A co-founder of Oregon Adaptive Sports in 1996 and a longtime board member, Dougherty has spent more than three decades expanding access to skiing and outdoor recreation for people with disabilities. A former Paralympic swimmer and adaptive athlete, she has inspired participation across skiing, cycling, and other outdoor activities while fostering an inclusive culture within the sport.
Oregon Tourism Rising Star Award: Fiona Wylde
Fiona Wylde, founder of Wylde Wind & Water, was named the recipient of the Oregon Tourism Rising Star Award, which recognises emerging leaders with fewer than five years in the tourism industry.
A world champion in stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, and wing foiling, Wylde has built a multifaceted organisation focused on expanding equitable access to water sports in the Columbia River Gorge.
Her initiatives include paid internships for students in the Hood River County School District’s Migrant Education programme, free community summer programmes in stand-up paddleboarding and wing foiling that attract visitors from across the region and beyond, and youth camps and teams serving children throughout the area.
Wylde was also recently appointed by Governor Tina Kotek to serve on the Oregon State Marine Board.