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 2023 was an exciting year for EOVA! With an emphasis on strengthening the foundation to support the organization's vitality, and connecting with industry partners and stakeholders, staff led three planning processes, with in-depth stakeholder engagement including our 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, a Strategic Marketing Plan in partnership with our lead marketing agency, and a Culture and Heritage Assessment to better understand the needs and opportunities for tourism in the space of the arts, culture, and heritage.
Looking at the year ahead, we are excited to build on the momentum, with key priorities including:
Marketing -
- We are finding that the overall awareness of the Eastern Oregon region to our target markets remains relatively low. To bolster the awareness, we will be doing strategic media buys and advertising, investing more in content creation and diversifying our storytelling. Eastern Oregon is well known for its landscapes and signature events, but we want to help audiences get to know our people and businesses, and better understand the rich experiences our region has to offer.
- We’re also looking to be more proactive with cooperative marketing opportunities with our local partners and will be launching a Partner Toolkit and Marketing Co-op Program. --- MORE TO COME SOON!
Industry support and engagement -
- We understand that our partnerships are key to the success of the region and delivering high quality visitor experiences. To strengthen our networks, we will focus on a variety of regional networking and coordination opportunities:
- We’ve kicked off quarterly topical calls virtually (rotating between Culinary and Agritourism, Culture & Heritage, and Outdoor Recreation);
- A call every other month for tourism leaders across the region to connect, share resources, and better coordinate our work;
- And we’re continuing to host in-person quarterly stakeholder meetings around the region
- These engagements assist us in continuing to advocate and be a voice for Eastern Oregon tourism in both regional and state-wide conversations.
We are looking forward to the year ahead and to work with all of you to make tourism in Eastern Oregon outstanding for visitors and have a positive impact for our local communities!
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