Marketing & Sales Plan Overview
FISCAL YEARS 2026-2028 | JUNE 2026
ALetter from Our President
DearPartnersandStakeholders,
We are pleased to share an overview of Explore Tualatin Valley's Marketing & Sales Plan: a multi-year strategy designed to inspire travel, increaseovernightstays,andencouragerepeatvisitation.
Over the past several years, we have successfully positioned Tualatin Valley as a destination worth visiting. Looking ahead, our greatest opportunity is to transform visits into overnight stays. This plan reflects a strategic shift from promoting what we have to intentionally creating compellingreasonsforvisitorstostaylonger.
Our vision is to make Tualatin Valley not only a destination worth visiting, butonepurposefullydesignedtobeworthstayingin.
As we enter Fiscal Year 2027, we recognize that the national tourism economy continues to face uncertainty. While this plan provides a clear long-term direction, we will remain responsive and adaptable - ready to refineourstrategiesasmarketconditionsevolve.
Thankyouforyourcontinuedpartnershipandsupport.
DaveParulo President&CEO
About Us
ABOUT EXPLORE TUALATIN VALLEY
The Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA), dba Explore Tualatin Valley, is a not-for-profit organization that serves the region’s economic development efforts by actively promoting Washington County as a desired destination to domestic and international leisure travelers, business travelers, day visitors, meeting and event planners, and group tour operators. The association is also a leader in destination development and enhancement for the county and its stakeholders.
TRANSIENT LODGING TAX (TLT) FUNDING
Explore Tualatin Valley is funded by 23% of transient lodging tax (TLT) generated and collected in Washington County executed through an agreement with Washington County, Oregon.
As stewards of tax revenues, Explore Tualatin Valley operates a fiscally responsible organization, while implementing program based research, partnership development and performance accountability. In addition to receiving a portion of TLT, Explore Tualatin Valley also receives a share of funds from the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP), which are allocated by Travel Oregon from the 1.5% state TLT collections.
Board Governance
Explore Tualatin Valley operates under a Board Governance model adhering to our bylaws to ensure fiscal responsibility. The board composition is defined by our bylaws. Our board is comprised of Directors and the Executive Committee, who are the officers of the Board.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Laurine Apolloni, Chair – Apolloni Vineyards
Doug Menke, Secretary – Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District
Marisa Hoiem, Treasurer – Element Portland Beaverton
Dan Murphy – Broadway Rose Theatre Company
Les Davis – Lithtex Printing
Josh Johnson - Binary Brewing and Uptown Beer Co.
DIRECTORS
Chris Ayzoukian - Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
Jim Etzel - Sport Oregon
Alex Kircher – Golden Valley Brewery & Restaurant
Mia Ponzi - Hamacher - Sosta House
Carly Riter - Intel
Tracy Reynolds – Courtyard by Marriott Beaverton
Tim Rosener – Mayor, City of Sherwood
Charlie Sitton – Century Hotel
Jason Snider - Washington County Commissioner
Steve Winkle - Port of Portland
K.L. Wombacher – Hillsboro Hops
Mathea Zietz – McMenamins Grand Lodge
OurTeam
At the heart of Explore Tualatin Valley is a dedicated team of professionals who are passionate about promoting our region and supporting the people and partners who make it a vibrant place to visit and call home. With expertise across marketing, sales, public relations, community engagement, and destination development, the team works collaboratively to elevate Tualatin Valley’s visibility, drive economic impact, and foster lasting connections throughout the region.
Economic Impact
Tourism is a powerful economic driver for Washington County, generating visitor spending that supports local businesses, creates jobs, and strengthens community vitality. By working collaboratively with our partners to develop and promote high-quality visitor experiences, we can continue to diversify the local economy while enhancing the quality of place for both visitors and residents. The following highlights illustrate the significant impact of travel and tourism in Washington County:
3.4 million overnight visitors
9,430 jobs supported through tourism
$56.4 million in State & Local Tax Revenue
$1,008 million in Direct Travel Spending
*Dean Runyan Associates, 2025 Travel Impacts Study
StrategicApproach
FISCAL YEARS 2026-2028
MARKETING & SALES PLAN OVERVIEW FY26-28
Primary Goal:
● Inspire travel to Tualatin Valley, and drive increased overnight stays (leisure, business, sports), extend length of stay, and encourage repeat visitation.
Priority Audiences:
● Regional leisure travelers
● Meeting planners and sports/tournament organizers
Strategic Foundation: Our “Why”
For years, we have successfully positioned Tualatin Valley as a place to visitproximity to Portland, access to wine country, and diverse outdoor and cultural experiences.
But visitation alone is not our goal.
Our growth depends on transforming visits into overnight stays.
This requires a fundamental shift:
From promoting what we have → to designing why people stay.
Driving Overnight Stays
An overnight stay is not driven by awareness alone.
It happens when five conditions are met:
● Ease – It feels simple to get there, get around, and plan
● Time Value – There is enough to do to justify more than one day
● Belonging – The experience feels approachable and personally relevant
● Anchors – There is a compelling reason to stay (event, experience, gathering)
● Continuity – The experience leads to return visits and recommendations
To successfully grow overnight visitation, we must intentionally design for both decision-making journeys.
Strategic Mandate
Over the upcoming fiscal years, we will align all efforts around a single goal: Make Tualatin Valley a place that is not only worth visiting, but intentionally designed to be worth staying in.
This means:
● Reducing friction throughout the visitor journey
● Creating and promoting multi-day experiences
● Centering lodging within storytelling and trip planning
● Developing stay-worthy anchors for both leisure and group travel
● Equipping partners to actively support overnight visitation
● Designing experiences that encourage visitors to extend, return, and recommend
Strategic Foundation: Our Role Moving Forward
To better align our work with how visitors actually make decisions, the FY26–27 Marketing & Sales Plan will be organized into two integrated strategic tracks:
LEISURE & CONSUMER OVERNIGHT DEMAND
Focused on designing Tualatin Valley as an easy, immersive, and worthwhile multi-day leisure destination.
This includes:
● Persona-driven travel inspiration
● Seasonal and experiential campaigns
● Culinary, wine, outdoor recreation, and agritourism
storytelling
● Itinerary and trip-planning development
Lodging integration and overnight conversion strategies
MEETINGS, GROUPS, & SPORTS OVERNIGHT DEMAND
Focused on positioning Tualatin Valley as a flexible, rewarding, and experience-rich destination for multi-day group travel.
This includes:
● Meetings and sports sales strategies
● Lodging, venue and conference center connectivity
● Group experience development
● Attendee stay extensions
● Trade media and B2B storytelling
This structure allows all divisions to work collaboratively while creating clearer audience strategies, messaging frameworks, media planning, and conversion pathways.
Strategic Integrated Initiatives
Our four integrated initiatives represent the strategic priorities that will guide our marketing and sales efforts moving forward.
Together, they create a connected framework that strengthens destination awareness, deepens visitor engagement, grows group and leisure travel, and reinforces Washington County's position as a welcoming, year-round destination.
Rather than operating as standalone campaigns, each initiative is designed to complement and amplify the others and aligns resources, partnerships, and storytelling around shared outcomes. This integrated approach ensures every investment contributes to a stronger visitor economy and advances the goals outlined in our strategic plan.
The “Stay as the Experience” Engine Design bookable, multi-day experiences where the overnight stay is essential, not optional.
Culinary, Agritourism, & Seasonal Journeys
Establish food, wine, and agriculture as immersive, slow-paced experiences that unfold over multiple days.
“Beyond the Day Trip” Narrative Shift
Replace the perception of Tualatin Valley as a day trip with clear, visual proof that staying delivers a richer experience.
Meetings & Events as Stay
Multipliers
Convert group, sports, and event business into multi-day stays through seamless, experience-driven extensions.
Leisure & Consumer Overnight Demand
Fiscal Years 2026-2028
Integrated Initiative #1: The “Stay as the Experience” Engine
Goal: Design bookable, multi-day experiences where the overnight stay is essential, not optional.
Strategic Intent: Transform Tualatin Valley from a place that offers lodging into a place where the stay itself is part of the experience: easy to plan, compelling to book, and impossible to compress into a single day.
Integrated Initiative #1: The “Stay as the Experience” Engine
To increase overnight stays, Tualatin Valley must move beyond promoting places to stay and instead design experiences where the overnight stay is part of the value itself. By aligning lodging, experiences, storytelling, and trip planning into cohesive multi-day journeys, we make staying feel easier, more immersive, and more worthwhile than simply visiting for the day. These efforts work together to reduce friction, strengthen emotional connection, and create clearer pathways from inspiration to booking.
MARKETING
● Create flagship 48–72 hour stay experiences
● Integrate lodging into every campaign and itinerary
● Develop “low-effort getaway” planning content
● Build conversion-focused influencer partnerships tied to overnight experiences
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Pitch “worth staying for” narratives:
● Cozy escapes
● Wine weekends
● Slow travel
● Outdoor overnight experiences
DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SALES & SERVICE
Prioritize grants and development support for:
● Multi-day experiences
● Guided/bookable activities
● Shoulder season extensions Collaborate with partners to explore opportunities that improve visitor ease of movement and destination accessibility
● Equip lodging partners with “Stay Longer” materials
● Convene partner clusters around themed overnight experiences
● Develop lodging partnerships tied to leisure campaigns and seasonal promotions
Integrated Initiative #2: Culinary,Agritourism, & Seasonal Journeys
Goal: Establish food, wine, and agriculture as immersive, slow-paced experiences that unfold over multiple days.
Strategic Intent: Leverage Tualatin Valley’s diversity to create layered, place-based journeys that require time, shifting perception from sampling to staying.
Integrated Initiative #2: Culinary,Agritourism, & Seasonal Journeys
Tualatin Valley’s culinary, wine, and agricultural experiences offer one of the strongest opportunities to create year-round overnight demand through immersive, place-based travel. By connecting urban and rural experiences into multi-day seasonal journeys, these efforts encourage visitors to slow down, explore more deeply, and extend their stay across different communities and experiences. Together, these strategies position Tualatin Valley as an approachable and rewarding destination for travelers seeking authentic, experiential escapes close to home.
MARKETING PUBLIC RELATIONS DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SALES & SERVICE
Develop:
● Tualatin Valley offerings that aligns with Oregon’s broader culinary and agritourism story
● Harvest and seasonal campaigns
● Lodging-connected culinary itineraries
Pitch:
● Less-snooty wine narratives
● Slow travel
● Farm-to-table escapes
● Shoulder-season travel
Support:
● Agritourism partners
● Guided experiences
● Dining adjacency opportunities
● Activate rural and culinary partners as destination storytellers
● Foster collaborative event and itinerary development
● Package culinary and wine experiences into group-friendly leisure opportunities
Integrated
Initiative #3: “Beyond the DayTrip”
Narrative Shift
Goal: Replace the perception of Tualatin Valley as a day trip with clear, visual proof that staying delivers a richer experience.
Strategic Intent:
Shift consumer mindset by showing—not telling—that an overnight stay unlocks more meaningful, complete, and enjoyable experiences.
Integrated Initiative #3: “Beyond the DayTrip” Narrative Shift
While Tualatin Valley offers a wide range of experiences, many travelers still perceive the region primarily as a convenient day trip destination. Through intentional storytelling, visual proof, itinerary development, and integrated lodging visibility, this initiative works to reshape that perception by demonstrating the added value, depth, and ease of staying overnight. Together, these efforts help visitors see Tualatin Valley not as a stop along the way, but as a destination worthy of dedicated time and exploration.
MARKETING
Develop:
● Develop persona-driven itineraries
● Build immersive video storytelling
● Create “what you miss if you leave” narrative arcs
● Prioritize lodging-first campaign structures
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Position Tualatin Valley as:
● Approachable wine country
● Easy outdoor escape
● Low-pressure Oregon experience
DESTINATION
DEVELOPMENT
Improve visitor ease through:
● Transportation advocacy
● Trail connectivity
● Outdoor recreation access
● Wayfinding and experience flow
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
● Build geographically connected partner experiences
● Recruit authentic local storytellers and ambassadors
● Identify and strengthen relationships with short-term rental operators and property managers
SALES & SERVICE
● Support lodging and tourism partners with overnight conversion messaging and opportunities (aka “linger longer”)
What Success Looks Like
We will know we are succeeding when:
● Leisure visitors intentionally plan multi-day trips—not just spontaneous day visits
● Meeting attendees, sports travelers, and group visitors extend their stays
● Partners actively promote overnight experiences and lodging opportunities
● Our stories consistently communicate not just what to do—but where and why to stay
● Overnight stays become a natural outcome of how the destination is experienced
● Visitors leave feeling there is still more to discover, experience, and return for
TargetAudiences & Destination Experiences
LEISURE & CONSUMER OVERNIGHT DEMAND
Audiences: Leisure Brand Personas
The Explore Tualatin Valley Leisure Personas framework provides a shared strategic foundation for understanding who our target travelers are, what motivates their decisions, and how Tualatin Valley fits into the experiences they are seeking.
Rather than marketing to a broad, generalized audience, these personas help us focus our efforts on the travelers most likely to engage with our destination, stay overnight, and connect with the experiences we offer.
The personas are integrated into annual planning, campaign development, content strategy, storytelling, partnership alignment, and media planningensuring a more intentional, audience-centered approach across the organization. By grounding our work in traveler motivations, behaviors, and preferences, the framework helps us create more relevant messaging, stronger emotional connections, and more effective pathways from inspiration to visitation.
Audiences: Leisure Brand Personas
INTENTIONAL PORTLAND PARENT
40, HR Director King Neighborhood, NE Portland
Age: Elder Millennial mom (35-54)
Life Stage:
Location: NE Portland's historic Black neighborhoods (King, Boise, Eliot)
Income & Occupation: $85k-120k HH income, mid-level professional (HR, marketing, education, nonprofit) Seasonal activities: pumpkin patches, fall festivals, holiday events
Weekend family outings: "things to do with kids near Portland," "family activities"
Local food experiences: farmers markets, farm-to-table dining Outdoor recreation: parks, playgrounds, light hiking for kids Educational experiences: opportunities to combine learning and fun
Jennifer & Michael Anderson WEEKEND WINE TOURISTS
48 & 46, Marketing Director & Operations VP, Seattle
Age: 40-65
Life Stage: Empty nesters or DINKs
Location: Seattle (primary market), Portland,Vancouver BC, San Francisco
Income & Occupation: $150k-250k+ HH income, Graduate degrees (MBA, Master's), Senior Execs/Entrepreneurs
Regional wineries: "Oregon wine regions," "best wineries near Portland," "Pinot Noir Oregon" Quality specifics: AVAs, vineyard names, winemaker profiles, wine publication ratings, Sustainability certifications (LIVE, Organic, Biodynamic)
Logistics: Wine country lodging, tasting rooms
Golf options: "Golf courses near wineries," "wine and golf packages Oregon"
Audiences: Leisure Brand Personas
Age: 28-50
Life Stage: Single, or partnered (most are dog owners)
Location: Lives in Vancouver, WA—seeks trails in Oregon and Washington equally
Income & Occupation: $85k-150k individual or HH income
Hiking trails: Seeks trails within 45 minutes of Vancouver that are dog-friendly
Experience specifics: Trail difficulty ratings, parking info, current conditions, bike routes with elevation profiles, kayaking or paddleboarding water access points
Breweries: Post-hike spots (visits breweries after outdoor activities)
27, Marketing Manager, Eugene, OR
Age: 25-34 (Gen Z)
Life Stage: Established career, living solo or with partner)
Location: Lives in Eugene, frequently visits Portland metro area
Income & Occupation: $50k-65k (mid-level marketing or brand creative role)
Aesthetics-driven: Instagram-worthy locations and photo opportunities
Local hot spots: Local coffee shops, breweries, and food spots
Budget-conscious & spontaneity: Free or low-cost weekend activities, outdoor adventures close to Eugene/Portland, Events and pop-ups happening "this weekend"
Leisure Media Strategy
The FY26–27 Leisure Media Strategy is designed to inspire travel and drive overnight visitation by reaching the audiences most closely aligned with Explore Tualatin Valley's target leisure personas.
Guided by our newly developed audience personas, we will build customized media mixes that reflect the unique interests, motivations, travel behaviors, and media consumption habits of each traveler segment.
Our investments will strategically combine the right channels, creative messaging, and seasonal timing to engage each audience with relevant, compelling content throughout their travel planning journey.
Our media investments are intentionally focused on high-performing publications, digital platforms, and content environments that best connect with our highest-value audiences. By leveraging an integrated mix of print, digital, paid social, video, search, and emerging media opportunities, we will build destination awareness, inspire trip planning, and reinforce Tualatin Valley as a destination worthy of an overnight stay.
Example Media Mix: 1859/1889, Wine
Example Media Mix: PDX Parent, Vancouver Family Magazine, Portland Monthly, Instagram
LEXI ~ EXPERIENCE EXPLORER
Example Media Mix: Eugene Weekly, Portland Mercury, TikTok, Instagram
JENNIFER & MICHAEL ~ WINE ENTHUSIASTS
JASMINE ~ PORTLAND PARENT
Existing DestinationAnchors & Experience Drivers
As we work to grow overnight visitation, there are already several high-profile destination assets and experience anchors that provide strong opportunities to attract visitors, extend stays, and strengthen Tualatin Valley’s regional visibility. These venues and districts offer built-in audiences, year-round programming, and opportunities to connect lodging, dining, entertainment, and local experiences into more cohesive overnight travel opportunities.
Hillsboro Hops / Ballpark District
The new Hillsboro Hops stadium and Live Nation concert venue create a major opportunity to position the area as a growing entertainment and events hub capable of driving both leisure and group overnight stays.
Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
The Reser continues to elevate Tualatin Valley’s arts and cultural profile through nationally recognized performances, community programming, and opportunities to pair arts experiences with dining, lodging, and regional exploration.
Washington Square & Bridgeport Village
As premier shopping destinations in the region, these retail centers continue to attract both regional and out-of-market visitors, creating opportunities to package shopping with culinary, lodging, and seasonal experiences that encourage extended stays.
Destination Offerings
Our destination offerings are the foundation of the stories we tell, but the way we tell them will vary by audience, season, and travel intent. Rather than promoting experiences in isolation, we will strategically package and message our offerings to resonate with specific visitor personas throughout the year.
This approach allows us to deliver more relevant, timely content that inspires travel while maximizing the strengths of each season and encouraging visitors to discover more of Tualatin Valley.
ARTS & CULTURE
● Professional performing arts
● Public Art
● Cultural Celebrations
FARMS & MARKETS
● U-Pick Farms
● Farmers Markets
● Alpaca, goat & cow farms
FOOD & DINING
● Global Cuisine
● Craft Breweries
● Food Cart Pods
HOTELS & LODGING
● National Brands
● Unique Hotels
● Airbnb/VRBO
OUTDOOR RECREATION
● Hiking Trails
● Nature Parks &
Preserves
● Cycling Trails
● Paddling & Water
Recreation
● World-class Golf
● Premier Shopping Centers
● Boutique, Vintage & Specialty Shops
WINERIES & VINEYARDS
● 50+ Wineries and Tasting Rooms
● Vineyard Experiences
● Wine Events
Sustaining Growth Through Industry Relationships
Achieving our overnight stay goals requires more than strong marketing and sales efforts, it depends on consistent collaboration and relationship-building with the partners, venues, and organizations that help shape the visitor experience every day.
Maintaining an ongoing dialogue with our industry partners allows us to better understand emerging opportunities, align storytelling and visitor messaging, identify product gaps, and co-create experiences that encourage visitors to stay longer and explore more deeply.
As both the destination and traveler expectations evolve, partnering with our key industry segments will remain essential to building a more connected, experience-rich, and competitive Tualatin Valley.
Meetings, Groups, & Sports
Overnight Demand
Fiscal Years 2026-2028
Sales: TargetedAudience Segments
Similar to our Leisure Demand efforts, on the Sales side we also have key targeted audiences, including corporate meeting planners, tour/travel operators, and youth/amateur sports organizers. While leisure travelers are often driven by inspiration and personal exploration, group travel audiences make decisions based on logistics, value, flexibility, and the overall attendee experience.
To grow overnight stays within the meetings, group tour, and sports markets, we must understand not only what these audiences need operationally, but also what makes Tualatin Valley feel like an easy, rewarding, and worthwhile place to extend a stay.
The following audience profiles represent the key planners and organizers who influence multi-day group travel decisions and help drive overnight visitation throughout the region
Corporate Meeting Planners
Summary: Professionals planning small to midsize meetings, trainings, team retreats, and department gatherings. Often detail-oriented, efficiency driven, and looking for a friction free planning experience. Typically balancing budget, ease of access, and attendee experience.
Event Needs:
● Hotel meeting rooms with flexible room configurations
● Breakout rooms (103) for small group sessions
● Hybrid-friendly AV setups
● Space for Small receptions or leadership dinners
Logistics & Support Needs:
● Easy access from PDX and Portland
● Straightforward parking (preferably free)
● Walkable dining options
● Clear load-in, simple arrival flow
Lodging:
● Room blocks (20-100 rooms)
● Consistent amenities: breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking
● Close proximity to meeting space
Group Tour & Travel Planners
Summary: Professionals planning packaged travel experiences for large group tours, motorcoach trips, and organized travel programs. Often coordinating multi-stop itineraries hey prioritize convenience, group-friendly experiences, reliable logistics, and destinations that offer a balance of memorable experiences and operational ease.
Tour Types:
● Multi-day regional tours & wine and culinary tours
● Agricultural, seasonal and themed experiences
● Cultural and sightseeing itineraries
Logistics & Support Needs:
● Motorcoach access and parking
● Streamlined group check-in and unloading
● Pre-planned itineraries and timing coordination
● Group dining and accessible visitor experiences
● Easy proximity between attractions, lodging, and dining
Lodging Needs:
● Group room blocks (20–80+ rooms)
● Reliable, consistent accommodations
● Group-friendly amenities and rates
● Convenient access for coach parking and loading
● Close proximity to attractions and dining experiences
Youth & Amateur Sports Planners
Summary: Professionals organizing youth, amateur, collegiate, and regional sports tournaments. Often managing large room blocks, tight schedules, and complex logistics across multiple venues. Prioritize affordability, proximity, efficiency, and reliable for teams, officials, and families.
Event Types:
● Youth sports tournaments
● Regional and state championships
● Multi-day competitors
● Training camps and showcases
Logistics & Support Needs:
● Bus access and parking
● Group friendly check-in
● Breakfast included or nearby
● Simple routes between hotels and venues
Lodging Needs:
● Large room blocks (50-300+ rooms)
● Team-friendly room types (double queens, suites)
● Budget-conscious rates
● Close proximity to venues
Sales & Service FocusAreas
SALES GOALS
– Establish and track sales prospects
– Utilize sales materials to engage with leads and finalize sales (or hand off to venues to do so)
– Continual and proactive connection and communication with potential customers
LEAD GENERATION
– Prepare proposals, presentations, and bid materials for prospects
– Maintain CRM system by inputting leads, updating client information, and generating reports for sales performance.
– Research potential accounts, industry trends, and new business opportunities to support proactive outreach.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
– Liaise with partner hotels, venues, and attractions to coordinate services & ensure client satisfaction.
– Research and coordinate event calendars of important destination events requiring sales and service support.
DESTINATION
EDUCATION
– Represent Tualatin Valley at trade shows and events.
– Complete client site visits.
– Coordinate / support familiarization (FAM) tours.
– Research & track area youth and amateur sports events & venues.
– Partner education (i.e. hotel quarterly meetings).
Sales Team - Targeted Outcomes
Convert Demand into Bookings
As the DMO, we may not be able to book something directly - but we can prime key partners and venues to be ready to receive warm leads and convert to sales
Building & Retaining Long-term Client Pipelines
Service events and organizers to ensure they will become repeat customers in the destination, generating long-term, reliable room night bookings
Close the Gap Between Interest and Commitment
We know the destination best - and must manage leads through final booking with a partner or vendor
Integrated Initiative #4: Meetings & Events as Stay Multipliers
Goal: Convert group, sports, and event business into multi-day stays through seamless, experience-driven extensions.
Strategic Intent:
Position every meeting, tournament, and event as an anchor that naturally extends into an overnight (or multi-night) experience because it’s easy, valuable, and built into the plan.
Integrated Initiative #4: Meetings & Events as Stay Multipliers
Meetings, sports tournaments, and group events already generate significant visitation to Tualatin Valley, but the opportunity to convert those visits into longer stays remains largely untapped. By aligning sales efforts, attendee experiences, venue connectivity, storytelling, and partner collaboration, this initiative is designed to make extending a stay feel easy, valuable, and naturally connected to the overall event experience.
Together, these efforts position Tualatin Valley not simply as a place to meet or compete, but as a destination where group travel becomes a more rewarding and immersive overnight experience.
MARKETING
● Develop meetings-focused campaign assets
● Highlight ease:
○ Proximity
○ Parking
○ Accessibility
○ Post-event experiences
● Create attendee-focused itineraries
PUBLIC RELATIONS
● Reintroduce Tualatin Valley and Wingspan to trade media
● Position the region as:
○ Accessible
○ Flexible
○ Experience-rich
DESTINATION
DEVELOPMENT
● Support venue-area experience development
● Improve group mobility and transportation clarity
● Advocate for lodging and amenity growth around major venues
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
● Coordinate off-site experiences for groups
● Educate venues and partners on overnight stay opportunities
● Strengthen collaboration between hotels, venues, and local businesses
SALES & SERVICE
● Embed +1 night strategies into all bids and proposals
● Build pre/post-event stay extensions
● Prioritize sports, SMERF, associations, and small meetings
Meetings & Groups Media Plan Overview
The Meetings & Groups media strategy is designed to increase awareness and consideration among the planners and organizers most likely to drive overnight room nights in Tualatin Valley.
The plan will utilize a mix of industry-specific publications, and targeted digital advertising to build visibility and credibility within key planning communities. Paid LinkedIn campaigns strategically targeted to decision-makers within our core audience segments will help reinforce awareness, drive engagement, and support lead generation throughout the planning cycle.
Strategic Partnership
Washington County + Westside Commons
Strategic Partnership:Washington County +Westside Commons
As part of the FY26–27 Marketing & Sales Plan, Explore Tualatin Valley will continue strengthening its strategic partnership with Washington County to support the marketing, awareness, and long-term success of Wingspan Conference & Event Center and Westside Commons. This collaboration represents a significant opportunity to position Tualatin Valley as a more competitive destination for meetings, conferences, trade shows, consumer events, and group travel - ultimately helping drive increased overnight stays, venue utilization, and visitor spending throughout the region.
Through this partnership, ETV will develop and implement an annual marketing and advertising plan focused on increasing visibility, bookings, and revenue generation for Westside Commons and Wingspan. Efforts will include audience targeting, campaign development, creative asset production, advertising strategy, public relations support, and performance tracking across both in-market and out-of-market audiences.
ETV will also support strategic planning efforts related to venue utilization and booking strategy, while collaborating with Westside Commons on annual reporting and performance measurement tied to tourism promotion, economic impact, marketing outcomes, and venue growth opportunities
Summary
Aligning Initiatives for Impact
Bringing itAll Together
This plan is built around a simple but important shift: moving from promoting Tualatin Valley as a place to visit to intentionally designing it as a place worth staying in. Each initiative plays a distinct role in shaping the visitor journey, from creating compelling reasons to stay, to reducing friction in trip planning, to extending the value of meetings, events, and experiences beyond a single day. Together, these initiatives align Sales, Marketing, Public Relations, Community Engagement, and Destination Development around a shared outcome: increasing overnight stays through more connected, immersive, and intentional visitor experiences.
The “Stay as the Experience” Engine
Design cohesive multi-day experiences where lodging, activities, and storytelling work together to make overnight stays feel immersive, easy, and worthwhile.
Culinary, Agritourism, & Seasonal Journeys
Reshape visitor perception through storytelling, itineraries, and visual proof that demonstrate the added value and depth of staying overnight.
“Beyond the Day Trip” Narrative Shift
Leverage food, wine, agriculture, and seasonal experiences to create year-round reasons for visitors to slow down, explore more deeply, and extend their stay.
Meetings & Events as Stay
Multipliers
Transform meetings, sports, and group travel into broader overnight experiences by connecting events with lodging, local experiences, and stay-extension opportunities.
IncreaseovernightstaysbydesigningTualatinValleyasaneasy, experience-richdestinationwherevisitorsareinspiredtostay longer,exploremoredeeply,andreturnmoreoften.
LookingAhead: Strategic Discovery Priorities
While this plan establishes clear priorities and actions, several opportunities will require continued exploration as we implement our initiatives. These discovery areas will help inform future decisions, strengthen partner engagement, and ensure our strategies continue to evolve alongside visitor expectations and industry trends.
Key Discovery Priorities
● Short-term rental operator landscape
● Hotel packaging and partnership opportunities
● Visitor feedback and post-trip engagement
● Agritourism product readiness and development
● Meeting and event stay-extension opportunities
● AI search, trip planning, and visitor discovery behaviors
By balancing execution with ongoing learning, we can refine our approach, uncover new opportunities, and continue designing experiences that drive overnight stays.
Thankyou!
APPENDIX
Strategic Plan Overview FY25-27
Adopted in 2023 through extensive partner engagement, Explore Tualatin Valley's FY25–27 Strategic Plan Overview has provided the shared vision that has guided our work over the past three years. Its priorities have shaped how we advance economic vitality, strengthen our destination, and elevate tourism through a community-first approach.
As this planning cycle draws to a close, we are building on the insights, partnerships, and momentum created through its implementation to inform the next iteration of our strategic plan for FY28–30. This marketing and sales plan reflects that evolution, honoring the current framework while preparing for the opportunities ahead.
Strategic Plan Overview FY25-27
