Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study 2015 Conducted by ECONorthwest for Travel Oregon

Income Distribution Visitors to the Gorge region tend to have higher incomes. Twenty-six percent reported household income over $100k as compared with 18% of visitors to the state. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

Likelihood to Visit the Gorge Respondents who had not visited the Gorge in the last year were 24% less likely to predict visiting the Gorge in the next two years. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Barriers to Visiting Lack of free time, weather, and crowding limit repeat visitation. Lack of free time, information, and distance are barriers for the wider tourist population.

Barriers to Visiting Have Visited Have not visited Don’t have enough free time35%39% Poor weather34%6% Too crowded19%2.1% Have Visited: Top 3 Have Not Visited: Top 3 Have Visited Have not visited Don’t have enough free time35%39% Too far to go8%30% Lack of knowledge/information2%24%

One-third of respondents traveled to the Gorge infrequently (1-2 times) and another third very frequently (10+ times) Number of Visits Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Average Party Size Almost ½ of respondents traveled in groups of 2 (49%) A significant number traveled in groups of 3-4 (27%) Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Almost one third of respondents visited on the way to a different destination. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015 Type of Visit

Trip Duration Sixty percent of respondents took day trips to the Gorge Only 30% are making overnight trips Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Places Visited Hood River, Cascade Locks, and The Dalles were the most popular destinations. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Motivating Factors for Visiting Scenic beauty, relaxation, and recreational activities were the most important factors for visiting. Retail shopping and doing business were the least. Outdoor Rec: 82% important or extremely important

Satisfaction with those Factors Respondents tended to be the most satisfied with the factors that were the most important to them. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015 Outdoor Rec: 85% very & extremely satisfied

Satisfaction Matrix

Participation in Water, Land, Snow, Cultural, and Local Business Activities

Participation in Water, Land, Snow Activities ActivityType#Ranking HikingLand6271 Wildlife viewingLand/water3772 CampingLand2013 BackpackingLand1104 SnowshoeingWinter1015 Top 5

Participation in Water, Land, Snow Activities ActivityType#Ranking FishingWater966 Downhill skiing/snowboardingWinter847 Road cyclingLand798 Flatwater kayaking/canoeingWater789 Foraging (mushroom picking, etc.)Land7310 Cross-country skiingWinter7311 Mountain bikingLand6512 Trail runningLand5913 Stand-up paddleboardingWater5514 Whitewater raftingWater4915 Sledding/tubingWinter4816 GeocachingLand4417 Motorized boatingWater3518 Windsurfing & kiteboardingWater3419 SailingWater2820 Rock climbingLand2821 Whitewater kayaking/canoeingWater2622

Primary Motivating Activity for Visiting the Gorge

Primary Motivators Activity#%Ranking Hiking26634%1 Attending an event or festival699%2 Restaurant/cuisine689%3 Winery/wine tasting room425%4 Visiting cultural/historical/heritage sites405%5 Camping344%6 Visiting a farm/orchard324%7 Visiting a brewery304%8 Wildlife viewing294%9 Visiting a museum or cultural center263%10 Top All Above 3%

Trip Type and Primary Activity Most hikers only spend the day in the Gorge. The proportion of overnight stays is higher for certain activities like camping, event attendance, and brewery visits. Shopping and dining also have a strong association with non-destination visitors.

Most enjoyable part of last Visit Natural features, beautiful scenery, and hiking were widely cited as the best parts of respondents’ last visit. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Places People Visit instead of the Gorge Other regional draws like the Oregon Coast, traditional ‘big getaway’ destinations like Europe, and warmer locations like Hawaii and Mexico compete with the Gorge for visitors. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Tools used to plan Visit Respondents tended to rely on personal experience and the internet rather than social media to plan their trips. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Study, ECONorthwest, 2015

Mt. Hood – Columbia River Gorge Regional Visitor Report 2013 Conducted by Longwoods International

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

Portland | Eugene | Seattle | Boise Oregon Mt. Hood-Gorge Regional Visitor Report, Longwoods International, 2013

1.Which target markets do you feel are best aligned with what you have to offer here in the region? 2.Which target markets are already coming that you’d like to encourage to stay longer and/or attract more of? 3.Which target markets do you believe offer the most potential for growth, particularly during times of the year you want to expand your visitor season? DETERMINING REGION’S TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS (pg. 11)