Savory Strategy.Byline: SHERRI BURI BURI Bastyr University Research Institute (Washington) McDONALD The Register-GuardOREGON TOURISM officials want visitors to remember not just what they saw here - snow-capped Snow´-capped` a. 1. Having the top capped or covered with snow; as, snow-capped mountains s>. Adj. 1. mountains, wild rivers
adj. Exposed to or swept by winds: windswept moors. windswept Adjective 1. beaches - but also what they tasted. That is the essence of "culinary tourism Judging by the surge since 2001 in the number of times "culinary tourism" has appeared as a subject matter or in a session title in tourism industry conferences and programs, we can see that Culinary Tourism ," an idea that a newly formed statewide group of food, beverage and tourism professionals hopes to tout heavily this year in a bid to boost business throughout the state. Leading the effort is the Oregon Culinary Tourism Task Force, whose 24 members include tourist boards, chambers of commerce, restaurants, wineries and inns, and trade groups such as the Oregon Restaurant Association, the Oregon Brewer's Guild, and the Oregon Wine The state of Oregon has established an international reputation for its production of wine. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders which are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and Advisory Board. Joanne Holland-Bak, tourism marketing director for the Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon, or CVALCO CVALCO Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon , is Lane County's local representative. The task force recently launched its initiative with its first meeting, in Eugene. In addition to charting strategy, task force members lunched at the chic Marche restaurant at Fifth Street Public Market and toured the impressive new home of Lane Community College's hospitality and culinary program. The group plans to hold quarterly meetings from now on, which will be open to general membership, said Erik Wolf, chairman of the Oregon Culinary Tourism Task Force. The next meeting is set for April in Lincoln City Lincoln City can refer to:
The goal is to highlight the Oregon dining experience in tourism marketing efforts and to underscore the link between dining and other tourism activities. Task force members said they welcomed the chance to work with others in the food, drink and tourism industries. "The nice thing about something like this is it has statewide implications," said Bob Petow, marketing director for the Oregon Restaurant Association, which represents more than 9,000 restaurants. "I think it will go a long way to educating restaurant owners that they're an important part of the hospitality industry." Betty O'Brien, executive director of the Oregon Wine Advisory Board, a program of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, said that food, drink and travel are "a natural intersection of interests." The task force's focus differs from previous Oregon agriculture or tourism marketing efforts because until now, no one in the state has focused on the marriage of food, beverage and travel, Wolf said. Lane County's bounty Lane County brings a lot to the culinary tourism table, from award-winning wines and specialty restaurants to fresh farmers' market farm·ers' market n. A public market at which farmers and often other vendors sell produce directly to consumers. Also called greenmarket. produce and handmade chocolates, Holland-Bak said. With a number of wineries and organic food producers, Lane County is " kind of a microcosm of Oregon," Wolf added. Wolf has 15 years' experience in the travel industry and is also marketing director for the Clackamas County Tourism Development Council, based in Oregon City There are two places named Oregon City in the United States:
He figures culinary tourism is a concept whose time has come. Nearly all tourists dine out Verb 1. dine out - eat at a restaurant or at somebody else's home eat out eat - eat a meal; take a meal; "We did not eat until 10 P.M. because there were so many phone calls"; "I didn't eat yet, so I gladly accept your invitation" , ranking it among the top three favorite tourist activities in the nation, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. national restaurant and travel trade associations. In Lane County, visitors spent $118.3 million at area restaurants in 2002, topping visitor spending on accommodations, recreation and shopping, CVALCO said. Culinary tourism isn't the notion that people will come from around the world just to taste a Hood River The Hood River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Approximately 25 mi (40 km) long from its mouth to its farthest headwaters on the East Fork, the river descends from wilderness areas in the Cascade Range on Mount Hood and flows cherry, Dungeness crab Dungeness crab Edible crab (Cancer magister) found along the Pacific coast from Alaska to lower California, one of the coast's largest and most important commercial crabs. The male is 7–9 in. (18–23 cm) wide and 4–5 in. (10–13 cm) long. , Willamette Valley hazelnut, or Portland microbrew mi·cro·brew n. 1. A beer or ale brewed in a microbrewery. 2. See craft beer. . Rather, it's the idea that Oregon's abundant culinary offerings will enhance any trip, and give travelers something to talk up when they get home and a good reason to return here. Oregon wants to take the lead nationally in an area of tourism promotion that other countries, such as Australia and Canada, are exploring, Wolf said. Getting started The all-volunteer effort is largely Wolf's brainchild. When Wolf moved to Oregon from San Francisco almost 1 1/2 years ago, he said he "had an epiphany." "It hit me that everywhere you go in Oregon, you get good food," Wolf said. "Oregonians have something special and amazing." Wolf's initial brainstorm has led to a long list of potential projects. First is repackaging existing information to tie travel in Oregon with satisfying food and drink. For example, Wolf said, the group will prepare press releases and media kits for tour operators and travel agents describing numerous itineraries already developed by the Oregon Tour and Travel Task Force, an all-volunteer travel promotion organization. One tour, "Float and Feast" on the Rogue River, offers river rafting followed by chef-prepared riverside meals featuring grilled salmon, fresh local fruit cobbler and local wines or beers. Another tour, "Cooking in the Country," takes travelers to two destinations at Mt. Hood where chefs demonstrate preparing the meal the group will eat that day. Menus feature local foods, such as squab squab baby or fledgling pigeon. on greens with raspberry vinaigrette and Clackamas County wines. Plenty of projects Other possible projects include preparing statewide maps listing beer breweries and wineries. Such maps exist for some regions of the state, but not for the state overall. The group would also like to promote a "Sip & Savor Oregon" event, as well as an exhibition at a museum or galleries featuring art on the theme of Oregon agriculture and food. The group is figuring out its budget, and hopes to fund itself through corporate sponsors, grant money and in-kind donations, instead of through paid membership, Wolf said. The task force initially will target individuals, groups, tour operators and meeting groups from northern California to Idaho, Washington and British Columbia, Canada, Wolf said. Later, he said, it hopes to promote Oregon farther afield: probably New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , then Japan, and Germany, tying in with the recent addition of direct flights on Lufthansa between Frankfurt and Portland. OREGON CULINARY TOURISM INITIATIVE What is it?: A statewide, all-volunteer effort to promote Oregon's culinary offerings as "sellable travel products." Who's involved?: Two-dozen professionals in Oregon's food, beverage and travel industries serve on the Oregon Culinary Tourism Task Force. Joanne Holland-Bak, tourism marketing director for the Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon, is Lane County's representative. Meetings will be open to interested parties. Goals: To create an "Oregon Culinary Treasure Map" highlighting exceptional food and drink offerings throughout the state; publish materials promoting Oregon wine and beer routes; a Sip & Savor Oregon event; and organizing an exhibit of Oregon food and agriculture. Task force chairman: Erik Wolf For more information: Go to the group's Web site at www.culinarytourism.org CAPTION(S): CHRIS PIETSCH / The Register-Guard Clive Wanstall (center) gives a tour at Lane Community College for tourism task force members. Visitor Industry CHRIS PIETSCH / The Register-Guard Wendy Enloe (left) and Erik Wolf join other members of the Oregon Culinary Tourism Task Force during a trip to Lane Community College. A student at LCC (Leadless Chip Carrier, Leaded Chip Carrier) See leadless chip carrier, CLCC and PLCC. 1. LCC - Language for Conversational Computing. Written at CMU in the 1960's. shows members of the Oregon Culinary Tourism Task Force how to make chocolate truffles. |
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