JULY 2008: FROM THE EDITOR
Munich on the Willamette
STATEWIDE Gunther
Hoffmann knows at least one reason why German tourists are
expected to flock to Oregon this summer: “Germans are
entranced with the West and Indians,” says Hoffmann, head
of the German Consulate in Portland.
The influx of Germans also is the result of a devalued dollar
boosting the euro and aggressive marketing of Oregon in Europe
as a premier tourist destination, say industry experts. German
tour operators expect 400% growth in sales of Oregon travel
packages, says Teresa O’Neil, director of sales and
marketing at Travel Oregon, the state’s official tourism
marketing organization. “We’re a bargain to
them,” she says.
Germans are attracted to Oregon’s green initiatives, such
as Portland’s mass transit system and TriMet line to the
airport, and like Munich, Portland is internationally known for
its beer. “We call it Munich on the Willamette,”
O’Neil says. It also helps that Germans typically receive
up to six weeks of vacation annually, Hoffmann says.
O’Neil also promotes Oregon at the annual March tourism
convention in Berlin. She says one German tour agency she works
with has seen a 160% increase in sales of Oregon tour packages.
Lufthansa, the German-based airline that added a direct flight
between PDX and Frankfurt five years ago, says the number of
leisure travelers using the route is significantly up from this
time last year. The airline doesn’t release exact
figures.
Guest ranches in Oregon that are popular with Europeans,
especially Germans, are seeing increased reservations for this
summer. Eva Gill, part owner of Rock Springs Dude Ranch in
Bend, says 21.5% of her booked clients this year are Europeans,
a 13.5% increase from 2007. Long Hollow Ranch in Central Oregon
says reservations are down, but one bright spot has been an
increase in European clients.
German tourists are a windfall for local hotels, too.
At Portland-based Provenance Hotels, domestic business is down
but international bookings are up 19% through April from the
same time last year. Of that, 65% are Germans and Dutch, says
chief operating officer Howard Jacobs. Speak German? If so, the
hotels are hiring, Jacobs says.
The Heathman Hotel in Portland is seeing a similar trend. In
response, the hotel has added more foreign language television
stations, says general manager Chris Erickson.
“Right now Oregon has a blue light on top of it,”
he says. “And it is shouting blue-light
special.”
JASON SHUFFLER
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