The Heathman Hotel’s Books By Your
Bedside package includes a hardcover book.
The Portland Oregon Visitors Association is out, Travel Portland is
in, and with that name change comes the debut of a redesigned Web
site for the destination marketing association.
“It seemed like the start of a new year was the perfect time to
unveil our new brand,” said Travel Portland president Jeff
Miller.
During the reinvention process, Miller and his team looked for
ways to convey the warm and authentic feeling of the so-called City
of Roses.
“We have always positioned Portland as environmentally
conscious, outdoorsy, independent, creative, friendly and
unfiltered,” said Miller. “Our goal with the new brand was not only
to continue to highlight these traits but to add a sophisticated
urban element something we hadn’t focused on heavily before.”
In retooling its brand, Travel Portland took a cue from
extensive market research.
“We saw that travelers and meeting planners were well aware of
Portland’s reputation as an eco-friendly destination with lots of
recreation,” said Miller. “What they weren’t so sure of was whether
or not there was anything to do at night. Is there culture, arts,
fine dining? The new brand although not abandoning the key messages
of green and outdoorsy focuses more prominently on the fact that
Portland has a classy city center that is surrounded by all the
things people have heard about, like mountains, the wine country
and the Columbia River Gorge.”
Browsers to Travel Portland’s revamped Web site are greeted by a
dramatic difference in its overall appearance, from fonts to
photos. Look deeper and it’s clear that the site is more
customer-focused than before.
“We want to provide extensive information to potential
visitors,” Miller said, “and we also want to give them access to
opinions and feedback from other travelers.” To that end, the site
will soon feature a Trip Advisor-style Web portal called
Go.See.
Portland, where anyone travel agents, clients, tour operators,
meeting planners and armchair travelers alike can set up a free
account.
After they build an online profile, they receive ongoing
information and updates based on their areas of interest.
Go.See.Portland users will be able to post their own reviews of
places they’ve visited in the city as well as scan reviews posted
by other users.
“What we say about Portland on our Web site could be considered
a bit biased,” said Miller. “But if dozens of other travelers who
have already been to Portland recommend the same things we do, it
certainly lends legitimacy to our suggestions. Comments to this Web
site can be posted by anyone, and comments can be good or bad. So,
users will see a mix of feedback from all types of travelers.”
Travel Portland plans to enhance the new Web site with the
introduction of a travel blog.
“We’ll have a variety of voices contributing to the blog, but
among those will be a tourism department staff member,” Miller
explained. “That person’s entries will focus on topics and
information of interest to agents and tour operators.
“The more information that’s available [on our Web site], the
more likely travelers are to find a hook or a lure that tips the
vacation scales in our favor,” Miller added. “People have thousands
of travel options, so anything that gives us a competitive edge and
pushes clients toward Portland is great.”
800-962-3700
www.travelportland.com
| WHAT’S NEW IN PORTLAND As Travel Portland rolls out its new brand, the restaurants,
attractions and accommodations it promotes continue to come up with
news of note to travel agents and their clients. Rocket
A new restaurant called Rocket recently blasted onto the scene,
attracting attention for its green design and sustainable
ingredients. The building features a rooftop garden where the chef
grows many of his own herbs and vegetables; a natural aquifer that
recycles rainwater; and large windows that lower energy bills by
filling the dining room with natural light.
www.rocketpdx.com Deschutes Brewery
Fresh from Bend, Ore., Deschutes Brewery is opening a pub in
Portland’s Pearl District. Known throughout the Pacific Northwest
for its high-quality beer, the company is targeting a May 2
opening. The 190-seat restaurant and 70-seat bar will transform a
1900’s building with a decor highlighted by Douglas fir timbers and
views of fermentation tanks.
www.deschutesbrewery.com Portland Art Museum
At the Portland Art Museum, clients can now see an original
Vincent van Gogh canvas called The Ox-Cart, dating back to 1884.
Donated to the museum by longtime Oregon residents, the priceless
work is on public display in the attraction’s Jubitz Center for
Modern and Contemporary Art.
www.portlandartmuseum.org Heathman Hotel
Portland’s Heathman Hotel which touts a lending library now offers
the Books By Your Bedside package in partnership with the city’s
famed Powell’s Books. For $229 per night, couples get a hardcover
edition from a recent guest author, travel reading light, city
walking map, bookmark, Powell’s map and guide, personal tour of the
library and continental breakfast.
www.heathmanhotel.com |
