The Willamette Valley Visitors Association and Travel Lane County are proud to welcome the Tourism Cares North American Meaningful Travel Summit on September 30 to October 2 at the Graduate Eugene hotel.
Attendees will learn from industry experts, connect with fellow tourism professionals, and discover new developments in tourism at the annual event. The Summit will unite DMO representatives, local partners, tour operators and media with the common goal of building a better future for communities around the world through tourism.
Tourism Cares is a nonprofit organization leading the transformation of the tourism industry into a powerful force for good. It is instrumental in developing sustainable, socially conscious solutions to the world’s greatest issues through tourism. Major programs over the past twenty years have provided scholarships to hundreds of tourism students, offered recovery grants to destinations impacted by natural disasters, and rallied industry professionals to provide disaster relief.
Former Executive Director Bruce Beckham founded Tourism Cares in response to a call for emergency volunteers following the September 11 attacks. Beckham understood that tourists could help conserve or rehabilitate the places they visited. He continued his work with the first North American Meaningful Travel Summit which was held in 2003 on Ellis Island. The first Summit united 300 tourism industry leaders to beautify the island.
A lot has changed about the industry landscape since that first Summit in 2003. Travelers see corporate responsibility as a requirement, not a trend. Research from a recent Bookings.com travel report by shows that “71% of travelers say they want to leave the places they visit better than when they arrived” and “75% of global travelers say that they want to travel more sustainably over the next 12 months.”
Guided Community Activities
Summit attendees will enjoy getting to know the area through guided activities. Opportunities will showcase diverse voices from local Oregonians, highlight the sustainability practices of local farms and wineries, and engage guests in the importance of creating inclusive and impactful experiences in their own businesses.
Strides for Social Justice
Take a guided walking tour around Eugene using the Strides for Social Justice app . PeaceHealth, Eugene Marathon, and black community leaders came together to develop the app which takes users on guided tours of black historic landmarks in Eugene to deepen awareness of black history. This tour will cover downtown and Skinner Butte routes.
Camas Country Mill
Explore sustainable food production at Camas Country Mill, a family-owned farm and mill. Third generation farmers took the grass seed production off of their farmland and now grow heritage grains and legumes and are reviving older and more sustainable ways to create a premium flour, prized by chefs and bakers locally and around the country.
20x21 Mural Tour
Dive into the Eugene art scene by biking to see some of the amazing murals throughout downtown and the Whiteaker neighborhood. Over 20 murals were painted by local and international artists by 2021 in preparation for hosting the World Athletics Championships. PeaceHealth Rides bikes will be provided from their local rideshare program.
Indigenous Experience
Tour the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History and explore exhibits that honor the Indigenous people’s lifestyles through dioramas and archeological artifacts. See the world’s oldest pair of shoes and then walk to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art to see the vibrant imagery in the Steph Littlebird installation.
Sustainable Vineyards Tour
Tour King Estate Winery, the largest producing winery in Oregon and the largest biodynamic vineyard in the U.S. Enjoy a wine tasting and learn about their practices and farming ethics. Then head to Antiquum Farm's Vineyards where animals help fertilize, weed and control pests.
Tourism Cares Community Grants
In conjunction with the Summit and aligned with Tourism Cares' vision of "changing the world through travel”, Tourism Cares will be issuing grants from their Impact Travel Fund, generously funded by their members.
The Impact Travel Fund focuses on investing in the resiliency of destinations through community-level tourism initiatives that spread the benefits of tourism. This fund creates a sustainable value chain by investing in organizations that create social and environmental impact around tourism destinations, establishing more market success for the community and sustainable tourism.
The grants will be directed to tourism-related social enterprise/community-level businesses within the Willamette Valley community. The total amount available, which may be spread over one to three grants, is between $10,000-$15,000.
Shared Sustainability Values
We are thrilled that Tourism Cares has chosen the Willamette Valley for this year’s North American Meaningful Travel Summit. We are proud to be hosting the event as it aligns with the commitment to sustainability shared by the Willamette Valley Visitors Association, the City of Eugene, Travel Lane County and our hospitality and tourism partners.
