Message from Your President
It's been a tough month for Oregonians, especially for those who were displaced or lost their homes to the devastating wildfires that engulfed many beloved areas of Oregon. We still grieve for the lives that were lost.
Todd Davidson, CEO for Travel Oregon, summed it up perfectly in a recent email:
"There are no words that can capture the devastation Oregon has experienced as wildfires ravage our state. The loss of lives, destruction of homes, businesses, belongings and natural environment that make up the fabric of our communities is heartbreaking. We all know someone for whom this loss is a reality - and that means we all have a role in the response and recovery."
It is in times like these that we realize how resilient and kind our people - rural and city dwellers - can be. I've never seen so many Oregonians collectively pray for rain. And the rain came. Eventually the vegetation will grow back and we will rebuild. Thank you for coming together to support one another - during the crisis and throughout the rebuilding process.
Please read on for news and updates from OTTA.
Thank you for your continued support,
Mandy Morgan
OTTA President
Willamette Valley Vineyards
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OTTA Virtual Happy Hour
Thursday, October 22, 2020
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Please join us for the OTTA Virtual Happy Hour on Thursday, October 22 at 4:00 pm. Please bring wine, beer, coffee or other drink of choice. Want to have fun with it?
We are working on having special guests join from a local Oregon brewery and winery! More details to come.
Just like any semi-casual gathering - you are welcome to drop in or leave as needed.
See you then with a glass in hand!
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OTTA Virtual Fall Meeting
The New Normal - Doing Business Virtually
Monday, November 2, 2020
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Member - $25 | Non-Member - $35
Join us for our virtual fall meeting. We will be sending out more details soon!
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Board Nominations
OTTA is seeking nominations for our Board of Directors. COVID continues to affect us in ways we did not expect. If you like to work with great people who are passionate about packaged travel, especially during this pandemic, we would love to have you join our Board. Or, if you know of someone who is interested in being on the board ... send us your nominations. Please send your nomination to Governance Committee Chair, Dennis Corwin, [email protected].
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Great Time to Feature Your Organization
As we move through this COVID pandemic, it is a great time to get the word out about your member organization. Please send any tidbits you want to share with other OTTA members as we gear up to move to the new normal. Do you have a viral event to share with us? Send any and all info to Chris Chester at [email protected].
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Member Profile: Amy Bailey
This month's member profile is Amy Bailey. Amy has been our marketing and social media worker bee. She has been married for seven years and a mom of two, ages 6 and almost 2. She is the Sales Manager at The Mill Casino and has been with The Mill for 13 years! She started in high school at the hotel front desk which is when her love for tourism and travel began. Amy absolutely loves the outdoors, camping, bike riding, hiking, you name it. An interesting fact is that she went to private schools most of her life and rather than learning Spanish, she learned sign language. She is not fluent and quick to read it but can remember a lot of it and would be able to communicate quite well if needed. Amy has been involved in OTTA for four years now. She joined by being asked to replace a coworker at the board level. It was a great way to dive right in!
Amy is sure everyone knows Kat Hoppe. She is still working with The Mill and was my so called sponsor into the organization. She also gives a lot of credit to Amy Gaddis for the encouragement and kindness she offered while getting her bearings.
OTTA has helped The Mill to network with fellow Oregon Coast properties in a way they had not been able to in the past. The Mill has been able to work more cohesively as a region and attract tours together. It has also been such a great way to get connected in the NTA and ABA show world. The training aspect of the meetings has also been so beneficial to learn more about the Group Tour Industry.
She may be biased and says the board retreat to their sand dunes was pretty memorable. Amy also really enjoyed the tour on the Portland Spirit and the Night Out at OMSI. Oh but the Oregon Gardens were spectacular too. SheI can't choose just one!
When reflecting on COVID and its impact Amy says, "What a crazy year it has been for everyone. My heart goes out to the small businesses that have gone under, those that have lost their jobs or homes and anyone who may have lost family members to all of the things this year has brought." For her personally she was able to spend more time with her husband and kids that she wouldn't normally have had a chance to do. Though she lost almost all business on the books, lost staff and of course canceled all summer plans to travel, Amy took time to focus on family and was thankful to have a job to come back to. She gets goosebumps when thinking of the massive efforts Oregonians have put into rallying to support the victims of the fires. This is what makes me proud to be an Oregonian!
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Coming Soon - Pendleton is the Next Oregon Magic Mural
Travel Pendleton is working with Travel Oregon to create the next mural in the Oregon is Magic campaign. Stay tuned as we follow the progress with the before and after pictures in future newsletters.
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