How important is tourism marketing to Southern Oregons economy?
The travel industry is a vital component to the economy of Medford and Southern Oregon. It represents over 3,400 jobs with an annual payroll of over $64 million dollars in Jackson County alone. If you take into consideration all of southern Oregon from Lake County, Klamath, Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, Coos and Curry (which are the counties that the Southern Oregon Visitors Association represents) the impact totals over 13,000 jobs and over $749 million in travel spending. Marketing Southern Oregon as a desirable area is key to attracting new visitors to our area, which benefits the local businesses and the overall economy of the region. We are no different from any other tourism area of the state; visibility is the key to letting more people know about our recreation, culture, history and natural resources. Visibility is accomplished through the marketing efforts regionally and statewide. Q: How well do first-time visitors know the Rogue Valley? Are there some misconceptions? Many peo
