On Sunday, April 14th, at the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Travel Oregon awarded the inaugural Oregon Tourism Innovative Partnership Achievement Award to the South Coast Regional Tourism Network. The Innovative Partnership Award recognizes organizations or businesses that have successfully entered into a traditional or non-traditional partnership that resulted in an enhanced visitor experience. The cities on the Southern Oregon Coast – from Reedsport to Brookings and inland through the Oregon Coast Range – are breaking new ground when it comes to partnerships and collaboration. They are doing things that have never been done before in the region or the state. They call it: Pressing Sand. Through a series of Rural Tourism Studios and collaborative projects, this sub-region was able to embrace the idea that they are stronger together than they are as individual communities. Together, they created the Oregon South Coast Regional Tourism Network (OSCRTN) that regionally collaborates to enhance economic development through sustainable tourism. As a rural area, they are interested in sharing the raw beauty of this region in a way that is respectful to the environment and those who call it home. The network is intentional about leveraging relationships, opportunities and dollars. Working as a team to create consensus around regional priority projects, they are striving to make the Southern Oregon Coast a bucket-list destination. The South Coast Regional Tourism Network is led by Julie Miller, Network Manager and a five member core team, including Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay, Marie Simonds, Program Manager with Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, Sam Baugh, Executive Director of the South Coast Development Council, Katherine Hoppe, Tourism Manager with The Mill Casino * Hotel, and Jodi Fritts, City Manager of City of Gold Beach. Coos Bay-North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau participates in this Network through a variety of collaborative opportunities and projects.
