The Oregon Travel Plaza Project

1
The Oregon Travel Plaza Project

• A vision for welcoming visitors to Oregon

2

• Mission
• Leadership
• Staff
• Funding
• Main Partners

3
Oregon Travel Information Council
4
Who Are We The Travel Information Council

• The Oregon Travel Information Council (TIC) was
  formed by the State Legislature in 1972
• Federal Highway Beautification Legislation
  championed by Lady Bird Johnson.

5
Highway Signs

• Interstate Logo, Off Interstate logos
• TODS, Museum, Tourist Attraction Signs

6
Funding Makes TIC unique.

• Only state motorist information program in the
  nation that is completely self-sufficient
• funded entirely through sign fees, grants and
  donations.Oregon first state to implement the
  new program.

7
Wayside Displays

• All-weather kiosk at 14 of the state's busiest
  rest areas

8
Travel Kiosk
9
Wayside Displays

• Using backlit displays,
• phone-based reservation service
• brochure distribution centers

10
State Welcome Centers
11
State Welcome Centers

• 9 Welcome Centers at borders around the state.
• State Wide Brochure Program
• Contracted from Tourism Department
• Public/Private Partnership

12
Historical Markers and Heritage Trees

• 32 Heritage Trees
• 100 Historical Markers

13

• What is TripCheck?
• TripCheck by the numbers
• Coming attractions (features)

14
(No Transcript)
15
10 days 1,200,000 Visits
Christmas holiday 2003
16
Travel Services Start Page
17
Travel Services Category Selected
Lodging Selected
18
Travel Services Property Selected
Motel 6 Selected
19
The Travel Information Council

• 8,000 signs, 100 Historical Markers, 32
  Heritage Trees, 14 Travel Info Centers, 9 State
  Welcome CentersA self funded agency - no tax
  dollars!

20
(No Transcript)
21
The Travel Plaza Project Background

• Vision and Leadership
• Kiosk/Visitor Info Centre/rest stop history
• Visitor Info Centres vs. Welcome Centers

22
PROCESS

• Collaborative
• Results-driven
• Flexible

23
PROCESS

• Phase I
• Committee Direction
• Research
• Council approval
• Phase II
• Building the template with pilot partners
• Developing Business Plan and Budget
• Council approval

24
PROCESS

• Phase III
• ?

25
LUNCH !
26
Research

• Surveys
• Visitor organizations
• Industry businesses
• Visitors!
• Best Practices
• Locations
• Templates
• Activities

PS dont shoot the messenger!
27
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
What offerings are in state rest areas/kiosk
visitor information centers at this time that
serve the visitor?

• Restrooms
• Map with locator Brochures and panel advertising
• Dog-walking areas
• Vending machines, occasional coffee trailer

• Telephone
• Accessibility from freeway
• Ours is pretty basic, but most have nice
  setting

28
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
What offerings are in rest areas at this time
that serve you as a business that wants to
attract visitors? Note businesses only were
asked this question

• Brochure advertising opportunities
• Panel signage opportunities
• Nothing, not sure, or nothing comes to mind,
  havent noticed any, not much participation

29
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
What offerings are in rest areas at this time
that serve you as an organization that wants to
attract visitors? Note visitor organizations
only were asked this question

• N/A, not much
• Ability to purchase advertising to increase
  awareness, name recognition, or to distribute
  brochures

30
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
What offerings or services have you seen in
other states visitor service centers that youd
like to see in Oregon?

• More detailed state and local information
• Using technology to link with possible routes,
  accommodations, restaurants, and other services
• More extensive food items, especially good
  quality, hot coffee
• Information re history, commerce, culture, and
  scenic routes

• One-stop type centers where all these plus
  auto services are available
• Opportunity to purchase local or regional
  travel, souvenir or visitor assistance items
• Clean, warm, bright, welcoming facilities that
  entice you to stay
• Consistent quality of centers around the state

31
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
What 3 services or amenities do you think are
most important to visitors?

• Personal comfort and safety services, such as
  rest room, place to stretch/picnic/relax,
  dog-walking areas, nice setting, security
  important
• Snacks, especially good, hot coffee indoors

• Visitor information, both local and state, with
  directions and route suggestions. Most mentioned
  the importance of friendly professional staff to
  give advice as well as technology components to
  provide information.

32
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
VISIONING Of the possible services Oregon could
offer, which stand out as services would
encourage visitors to stay longer in your
area/our state?

• INFORMATION
• Organization responses
• Cultural, culinary, historical, scenic byway,
  adventure/recreational, agricultural, events
  information as well as the usual foodservice and
  lodging info
• Capitalize on what makes us special emphasis
  on local info as well as state

• Should include small businesses (often cant
  afford current advertising rates, but are the
  ones people want to know about) as well as the
  big players
• Weather, road reports,
• route information, packaged itineraries
• Current info on events, festivals, farmers
  markets, etc.

33
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
Of the possible services Oregon could offer,
which stand out as services that are important
and would encourage visitors to stay longer in
your area/our state?

• INFORMATION
• Business responses
• More local information with specific info on
  local routes, events, attractions, and of course
  lodging and restaurants within 100-mile range,
  scenic by-ways, that entice people into the
  region and prolong their stays

• Need to sell and provide the Oregon
  experience that we are marketing. Create a
  welcoming, friendly environment.
• Should include tourism niche-market information
  such as historical, cultural, tribal,
  geographical (topographical map), etc. be
  educational as well as informative

34
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
Of the possible services Oregon could offer,
which stand out as services that are important
and would encourage visitors to stay longer in
your area/our state?

• Concierge services would be an ultimate goal
  for lodging, restaurants, resorts, events.
• Staff can be both paid (supervisory) and
  volunteer but ALL must be trained.
• Possibilities of combination state/local staff
  volunteers could include local organizations,
  hotel staff, college and high school interns
  (ProStart program?)
• Security services necessary

• STAFFING
• Both businesses and organizations agreed on this
  one
• Staffing is not only important, it is critical
  for visitors centers
• Staff must be professional, sales-oriented, and
  constantly trained, in customer service, visitor
  (state and local) information and security
  issues. If we are going to invest in staff, we
  must invest in their training and provide
  incentives recognition.

35
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
Of the possible services Oregon could offer,
which stand out as services that are important
and would encourage visitors to stay longer in
your area/our state?

• Oregon trivia game, or small sound-byte info
  about the state
• Computer connections to websites of local visitor
  organizations
• Cell-phone direct links with Centers and local
  visitor orgs.
• Videos of local attractions etc. at centers
• Tripcheck, On-star or AAA type services
• Need to make sure we have people there who can
  explain, assist or fix the technological tools

• TECHNOLOGY
• Ideas were similar in both groups
• Interactive, touch-screen opportunities
  including printouts for custom information on
  routes and services
• Cameras showing highlights of the state, road
  conditions, etc.
• Pictures of Oregon regions on flat screens
• Wi-Fi and internet connections

36
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
Of the possible services Oregon could offer,
which stand out as services that are important
and would encourage visitors to stay longer in
your area/our state?

• SERVICES, AMENITIES
• Responses consistent
• Good, hot coffee is essential. Additional
  options for food service were important.
• Tasteful, Oregon-based products to showcase/sell
  would be attractive to visitors, especially if
  there could be local products integrated with the
  base products (could be done in another area,
  emphasizing agricultural products, crafts, etc.)

• Visitor assistance items retail or
  service-oriented, such as umbrellas, sunscreen,
  and basic automotive services whether fuel,
  vehicle repair, or links to these services
• Ideas that were widely encouraged sampling of
  Oregon products, farmers-market type products,
  cultural or entertainment including performers or
  costumed staff
• Info delivery vehicles should be technological,
  printed, and human

37
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
Of the possible services Oregon could offer,
which stand out as services that are important
and would encourage visitors to stay longer in
your area/our state?

• FACILITIES, SIGNAGE
• Responses consistent
• Cleanliness is the most important issue
• Modern, warm, clean rest rooms a MUST
• Inside facility important or at least a center
  that contains restrooms and visitor services/info
  during peak hours, and public restrooms when
  center is closed
• Dog area with plastic baggies
• Picnic area important

• Must be secure, well-lit Must reflect Oregon
  values clean, green, welcoming
• Signage should be unique, new graphics so that
  everyone who sees it will know that they can find
  same basic services including a local flavor
• Design and structure should reflect Oregon,
  incorporate regional flavor
• Accessibility from freeway or highways is
  critical to traffic flow
• Setting is important

38
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
We will be considering ways to offset costs of
operation. What suggestions do you have for us?
note this was asked of organizations only

• Costs should be borne by all who benefit truly
  a public/private partnership
• Pay-to-play is fine, so long as there can be
  opportunities for small business to be
  represented as well
• Should look to OTC, ODOT, Economic Development,
  local governments, as well as advertising
  revenues
• Limited product sales should be considered, and
  various models of operation (see what is working
  elsewhere)

39
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
Offsetting costs, continued

• Technology provides opportunities through links,
  advertising, etc.
• Charge for services rendered to visitor,
  advertisers, etc. (commission for booking
  reservations, etc.)
• Possibility of developer to absorb some of the
  capital costs
• Sponsorship
• Cooperative effort with local retailers or sites
  that are already built (convenient, of course)

40
VISITOR INDUSTRY (Organizations and Businesses)
One comment seemed to sum up many that were
received I would like to see our state work
together with one message for our visitors. We
are currently a little dysfunctional with our
efforts of trying to accomplish the same things. 
I think, with the additional resources, we have
new opportunities to accomplish our common
goals.
41
VISITORS

• SURVEYS USED
• 2003 Oregon Rest Area Information Center Visitor
  Survey
• Minnesota DOT, Des Moines River Safety Rest Area
  I-90 Westbound 2001 User Survey
• Minnesota DOT, Blue Earth Safety Rest Area I-90
  Westbound 2001 User Survey
• State of Oregon DOT, Rest Area Survey, Fall 1996

42
VISITORS

• OVERALL TRENDS
• The common BASIC needs identified in all surveys
  were
• Restrooms
• Travel information (most sited maps as key
  information source)
• Vending machines/ eating

43
VISITORS

• OREGON VISITORS in October 2004
• Which of the following services would you like to
  see at Oregon visitor centers?
• Person available to answer questions 71
• Sale of Oregon made products 66
• Wireless internet services 60
• Local cultural demonstrations 54
• Indoor coffee service 49
• Samples of Oregon foods 71

44
VISITORS
OREGON VISITORS in October 2004 What other
services would be of interest?

• Maps and more travel information
• Information on scenic routes
• Agricultural products for sale
• Auto services (air, water)
• Souvenirs
• Doggie bags
• Umbrellas

• Good coffee
• Interactive travel info/ web access
• More pictures
• Oregon feeling
• Restaurant
• More security
• Full service centers
• Massage (remember this item!)

45
Best Practices
46
Best Practices
47
Best Practices
48
Best Practices
49
Best Practices
50
Best Practices
51
Best Practices
52
Best Practices
53
Guidelines for Development

• 1. Nothing we are presenting is carved in
  stone we are bringing a vision to the industry
  and allowing them to help us carve the final
  product.

54
Guidelines for Development
2. We are not redesigning the state Welcome
Centers. We do not own them, but we contract to
manage them.
55
Guidelines for Development
3. To keep confusion down, we refer to our
rest area programs as Travel Plazas, which is
how they are referenced in statute.
56
Guidelines for Development
4. We are hoping to pass Oregon legislation
that will allow us more flexibility of product
showcasing in federally funded rest areas. TIC
is working with ODOT on statutory changes that
will accomplish this, with a subsequent pilot
program with the federal government.
57
Guidelines for Development
These locations are identified based on
established program plans, location viability,
probable partnerships with tribal councils or
private businesses, all resulting in immediate
opportunity at less cost. These locations are
only immediate plans, they do not represent the
long term opportunities statewide.
5. We have tentatively identified seven
locations statewide that will house a regional
visitor center in partnership with local visitor
associations.
58
Guidelines for Development
6. Four of the seven locations will be
private partnerships opportunities, either with
private businesses or tribal councils
59
Guidelines for Development
7. Technological advances will be a key part
of the design of all new and existing structures
60
Guidelines for Development
8. We will retain the current Travel Info
Centre program, and are in the process of
identifying those structures that are still
serving the industry. We are also planning to
upgrade the public space offerings in those
Centres to be retained immediately. These
structures are a viable part of the Travel Plaza
program, and we will continue display sales and
brochure distribution.
61
Guidelines for Development
9. We are currently working on redesign of
the Travel Info Centres to modernize and make
them more attractive to the visitor. We are also
working on a design and budget for the regional
visitor centers.
62
Guidelines for Development
10. All of the industry input, the research
and design, and the final program recommendations
will be taken to the Travel Information Council
as part of the 2005-7 biennial budget.
63
Pilot Sites/Prime Partners

• PUBLIC
• Eugene/Springfield (CVALCO)
• Wilsonville (Mt. Hood Territory)
• PRIVATE
• North Coast (OCVA)
• Bend (COVA)
• So. Oregon - 7 Feathers existing partnership
  (Roseburg CVB)
• North Willamette Valley - Woodburn Company Stores
  (Woodburn Chamber, Salem CVB, Keizer Chamber)
• Potential Portland Airport (existing facilities
  and staff)

64
(With apologies to Marshall McLuhan.)
The Medium is (part of) the Message
You are the other and most important - part!
65
Next Steps, Discussion

• Questions?
• Ideas?
• Strategic partnerships?
• Your call!