Pat J. Brennan, Writer; Kim Riggs, Sales Manager, ACE Hotel Portland &
Linda Khanna, Business Development Manager, Vacation.com
l-r: Brian P. McCartin, Executive V.P. Convention & Tourism Sales, Travel Portland; Donald Kenney, Manager, ACE Hotel Portland;
Megan Conway, V.P. Communications & PR, Travel Portland; Kim Riggs, Sales Manager, ACE Hotel Portland; Lisa Itel, Travel Trade Manager, Travel Oregon;
Greg Eckhart, Tourism Manager USA & Canada, Travel Portland
l-r: Michelle Smythe & Christie Bujold, Member Services Consultants CAA Travel & Kathy Renwald, Kathy Renwald Productions Inc.
If I asked you to name a North American city where you can take part in virtually every recreational activity known to man – at a world class level – what would pop into your head? If you said Portland, go to the head of the class.
If you couldn’t guess, you haven’t added up the recreational potential provided by the rivers, mountains and ocean - all in close proximity to Portland’s downtown core. The possibilities put Portland in a class of its own.
A friendly group of Portland tourism representatives were in Toronto recently to host a dinner party at the Park Hyatt’s posh rooftop restaurant promoting their city and the new easy access with direct Air Canada flights from our cities.
Their presentation highlighted all the things you can do in Portland and the surrounding areas – and it was relatively lengthy. Surfing, paddle sports, hiking, fishing in freshwater & saltwater, alpine skiing 365 days a year, biking and river rafting to name a few. But, even if you’re not mad about the prospect of all that physical activity, Portland also offers some fine dining and more laid back pursuits for visitors.
The Portland area hosts some renowned wineries, distilleries and micro brewers that encourage visitors to enjoy the distinct character the Pacific Northwest lends its products. A popular attraction for locals and visitors is the huge local farmers’ market that’s packed with the freshest goods from the Portland area’s fertile valley. With such an abundance of fresh locally grown food, you won’t have any trouble finding a restaurant that’s cooking up some local flavour. And to top it off, the state of Oregon has no sales tax which can make Canadians feel like it’s Boxing Day every day, but without the lines and people being trampled when the stores open.
So now you understand why the Portland tourism folks can’t keep their message short. Those speed-dating round table info sessions just don’t cut it for them – there’s too much to talk about. The possibilities are nearly endless, so if you’d like more information about Portland vacation planning, you can check out www.travelportland.com.
