The early bird registration deadline is fast-approaching for the 2012 Oregon Governor's Conference on Tourism.

Be sure to register by March 2 to receive discounted conference rates.

Don't miss these 2012 conference highlights:
• Bryan Lewis of Brand USA when he presents A Full On Global Promotion of the U.S. and what it means for Oregon
• Tips from grant funders and writers on how to submit a successful grant proposal
• Innovative ways businesses and communities have become more sustainable even in these tough economic times
• Monday's Full On Portland Night Out on the Town where you'll immerse yourself on dishes served to you personally by some of Portland's most eclectic chefs and sip tasty beverages from Oregon's finest craft distillers, brewers and wineries

Discounted room rates at the Red Lion Hotel on the River are available through March 5.

Click here to for more information or to register for the conference

Hospitality leaders throughout the West Coast have the opportunity to attend executive education courses offered by Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration at Oregon State University - Cascades Campus in Bend.

May 2012 Courses:

Demand Management in Evolving Market Channels May 21 - 23, 2012

Leading and Motivating in the Real World May 31 - June 2, 2012

To save $300 register for the early bird rate by April 6.

For more information and to register, click here.

Coffee, skiing, restaurants and blue skies. Yep. The media is talking about Oregon. Here’s a glimpse of what they said in February:

The New York Times, “In Portland, Ore., a D.I.Y. Coffee Culture”
A feature showcases Portland’s coffee scene.
Read the full article.

MSNBC.com, “Travel photo of the day: Blue skies along the Oregon coast”
A brief marks a photograph of the central Oregon coastline as the photo of the day.
Check out the photo.

GQ, “The Ten Best New Restaurants in America”
An article detailing the 10 top new eateries in America highlights The Woodsman Tavern in Portland.
Check out the other new restaurants.

Los Angeles Times, “12 places to visit in 2012”
An article featuring top vacation destinations for 2012 highlights Portland and the Willamette Valley.
Read the story.

National Geographic, “World’s 25 Best Ski Towns”
A slideshow spotlighting the World’s 25 Best Ski Towns includes Bend.
See what other cities are included in the roundup.

Oregon’s Scenic Bikeways Program garners media attention. Travel Oregon and Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department recently announced two new Scenic Bikeways. Here’s a roundup of the coverage:

Adventure Travel News, “Oregon Introduces Two New Scenic Bikeways”An online article presents the two new scenic bikeways.
Read more here.

OregonLive, “Covered Bridges, Three Bridges Loop added to Oregon Scenic Bikeways program”
An article introduces the newest additions to the Oregon Scenic Bikeways.
See the story here.

Portland Monthly, “Oregon Gets New Scenic Bikeways”
An online article introduces the newest scenic bikeways.
Read more about the new bikeways.

The Statesman Journal, “Scenic list adds two bikeways”
An article presents the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway and the Twin Bridges Loop Scenic Bikeway.
See the full article.

Sustainable Business Oregon, “Oregon beefing up bike tourism”
An online article highlights the addition of two trails to the Oregon Scenic Bikeways.
Read more on cycling tourism.

Travel Oregon in partnership with Delta Airlines and Travel Portland hosted a luncheon and seminar for 40 travel agents, tour operators and trade media representing 22 different organizations at the JATA (Japan Association of Travel Agents) office in Tokyo on February 8, 2012.

The half-day session whet the appetites of the tourism professionals and culminated in a prize drawing for a trip to Oregon including roundtrip airfare on Delta Airlines.

In addition to the destination seminar, Travel Oregon had meetings with several key tour operators and travel agents around Tokyo including a meeting with the oldest travel agency in Japan, Nippon Travel.

Interest in Oregon was high with many of these buyers showing interest in independent travel to unique destinations that offer genuine experiences.