Explore Lincoln City invites Lincoln City’s travel and tourism community to take part in National Travel and Tourism Week, May 5 -11.
The 36th annual National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), sponsored by the U.S. Travel Association, unites communities across the country to celebrate how travel matters to American jobs, economic growth and personal well-being.
The theme of this year’s NTTW, “Travel Matters,” highlights the innumerable ways in which travel makes up the fabric of Lincoln City’s culture and economy. Each day of NTTW will celebrate a different facet of travel; the economy, new experiences, jobs, infrastructure, health benefits, hometown pride and how travel strengthens families.
“Just look at the numbers. Travel supports one in nine American jobs, including over 6,400 jobs right here in Lincoln County,” Explore Lincoln City Director Ed Dreistadt said. “This week, we are celebrating travel’s powerful impact on our community. We’re calling on everyone – from elected officials to all of our local friends and neighbors – to join us in saluting this important industry, and to support travel at the local, state and national level.”
“In every pocket of America – from the largest cities to the smallest towns – travel matters,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “I, like so many others, got my start in the travel industry, and it shaped my life in ways I could never imagined. This National Travel and Tourism Week, we’re celebrating how travel powers our economies, strengthens our communities, and changes our lives.”
From the Lincoln City Glass Center to Chinook Winds Casino Resort, travel employs a diverse workforce all over Lincoln County:
— 6,400 jobs are supported by travel and tourism in Lincoln County.
— Travel and tourism generate $614 million in economic impact for Lincoln County.
These local figures are an important part of travel’s economic importance nationwide.
— Travel is a $2.5 trillion industry in the U.S., and $12.3 billion in Oregon.
— These visitors support 15.7 million American jobs – roughly 8.9 million direct travel jobs, and 6.8 million indirect jobs.
— Travel-related spending generated $171 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue in 2018.
“I have seen firsthand how much travel matters to our community,” Explore Lincoln City Public Relations Coordinator Eric Johnson said. “In the past four years, our transient room tax collections have increased by an average of 8.6 percent.
“Not only that, I see signs of growth all over town. The expansion of the Starfish Manor Hotel, renovations to the Coho Oceanfront Lodge, the new marquee at the Bijou Theatre and many other projects. I’m proud of what Lincoln City has accomplished and am eager to welcome our guests here to show them why we love Lincoln City so much.”
To learn more about National Travel and Tourism Week 2019, visit USTravel.org.
