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Tualatin Valley Announces Connect & Inspire Industry Event in Celebration of National Travel & Tourism Week

Featured event aims to bring community together through art and highlight the importance of tourism in Washington County

BEAVERTON, Ore. (May 8, 2023) The Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA), which promotes Washington County as “Tualatin Valley,” announced its featured event in celebration of this year’s National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW), taking place between May 7 to 13, 2023. The event, titled Connect & Inspire, will be held on May 10, 2023, at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton, Oregon, and showcase the area’s vibrant and diverse arts community. While open to industry professionals only, the event’s goal is to inspire a larger conversation about travel and tourism.

“The economic impact tourism has on Washington County is immense,” said Dave Parulo, president and CEO of Tualatin Valley. “Not only does tourism create jobs and drive the local economy, but it also enhances culture in the area and helps to support local government programs, nonprofits and local businesses. Through the important work done by our amazing partners and my colleagues at Washington County Visitors Association, we have seen incredible visitation to our region’s restaurants, wineries, breweries, museums, venues and more! We hope to celebrate these achievements at the Connect & Inspire event.”

In 2021, visitor spending on arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodations, food services, food stores, local transportation and retail was over $615.2 million; this generated over $13.2 million in local taxes and a total earnings of $254.6 million, including wage/salaries, earned income and proprietor invoice. This created 7,070 tourism-related jobs. For a bit more information on how tourism affects Washington County visit here.

ABOUT TUALATIN VALLEY:
Tualatin Valley is scenically situated between Portland and the Oregon Coast in the Pacific Northwest. The valley is the gateway to the famed Willamette Valley wine country and the Tillamook Forest, and provides an array of outdoor recreation opportunities, scenic wetlands and wildlife preserves, performing and visual arts, superb dining, and tax-free shopping. The destination’s thriving business sector includes the Nike World Headquarters, Columbia Sportswear Corporate Headquarters, Leupold & Stevens Corporate Headquarters, Intel Corporate and numerous other high-tech businesses.


ABOUT NATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM WEEK:
Established in 1983 by a congressional resolution, National Travel and Tourism Week takes place annually throughout the first week of May, serving as a tradition for the U.S. travel community to celebrate the value travel holds for the economy, businesses, and personal well-being. For more information, visit ustravel.org.

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