Page 59 - Rural Tourism Report Washington County

CHAPTER 3: THE WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM SECTOR

4. High quality and unique experiences and products 6. Appropriate regulatory environment
Specialty food and drink, cultural tours and events, Oregon is unique among areas studied, with its
and other local attractions draw visitors and use of urban growth boundaries and provisions
tourist dollars. Appendices A and B of this report to protect the long-term viability of farmland.
list a number of rural tourism sites and activities/ Oregon has reduced certain impediments to rural

attractions within rural Washington County. The tourism, however, by legislating limited liability for
County could expand this research to identify even agritourism and related equine activities . Vermont
52
more specialized products and experiences. Italy goes has relatively strict land use laws but allows the
a step further by inspecting, certifying, and branding sale of many farm products through rural tourism
for product quality. In the long run, Washington operations and supports the creation of special
County could benefit from a similar statewide venues for agritourism. California counties vary
program, under consideration by a Travel Oregon widely in their approach to land use regulation, for

leadership team, geared toward recognition and example, with Napa County being more restrictive
branding for operations that meet certain standards. than Sonoma. In Oregon, Yamhill County has
probably been one of the more accommodating in
5. Academic research partnerships supporting policies and regulations that facilitate a
Georgia, Vermont, and a few other states have wide range of rural tourism attractions associated
academic research partners, funded by state with the wine industry. For Washington County,
universities, to gather market statistics; analyze regulations might be most effective if they focus
visitor desires, expectations, and experiences; on reducing community concerns and developing
and generate ideas for continuous improvement. standards and permitting requirements that manage
Washington County could explore how to meet this negative impacts of rural tourism attractions on
need in partnership with Oregon State University farms, neighbors, and the rural landscape. See
Extension Service and other academic institutions. Chapters 4 and 5 of this report for further detail.

Travel Oregon’s Agritourism Network plans to
engage the Dean Runyan research firm to measure
agritourism market impact—likely in 2017.
52 Senate/House Bill 341 and ORS 30.687-67

WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM STUDY 55