Page 67 - Rural Tourism Report Washington County
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CHAPTER 3: THE WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM SECTOR
Top 5 Success Factors Necessary to Sustain Rural Tourism in Washington County
The following success factors, listed in no particular order, have been identified by the consulting team:
1. A strong and viable base of agriculture 2. Regulations and County staff resources that
production. There is a long-standing correlation accommodate maintenance and growth of rural
between a successful agriculture sector and viable tourism. These include land use and transportation
rural tourism. Much rural tourism is a natural standards and farm liability limitations that
diversification of agriculture. Farm stands, u-pick allow the public to visit farmland to purchase
produce and choose-n-cut tree/flower options, farm products and experiences without causing
tours, farm fare/wine sampling, and other “value- undue risk to rural tourism providers. County
added” agricultural operations are time-honored staff equipped to discuss challenges and ways
ways to market products and rural experiences to improve and grow business in balance and
that can provide higher profit margins than accordance with land use laws is beneficial.
indirect sales methods.
3. Development and marketing support from the
County and regional partners. Since individual
farms can rarely afford and often don’t have the
expertise for adequate marketing of their location
and products, cooperative marketing is beneficial.
In the County, the Washington County Visitors
Association, a nonprofit organization funded solely
by the Transient Room Tax (TRT), provides marketing
and some development resources. Collaboration
with County government and other regional and
state agencies and jurisdictions could boost access to
local, regional, statewide, national and international
visitors that provide a variety of target markets for
rural tourism in Washington County. Coordination
with such partners on strategy, website, social
media and print media development could increase
collateral for all. Potential partners observed
during the study process included: Travel Oregon,
WCVA, Dairy Creek Food Network, OSU Small Farms
Program, Oregon Association of Nurseries, farmers
markets, Tri County Fresh Food Guide, and Ecotrust’s
Foodhub. Travel Oregon’s Rural Tourism Studio
program provides a tool for collaboration.
WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM STUDY 63
