As a child, Tori Middelstadt saw people save up for years to visit her hometown.
The Fairbanks, Alaska native said it instilled an early love of tourism.
“I got to brag every day about the place I lived and share it with people,” she said.
She left Alaska for Oregon after college, tiring of negative 40-degree winters. But her love of the travel industry has remained.
Now, Middelstadt is coming to the Salem area to lead the Willamette Valley Visitors Association, a tourism organization that works with groups like Travel Salem to promote the region between the Cascades and Coast ranges, from south Clackamas County to Eugene.
It’s something of a homecoming for the 35-year-old, who previously lived in Independence and worked for Travel Salem and the visitors association.
She said the valley is her second home.
“She knows the Willamette Valley like the back of her hand, so her learning curve is going to be a lot less,” said Irene Bernards, chief strategy officer for Travel Salem and a board member of the visitors association. “She’s going to hit the ground running.”
The Willamette Valley Visitors Association is one of seven regional destination management organizations in Oregon. They receive a portion of hotel taxes in Oregon and work to lure visitors from other states and countries to the area.
While local groups like Travel Salem are specific to a metro area or county, larger organizations can focus on a region, highlighting themes like wine country or outdoor recreation.
“Visitors aren’t going to see county and city lines and that’s where we help fill in,” Middelstadt said.
Middelstadt will be the executive director, taking over from Dawnielle Tehama, who left to work for a consulting agency in the tourism industry.
The visitors association can be a bridge that connects local hotels and attractions with the companies and agents that book tours. Middelstadt said that means attending industry conferences and making sure tour operators have the information and contacts they need to sign contracts with Willamette Valley businesses.
“Outside of the U.S., travel agents are alive and well and book a lot of travel,” Middelstadt said.
One popular option for international visitors is to fly into Seattle or San Francisco and drive along the West Coast, bringing people along Interstate 5 to explore the area.
Middelstadt said the association has broadened its focus beyond the wine tourism the Willamette Valley has been known for.
Outdoor recreation is a major draw for the area, as are sporting events like Ironman in Salem and college football in Corvallis and Eugene.
“All of the things you come to Oregon for, we have in the Willamette Valley,” she said.
Organizations like hers can also work on projects intended to address common visitor complaints, like overcrowded trailheads, or improve attractions. Those also benefit locals, she said.
In Salem, they’ve previously given money to the Gilbert House Children’s Museum to support renovations to its outdoor play area, and worked with Travel Salem on the cost of hosting the Ironman competition.
Bernards said sustainability of tourism is a key concern for the area. Part of the organization’s job is ensuring popular spots like Silver Falls aren’t overrun with more people then they can support, and directing visitors to lesser-known portions of the park, not just the South Falls overlook.
“We want to make sure that those assets are going to be there for generations,” she said.
Middelstadt has most recently been the executive director of Visit Grants Pass and said she’s looking forward to moving back to the Willamette Valley.
She’ll start work taking the pulse of needs in the region. Key issues include the recovery of trails and outdoor recreation facilities in the Santiam Canyon following the 2020 wildfires, and long-term plans for the wine industry as younger Americans continue to drink less than previous generations.
She’s eager to see how downtown Salem is faring in the years she’s been gone.“Salem has fought the ‘Salem’s so lame’ perspective for a long time,” she said. “I think the downtown there is an absolute delight with really great food.”
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
