Tourism conference attendees will learn about bike-friendly communities

In yet another sign that bicycling is gaining traction with Oregon’s tourism industry, the upcoming Governor’s Conference on Tourism will feature a workshop on bike friendly communities.

The workshop is titled, Get out of my dreams…and onto my bike! Bike Friendly Communities – a tool for making Oregon a Premiere Cycling Destination. As a part of the conference agenda the workshop will attract business owners, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, county commissioners, economic development professionals and publicly elected leaders from across the region.

From the conference agenda:

Interested in making Oregon a premiere cycling destination? There is nothing more sustainable than getting out of your car and onto a human-powered, two-wheeled transportation device. Following the heels of the National Bike Summit and the Oregon Bike Summit (April 4-5), this workshop will take a close look at the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program – what it has done for Oregon communities already and how other communities can take advantage of this tool to guide their work towards becoming a cycling destination.

The workshop will be moderated by Cycle Oregon Executive Director Jerry Norquist. Joining Norquist on the panel will be:

• Elizabeth Train, Grants and Research Director at Bikes Belong
• Steve Rogers, Director of Public Works for the City of Corvallis
• Jill Van Winkle, IMBA Trail Solutions
• Carol Potter, Executive Director of Mountain Trails Foundation in Park City, Utah

Attendees of the workshop will also be eligible for a prize if they take the “Oregon Cycling Pledge” (not sure what that is yet).

This is great exposure to an audience that can have a major impact on improving conditions for bicycling throughout Oregon.

The 24th annual Oregon Tourism Conference will be held April 6-8 at the Red Lion Hotel in Jantzen Beach.