WINE COUNTRY TOURISM

Welcoming visitors to the Willamette Valley

 

Promoting Wine Country

Tourism is key to the promotion and advancement of our region and our wines. In this section, find overviews of our seasonal tourism campaigns, links to regional tourism associations, consumer marketing tools including our trip builder and regional map, tourism research updates, and information about the Wine Country License Plate program.

  • The WVWA stays in regular communication with visitors and consumers around the world via several channels. Our website is a best-in-class too for trip planning, with guides to all member wineries and wine country businesses, a regional map, robust event calendar, and a trip builder tool that saves favorite destinations and generates a unique URL for sharing. Our newsletter highlights seasonal campaigns, events and new additions to the website as well as special announcements. Consumers can also find regular updates on our Facebook and Instagram feeds and using the #wvwines hashtag.

    Download a PDF of our touring guide.

  • The WVWA conducts a number of seasonal marketing campaigns, driving tourism and online sales during the critical months outside peak travel season with themed offers and events, online guides, social media and digital advertising. Find season-specific marketing toolkits in Member Resources and current program sign-ups using the WV Portal.


    MAY IN WINE COUNTRY #WVINBLOOM

    Springtime in wine country is cause for celebration! During the months of April, May and June, the Willamette Valley is "in bloom" with brilliant gardens, budding vines and clear skies. At the center of it all is our long-running Memorial Weekend in Wine Country event, virtual for the first time in 2020 and expanded to include the entire month of May in 2021. With this much-loved tradition, our wineries open their doors to welcome the return of vibrant colors to our landscape and the first chapter in the story of the next vintage. MAY IN WINE COUNTRY DETAILS ▸


    HARVEST #WVHARVEST

    It’s the Superbowl, the show—the most important time of year for our wine industry. With their purple fingernails and exhausted smiles, our winemakers join a tradition that goes back thousands of years: turning each year’s beautiful crop of fruit, carefully tended for months by our dedicated vineyard crews, into wine that tells the story of its place and time. During Harvest we offer you a glimpse of our crews’ pump-up jams, long days, Mount Hood views, sore muscles and pure magic that make each Willamette Valley vintage remarkable. HARVEST CAMPAIGN DETAILS ▸


    THE GIVING SEASON #WVGIVINGSEASON

    The Giving Season is the WVWA's seasonal campaign encompassing Food Share, Wine Country Thanksgiving, and the holidays through New Year's Eve. Between the breathless rush of harvest and the calm of Cellar Season, we welcome the festive energy of the holidays—and with them a chance to step back, appreciate the beauty and camaraderie around us, and give back to the communities we call home. GIVING SEASON DETAILS ▸


    THE CELLAR SEASON #WVCELLARSEASON

    Take a breath. Feel the stillness. Our vines, having released their brilliant leaves, are sleeping peacefully. Our young wines, just harvested, are beginning their slow transformation in barrel. Cellar Season (January through March) is the glow of heaters and crackling fireplaces from winery porches in the misty air; the hushed thrill of that first taste of the year's newest wine releases; the comfort of seasonal food and wine pairings, enjoyed with a stunning backdrop of fir trees and rising fog; and the chance to share this moment with the talented makers who can finally catch their breath, too, and embrace a moment of calm. CELLAR SEASON DETAILS ▸

  • With funding provided through sales of the Oregon Wine Country license plate, Travel Oregon has established a program to make grant awards available to “tourism promotion agencies” for projects that promote wine and culinary tourism.

    More information, applicant eligibility, and the current grant timeline can be found on the Travel Oregon website.

  • The WVWA partnered with Destination Analysts to conduct a study on Willamette Valley tourism in 2019. Explore the findings.

    Find current wine industry research projects at the Oregon Wine Research Institute and by subscribing to Oregon Wine Board’s newsletter.