Planners are finding sunny skies in Portland

Meeting planners looking for green? Portland Oregon’s long-standing reputation is catching up with it.
 

“Portland Oregon’s reputation as a quirky refuge for environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts has caught up with it. It’s popularity has climbed among meeting organizers looking for a green lifestyle,” says Meetings.com
 

“There’s a stronger awareness of Portland as a destination,” said Brian McCartin, executive vice president of convention and tourism sales for Travel Portland. “Planners are looking for something a little different that they feel comfortable with.”
 

Portland has long been known as a destination for outstanding microbrews, world-class Willamette Valley wines and exceptional coffee, but now the city is establishing itself as the epicenter of the craft distilling movement. Inspired by the local brewing and winemaking traditions, the city’s nine micro-distilleries craft high-quality, small-batch spirits with distinctive flavor profiles.
 

Portland’s new-found popularity is based on various factors such as its lush green valleys and parks, the thundering Columbia River, and Mt. Hood hovering over the city from the Cascade mountain range.
 

All this attracts skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.
 

The I-5 Freeway — the main transportation artery of the West Coast — bisects the city with traffic that hurtles toward both Canada and Mexico. That’s one more attraction for major employers like Intel and Tektronix, and sportswear giants Nike and Adidas Americas.
 

Portland is known as the City of Roses, in part for its International Rose Test Garden that dates back to 1917 and features numerous varieties of roses. Today, it’s a favorite spot for receptions and weddings.
 

Food is increasingly becoming a staple for all visitors.
 

Thanks in part to coverage from The New York Times and The LA Times, Portland’s bustling street-food scene is gaining recognition in foodie circles, and rivaling more well-known centers of New York and Singapore in terms of quality, scope, popular appeal and value for money.

Diners can choose from more than 450 food carts clustered in various urban locations, and feast on a variety of ethnic and inventive delicacies.
 

Portland Bicycle Tours also offers visitors a rotating selection of themed experiences including: green buildings, bridge history, Portland parks and micro-breweries. They offer custom tours as well and will take visitors cycling in the countryside to visit the Willamette Valley wineries and the Colombia George Scenic Area.
 

Air service has been steadily improving with the latest the announcement that Air Canada this June would start daily non-stop service from Amsterdam, Calgary, Tokyo and Vancouver.
 

Portland has a reputation as a rainy city — but, in truth, Miami gets more rain annually. In Portland, average temperatures vary from about 40 degrees to 65 degrees throughout the year.

But the mild weather isn’t the only surprise for meeting planners.
 

There’s no sales tax in Oregon, so hotel rooms (and shopping) cost a little less than in comparable destinations.
 

“The good news is we’re not perceived as an extravagant destination, but as an affordable destination,” McCartin says.
 

By David Wilkening