What Will Be Left for Tourists to Visit in a Year? Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson Has a Few Hopes.

The local restaurants that make Portland a foodie destination? Likely to close by the thousands.

Todd Davidson. (Courtesy of Travel Oregon)
By WW Staff

WW presents "Distant Voices," a daily video interview for the era of social distancing. Our reporters are asking Portlanders what they're doing during quarantine.

In 2018, visitor spending in Portland hit an all-time high. Safe to say, that won't happen again this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered nearly every part of the Oregon economy. But perhaps no industry has been hit as hard as tourism. Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, has a front-row seat for the catastrophe.

In a year that's seen pillars of his industry as big as the Hilton hotel in downtown Portland shutter to avoid bankruptcy, Davidson is measuring what's left. Events like the Portland Roundup? Canceled until there's a vaccine. The local restaurants that make Portland a foodie destination? Likely to close by the thousands. Coastal towns tucked amid magnificent scenery? Hit hardest of all.

Davidson talks with WW editor Mark Zusman about what he hopes will be left for tourists to visit in a year.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.