Salem-News.com Tourism articles Page 20

Nelscott Reef Surf Contest in Lincoln City Sees Seasonal Setback

Contest organizer says too much wind for first big swell of the season.

(LINCOLN CITY, Ore.) - The only big wave surfing contest in the world that breaks within view of a residential neighborhood, The Nelscott Reef Tow-In Classic, will take place a little later this year.

Contest organizer Behemoth, LLC changed the contest status back to red last Friday after a week of monitoring the first big swell of the season. A large swell was forecast for Saturday, but unfortunately, the wind did not want to cooperate.

Although the holding period for the 2008 Nelscott Reef Tow In Classic began on October 1st, good swell and wind combinations usually start in November, says contest founder John Forse.

“We are looking for a solid swell with offshore winds for the event. This was just too much wind, from the wrong direction, to call the event”, Forse said.

Marion County Funding to Support Regional Tourism Marketing

Travel Salem’s current funding is generated through a variety of sources.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Travel Salem, formerly Salem Convention and Visitors Association, has been awarded $72,000 from Marion County Economic Development funds for fiscal year 2008-09.
Collected through Oregon lottery dollars, the Marion County funds will support Travel Salem’s objective to be competitive in the region and state; promoting Salem and Marion County as a destination for tourism, meetings and conventions. This funding also leverages Travel Salem matching funds of $496,600.

“With Lane County to the south and Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas County to the north, we must do everything possible to obtain our market share. Visitors are coming to Oregon, and we need to attract them to Marion County. Supporting Travel Salem is right in line with and supports all our other economic development initiatives. By working together, we can achieve synergy and economies of scale,” said Marion County Commissioner Janet Carlson.

Salem Tourism Group Adopts New Moniker and Sets Bar for Visitor Information

Travel Salem makes biggest move in its 25-year history.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Reinvention is the name of the game for the Salem Convention and Visitors Association (SCVA). The Association changed its name, has secured a new downtown location for its headquarters, and is expanding visitor information to two locations on Interstate 5.

The Association, formerly known as SCVA, will now be Travel Salem. The new name is more concise, a call to action, and is in line with recent name changes within the industry such as Travel Oregon and Travel Portland.

Travel Salem coined their new downtown destination visitors center the “Salem Travel Café.” This state-of-the-art destination visitors center will be designed to showcase the region’s amenities and economic development opportunities, and will serve as the hub for driving visitation and economic impact to the region.

Pump Prices Plunge to Lowest Level in Seven Months

Gas prices continue their free fall, with the national average dropping a hefty 32 cents in the past week to $3.16 and Oregon's average plunging 15 cents to $3.34.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Gas prices are dropping like a rock. The national average for regular unleaded plunges 32 cents this week to $3.16, while Oregon's average drops another 15 cents to $3.34. AAA Oregon Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds says the national average is at its lowest point since February 28th, while Oregon's is the lowest since the first week in March.

Dodds says crude oil is down significantly from the record high of $147 per barrel set July 11th, trading near $80 per barrel today.

"It's reasonable to expect further declines in pump prices. The last time oil was trading at $80 per barrel was in October of last year, and the national average for regular unleaded then was around $2.76 and Oregon's was about $2.86."

Falling Gas and Oil Prices Bring Some Relief

Gas prices continue to plummet, with the Oregon average dropping 9 cents this week and the national average losing 15 cents. Both averages are at their lowest level since mid-April.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - "If there's a silver lining in all of the bad economic news, it may be that gas and oil prices are declining. The national average for regular unleaded plunges 15 cents this week to $3.48, while Oregon's average drops another 9 cents to $3.49. Both are at their lowest points since mid-April." AAA Oregon Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds says "AAA predicts pump prices will continue to drop with our national average falling to near $3.00 a gallon before Thanksgiving."

2008 State Fair A Big Hit For 365,000+

The Oregon State Fair once again became Oregon’s second largest city over the course of its 11-day run with a 2.4% increase over 2007.

(SALEM, Ore.) - More than 365,000 people attended the 2008 Oregon State Fair according to estimates released by organizers, who noted the 2.4 percent increase over 2007’s attendance would have been even larger had there not been two days of "liquid sunshine".

A few raindrops weren't enough to keep most Oregonians away. They say that overall, more people found the fair too big to miss; they came, stayed longer, returned for another day, and attended concerts more than ever before.

AAA Says Gas Prices Decline to Lowest Level in 11 Weeks

Good news for consumers as they fill up their gas tanks. The national and Oregon averages continue to fall and prices haven't been this low since late May. The price of crude oil is also $27 lower than the record high of $147 set in July.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - "It's costing us less to fill up our tanks. Gas prices continue to fall and haven't been this low since late May. The national average drops seven cents this week to $3.87 a gallon, while Oregon's average declines eight cents to $4.06."

AAA Oregon Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds says, "If the price of crude oil remains below $125 per barrel, we could see a national average around $3.75 by Labor Day. Larger declines will be in the works if oil prices plunge even lower than they are now."

Oil is trading today around $120 per barrel, down about $27 from the all-time high price of $147 per barrel set on July 11. The drop in energy prices is mostly due to shrinking demand for petroleum products in the U.S. and other countries as global economies have cooled.

New Bill Would Provide Relief from High Gas Prices

Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Transportation and Housing Options Endorsed by Leading National Environmental Group.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - A leading national environmental group today endorsed new bipartisan legislation in Congress that would offer Americans relief from high gas prices by providing expanded transportation and housing options.

Gas prices in the United States have tripled during the past seven years. As a result, Americans now spend an average of more than $2,000 a year on gas to commute to work. Transportation costs are now Americans' second largest average expense after housing.

First Wednesday Season Kick Off in Salem, Oregon

Organizers say the family friendly event has something for everyone.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Wednesday May 7th marks the season kick off for the eighth year Downtown Salem has celebrated First Wednesday. First Wednesday, organized by the downtown businesses and Go Downtown Salem! will be held each 1st Wednesday of the month throughout the year.

The theme of May’s event is "Downtown’s Blooming" reflecting not only the initial installation of beautiful hanging flower baskets but to also celebrate the new businesses, new business locations, and downtown development.

Carousel Wood Carvers Create Lifetime Memories (VIDEO)

Spending time with the wood carvers is a little bit like stepping into Santa’s toy factory.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Salem, Oregon’s Riverfront Carousel draws visitors locally and from throughout the world who want to experience a piece of American fun that endures from the greatest of childhood memories.

The horses and gifts at the Carousel that are hand carved by these volunteers are created and brought to life through hours of concentrated effort. In fact this very group has been working together for several years.