Travel Portland and Arizona Office of Tourism recently hosted a dual-destination trade famil that highlighted food, creative character and retro Route 66 experiences.
Linkd Tourism, which represents both destinations in Australia and New Zealand, organised the famil, which spanned four nights in Portland and four nights in Arizona with representatives from Infinity Holidays, Flight Centre Travel Group, Inspiring Vacations and Chris Watson Travel.
“Having the opportunity to visit Portland and Arizona was a timely reminder of just how welcoming the USA truly is and why we continue to champion it as a destination,” Inspiring Vacations product manager – Americas & Antarctica Michael Van Raaphorst said. “Portland’s incredible food culture and creative energy paired beautifully with Arizona’s dramatic, ever-changing landscapes to make for a trip that left a lasting impression.”
“I can’t wait to go back and see more. Portland, Oregon was such a fun city to explore – super relaxed, creative and full of character,” Chris Watson Travel manager Janine Snook said. “I loved the food trucks and amazing coffee options and there’s so much to see and do in the city and surrounds.
“Then Arizona completely blew my mind; every stop felt different. Sedona was absolutely stunning with its red rocks, and Flagstaff was fresh and scenic with that mountain feel that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the fresh air. Prescott had a lovely historic feel, and Williams was full of Route 66 charm. My highlight in Arizona though, was our stop at Seligman – a quirky little town that inspired the movie Cars.”
“We’re honoured to have close partnerships with both Arizona Office of Tourism and Travel Portland to help turn inspiration into future travel,” Linkd Tourism business development and trade director Millie Browne said. “These US destinations offer a vast variety of travel experiences for travellers across nature, culture, culinary and beyond. We look forward to seeing the results of these lived experiences translate into new product and increased visitation from our local markets.”
Visit Portland itinerary
With Travel Portland director of international tourism administration Heather Anderson at the hosting helm, famil participants experienced the breadth of the city of Portland, as well as the surrounding region.
“Portland has so much to offer downtown in its six quirky quadrants, as well as lots of great outdoor activities and rich history in the surrounding region, most areas of which can be accessed in one to two hours,” Anderson said.
The group’s favourite experiences included a bike tour through Portland’s vibrant Central Eastside, performances at Ooh La La at the Paris Theatre – where one of the famil participants joined a can-can dance – and attending two lively sporting events: the Portland Timbers FC (soccer) and the Portland Trail Blazers (basketball). Lunch at a vineyard in the Tualatin Valley in the surrounding Portland Region was also a big hit.
Arizona Office of Tourism itinerary
Regional destination bodies Visit Phoenix, Scenic Sedona, Discover Flagstaff, Experience Williams and Experience Prescott joined forces to support an incredible trade famil through some of Arizona’s most iconic landscapes.
Highlights included hiking Margs Draw Trail among Sedona’s famous red rocks, bowling and axe throwing at Flagstaff’s Starlite Lanes, a classic cowboy BBQ lunch in Williams and a jeep adventure through the Grand Canyon.
The journey continued along historic Route 66 – which celebrates its centenary this year – to Seligman, before an e-bike ride around the spectacular Watson Lake in Prescott.
Famil participants and hosts:
- Janine Snook, Chris Watson Travel (Manager)
- Michael Van Raaphorst, Inspiring Vacations (Product Manager – Americas & Antarctica)
- Sheree Raphael, Infinity Holidays (Wholesale Sales Specialist)
- Sue Johnson, Flight Centre Travel Group (Global Marketing Operations Leader)
- Heather Anderson, Travel Portland (Director of International Tourism Administration)
- Melina Conroy, Arizona Office of Tourism (Senior Travel Industry Marketing Manager)
- Mel Newton, Linkd Tourism (Account Manager)
- Sally Miles, Linkd Tourism (Account Manager)
