Portland
Cooking up a unique new conference cuisine in the north-west
T he majority of Portland’ s
meetings and convention business is domestic, and the city has become a favourite for event organisers in the healthcare and education sectors, as well as multicultural organisations in particular.
The team at CVB Travel Portland tells us they plan on growing events business in the women’ s and youth sports space also.
The city has numerous connections from West Coast hubs like Seattle, San Francisco and Vancouver, and with direct flights to Europe from KLM, Condor and British Airways, connectivity is better than ever. So, what’ s new in term of meetings spaces?
The James Beard Public Market is still under construction, but when complete will offer rentable meeting spaces and a teaching kitchen.
Also in progress is a new music and events venue in the Lloyd district, the project will be able to seat 4,000 attendees when finished.
The new CASCADA thermal springs and hotel has meetings / events / dining options and exhibition meeting space and underground thermal springs and secret garden.
On the incentives side, The Ritz- Carlton, Portland, the Allison Inn, and Skamania Lodge are popular HQ venues.
PDX Airport PDX Airport has just finished a renovation project which includes meeting spaces and the airport’ s‘ street pricing’ policy means you won’ t pay more at outlets just because you’ re at an airport. PDX is quite a feature in itself,
with many trees and plants throughout the terminal and miles of timber roofing( sourced from local producers).
Exploring nature Travel Portland’ s Convention Services team works with planners to customise options for delegates to explore nature and take part in activities pre / post events, including volunteer opportunities and bleisure itineries.
Credit: Diego Diaz
Left: Credit: NASHCO photo
Below: Credit: Edwin Nunez Drone Photography and Videography
Activities arranged by the team include scavanger hunt adventures, souvenir workshops at ADX Portland and Bridge City Improv comedy.
Cascadia Wild connects people with the natural world by teaching naturalist skills and providing stewardship opportunities to serve the local wildlife and forests.
There is more outdoor access with the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum, the World Forestry Center and Oregon Zoo. Other destinations include Forest Park, Mount Tabor, Lan Su Chinese Garden in Old Town, Mills End Park( the smallest park in North America), Sauvie Island, The Grotto, Leach Botanical Garden, and on-river activities.
Getting around town via public transit is easy and in summer visitors can use the pink hop on / off trolley.
Food, drink and culture Portland is proud of its food and drink offer and the city has over 500 + food carts, and numerous farmers’ markets.
Portland breweries and a Cheers & Gears cycling tour are worth checking out and Portland ' s fourth wave coffee scene integrates makers’ heritage and cultural backgrounds into artisanal flavours and brewing methods. For spirits and cocktails, visit woman-owned Freeland Spirits, Kachka Fabrika for inhouse vodkas, and Westward Whiskey. Visitors can also easily reach Oregon wine country in less than an hour.
The city’ s Arts & Culture offer includes Portland Art Museum’ s newly renovated Rothko pavilion, and the world’ s largest indie bookstore Powell ' s.
Portland is one of the few places you can see soccer from MLS and NWSL teams, NBA, a LPGA golf tournament, a skateboarding fest and hockey and baseball. It also claims the world ' s first sports bar dedicated to women ' s sports.
Portland has no sales tax and very affordable hotel rates, and an LEED Platinum-certified Convention Center offering 478,000sq. ft of event space. n
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