Central Oregon tourism drives economy, but causes concerns | Local&State

“Getting Mt. Bachelor ski area was always a big deal for little Bend,” said Mike Hollern, board chairman for Brooks Resources, a development firm. “Our early ad campaigns were focused on skiing. We wanted to bring people here to experience Central Oregon’s recreation, weather and possibly move here and relocate their businesses here. Over the years, tourism was the spark in creating economic growth.”

And that’s what developers like Hollern and Bill Smith were successful in creating: a community known today for its summertime water recreation, walking and hiking paths, amphitheater and shopping. All those activities occur near the towering smoke stacks, remnants of Bend’s past, when the river was not navigable and timber was king.

To find the start of Bend’s attempt to encourage tourism, the calendar needs to roll back to the 1920s with water pageants along what has become an iconic emblem of Bend, the Deschutes River. The pageants were modeled after the Pendleton Round-Up. Historical photos show parade floats from the 1920s and 1930s promoting Bend as the “Gateway of the Cascades.”

“The Water Pageant, modeled after the Pendleton Round-Up, was extremely popular,” said Kelly Cannon-Miller, Deschutes Historical Society executive director. “It ended in 1966 because residents were tired of spending weeks cleaning up after the tourists. “

Bend is not so much a tourist town as a lifestyle town. Yet, tourism is among one of the largest industries in Central Oregon, employing about 10,650 people and generating a total economic impact of $1.3 billion annually, according to the Visit Central Oregon Economic Impact Report for 2023. For comparison, Portland makes up 29% of all travel jobs in the state and generated $5.3 billion in economic impact in 2023, according to a Travel Oregon report.

But with boons come busts. The industry is a victim of its own success, contributing to an affordable housing shortage, crowds and contributing to a large class of the region’s lowest paid workers.

From Sisters to Sunriver, the tourists who pour through the towns build a powerful relationship with the community and businesses, said Kyle Cummings, Black Butte Ranch CEO. In 2023, the 1,800-acre ranch had 44,959 visitors who came to rent a house, play golf, shop or visit the spa, Cummings said. Like Sunriver, which celebrated its 52nd anniversary this year, Black Butte Ranch has been around since the 1970s.

“From Memorial Day to Labor Day we are busy,” Cummings said. “I see people from the ranch in the grocery stores, the shops and on the golf courses. It’s a strong partnership between the ranch and the town. That was the plan with the folks who built this place.”

Even Oprah has found Central Oregon. Recently, the lodge at Juniper Preserve in Bend received a nod from the celebrity’s magazine for the spa treatments and location, said Pilar Guzman, Oprah Daily editorial director.

“The property is a microcosm of place and serves as a jumping off point for nature’s inexhaustible playground,” Guzman said. “Bend seems to have it all: hiking, trails, lakes for kayaking and canoeing, a strong food scene and microbreweries.”

In 2001, the leisure and…