COVA leaving Bend for bigger Sunriver digs

The Central Oregon Visitors Association announced Friday it will be leaving Bend and open a state-of-the-art Central Oregon Visitor Information Center in the Village at Sunriver in December.

In a news release announcing its plans, COVA said it will continue to represent all visitor attractions, communities, businesses and Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Association partners from around the region in the new Regional Visitor Information Center.

The visitor population in Sunriver skyrockets to an estimated 16,000+ people per day throughout the summer and peak holiday periods, establishing Sunriver as the most highly concentrated epicenter of destination visitors in the region.

The Village at Sunriver has undertaken a stunning multi-million dollar renovation, featuring more than 40 tenants, with the new Visitor Information Center at the heart of this vibrant core of activity.

“The Visitors Center will provide personalized engagement with Central Oregon’s core audience of destination visitors,” said Alana Hughson, President & CEO.

“The community of Sunriver has the highest per capita number of overnight visitors in the region. These guests are seeking things to see and do, and COVA wants to connect them to our business members and industry partners throughout the region.”

Hughson said the new space is about 1,700 square feet, providing added areas for displays and exhibits of area attractions.

Asked what the agency’s plans are, Hughson told NewsChannel 21 that COVA “will be transitioning office operations (from Bend) to the new site for operating and overhead efficiencies.” She said they will hire a full-time visitor information services specialist and train part-time, seasonal and volunteer staff for the center during peak visitor periods.

Hughson confirmed COVA was leaving its Old Mill offices in Bend, but said the city “will continue to be well-served with both Visit Bend and the Bend Chamber of Commerce providing visitor informatiion and services.”

Here’s the rest of COVA’s announcement:

To serve the presently unmet need to provide visitor information to the estimated 2.5 million annual destination visitors who base camp their Central Oregon vacation in Sunriver, COVA will operate the regional Visitor Information Center seven days a week, year-round.

COVA’s visitor information specialists will provide vacationers with the myriad of options for activities, outdoor recreation, attractions, dining, shopping, and culturally rich travel experiences throughout Central Oregon’s unique communities.

“The Visitors Center helps address the seasonality of Central Oregon’s visitor volume by directly cross-selling the region to destination visitors year-round,” added Scott Huntsman, chairman of the board.

“COVA’s face-to-face engagement with peak-season visitors enhances their experience; providing the inspiration and invitation to return for off-season special events, activities and package offerings.”

COVA research indicates that destination guests stay longer (average 4+ nights), and spend more money per day ($224 per person) on accommodations, activities, dining and shopping while on vacation.

Destination visitors seek a wide range of experiences to enhance and extend their vacations, and this audience is COVA’s ideal target to engage on behalf of its member businesses and industry partners.

Ongoing consumer research is vital to strategic planning, and visitors to COVA’s Visitor Information Center will be surveyed on site. The data collected will provide critical insight into consumer travel preferences, visitor demographics, seasonality and the travel planning habits of destination visitors to Central Oregon.

Businesses and attractions interested in exhibiting in the Visitor Center, or individuals interested in volunteering with the COVA team, are invited to contact Alana@visitcentraloregon.com for information.

The Central Oregon Visitors Association, www.VisitCentralOregon.com, has served as Central Oregon’s Regional Destination Marketing Association since 1971. COVA manages destination tourism promotion, marketing and public relations for Central Oregon. In addition, COVA serves as the Central Oregon tourism industry liaison with Travel Oregon, the state tourism division.