Last week at the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Portland, the Oregon Coast was recognized in a remarkable way.
Three different initiatives connected to the coast received top honors from Travel Oregon during the annual Oregon Travel & Tourism Industry Achievement Awards, highlighting the region’s leadership in accessible travel, cultural storytelling, and environmental stewardship.
Governor’s Award: Oregon Coast Travelability
The centerpiece recognition of the evening—the Governor’s Award—was presented to Oregon Coast Travelability, a coastwide collaboration working to make the Oregon Coast a more accessible place to live, work, and visit for people with disabilities.
Presented by Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, the Governor’s Award honors individuals or organizations that have significantly enhanced Oregon’s visitor experience and elevated the travel and tourism industry.
Launched in 2022 by a small group of coastal tourism partners, Oregon Coast Travelability has grown into a powerful coalition bringing together tourism leaders, disability advocates, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses across the coast.
Through this collaboration, partners have helped secure more than $1.3 million in accessibility funding through Travel Oregon grants. The initiative also helped catalyze a major statewide milestone. In 2025, Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to be Accessibility Verified through Wheel the World. “The work of Oregon Coast Travelability was the catalyst for a statewide effort to remove barriers to access for visitors with disabilities,” Davidson said. “Their innovative spirit and commitment to collaboration toward this work truly knows no equal.”
Read more about the achievement here.
Equity Award: Oregon Black Pioneers
The coast’s commitment to inclusive storytelling was also recognized through the Oregon Equity Award, which was presented to Oregon Black Pioneers for their statewide leadership in building a more inclusive and welcoming environment for visitors to Oregon. Through powerful storytelling, education, and cultural preservation, Oregon Black Pioneers has elevated the history and contributions of Oregon’s Black communities across the state. Their work includes partnerships with the tourism industry, statewide Black History Walking Tours, the annual York Fest celebration, and initiatives highlighting Black-owned businesses.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association has been a proud partner of Oregon Black Pioneers, and the work they have championed on the Oregon Coast, including a collection of Black history stories, the curation of a 5-stop roadtrip for Black history seekers traveling the Oregon Coast, and a special line of merch highlighting Black-owned business on the coast.
By bringing forward stories that have too often been overlooked, Oregon Black Pioneers is helping deepen cultural understanding while expanding how visitors and residents experience Oregon’s history.
Stewardship Award: Local Ocean
The Oregon Coast also earned recognition for its leadership in environmental stewardship.
The Oregon Stewardship Award was presented to Local Ocean, a longtime leader in Oregon’s coastal food system.
Following last year’s regional Blue Foods Forum, Local Ocean launched an ambitious 100 percent fish utilization program, transforming what once might have been discarded during seafood processing into new, high-value products. The restaurant has since created a Business Innovation Specialist role dedicated to developing these seafood byproducts—turning processing side streams into new revenue opportunities while reducing waste and strengthening Oregon’s coastal food economy.
The initiative represents a bold step toward a more resilient and sustainable seafood system, advancing Local Ocean’s vision of becoming the first 100% Fish restaurant in the United States.
A Coastwide Commitment
Taken together, these recognitions highlight the Oregon Coast’s leadership in destination stewardship—an approach that recognizes tourism’s role in strengthening local communities, honoring cultural heritage, protecting ecosystems, and ensuring experiences are accessible to everyone.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association is proud to work alongside the many organizations, advocates, businesses, and community leaders who are helping move this work forward. These awards ultimately belong to the partners across the coast who are collaborating every day to ensure the Oregon Coast remains an incredible place to visit and live.