Destination Strategy for Troutdale, Oregon


Challenge

The city of Troutdale lies at the outskirts of the urban hub of Portland, Oregon, along I-84 on the way into the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Despite its attractive geographical location, visitors often bypass the city. As a response, city leaders sought a robust, actionable Destination Strategy to establish Troutdale as a useful gateway community for visitors. The goals of the strategy were to increase the connectivity with the city’s major attractions, like the Sandy River; preserve the area’s ecological values; and evolve the positive impacts of the visitor economy.

Solution

Crosscurrent Collective reviewed destination assets and previous documentation to fully understand Troutdale’s situation. Based on this information, we conducted two research projects, a Stakeholder Survey and a Visitor Opportunity Study, tailored specifically to the needs of the community and local tourism industry.

In coordination with the City of Troutdale, we identified missing opportunities in the destination’s marketing to elevate existing communications. Crosscurrent Collective then engaged community and business leaders in several workshops to share research results and gather community input on planning efforts thus far.

The three-year Destination Strategy we developed captures important contextual information and defines a strategic roadmap for implementing the results of the Crosscurrent Collective’s work, including developing new experiences to bring visitors downtown and encouraging responsible recreation on the Sandy River.

Additionally, we produced a Strategic Marketing Plan to create a cohesive, visitor-facing brand that inspires visitors to display the desired behaviors. The plan creates guidelines and actionable steps to establish Troutdale as a “must-visit” experience within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Impact

Our work has led to an actionable, tailored Destination Strategy, equipping the City of Troutdale with the necessary guidance to improve the positive impacts of tourism in their community. By engaging relevant stakeholders, including local community and business owners, Crosscurrent helped create a shared sense of place and collective vision for the future.

SERVICES PROVIDED:


  1. Conducted a tailored Visitor Opportunity Study and Stakeholder Survey for the Troutdale area
  2. Designed custom workshops with relevant stakeholders to uncover untapped development opportunities and develop successful marketing strategies
  3. Developed a Strategic Marketing Plan to establish the Troutdale brand
  4. Aligned key stakeholders around a set of community values and a 15-year vision of success
  5. Delivered a comprehensive and actionable 3-year Destination Strategy

PROJECT PARTNERS:


  • Lookout
  • ECOnorthwest

Crosscurrent makes the complex simple.

  • 01
    Set Up a Discovery Session
    Contact us to schedule a free 30-minute discovery session.
  • 02
    Create a Road Map
    Together we’ll sketch a road map to get a feel for the investment required.
  • 03
    Get to Work
    Once the road map is clear and the details agreed on, we’ll get right to work!