The Seven Wonders of Oregon's Accommodations Industry

In March, Travel Oregon unveiled a new campaign entitled the "Seven Wonders of Oregon." Accompanied by sweeping camera shots and perfectly timed guitar strums, all of Oregon's natural beauty plays out in advertisements that entice the viewer to book a trip to the Beaver state. Visitors intrigued by these commercials will find plenty of spectacular vistas to Instagram during their stay - but when it comes to finding somewhere to sleep, it's Oregon's accommodations industry that steps up to the plate.

Here are seven interesting things to know about the state's accommodations industry:

1. Accommodations could be hotels, yurts, or even treehouses. 
The most common types of accommodations firms are hotels, motels, and inns, which support 91 percent of private employment in the industry. RV and recreational camps make up another 6 percent, followed by the "other traveler accommodations" category (2%) and rooming and boarding houses (1%).

2. Employment in accommodations is resistant to the business cycle.
Despite recessions, employment in the accommodations industry in Oregon has remained relatively stable since 2001.

3. Multnomah, Lincoln, and Lane counties are accommodation industry hot spots.  
Multnomah County is home to 162 accommodations establishments, more than any other in the state. Destinations along the Oregon Coast also demand many lodging arrangements. Lincoln County takes second with 118, while Lane has 106 establishments.

4. Maids and Housekeepers are the backbone of the industry. Nearly one out of three employees in accommodations is a maid or housekeeping cleaner, totaling more than 6,000 jobs statewide in 2013. Less common, but still numerous, are hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks, who make up 15 percent of the accommodations workforce.

5. Industry wages vary across the state.
Wages in accommodations positions tend to be low. Average annual pay is $21,007 statewide, but varies considerably across the state. Topping the list is Crook County ($25,100), while Grant County is at the other end of the spectrum ($12,088). 

6. It's one of Oregon's slowest-growing industries.  
Employment in the accommodations industry has increased just 1.8 percent since 2001 and is projected to grow a modest 7 percent by 2022.

7. Lodging revenue is on the rise.  
A report by Dean Runyan Associates on behalf of the Oregon Tourism Commission states that "2013 was the strongest year of travel industry growth since prior to the 2008-2009 recession." Growth has continued into 2014, with lodging demand up 4.9 percent over the year (March 2013 to March 2014) and lodging revenue up 11.8 percent.
 
You can find out more about Oregon's accommodations industry in Workforce Analyst Melissa Greenaway's article on QualityInfo.org.