Portland is bouncing back. Portland’s tourism sector was one of several industries rocked by the pandemic, coupled with the city’s rising homelessness and crime. Travel Portland is starting to see summer travel bookings and says travel intent is the highest it’s been in a long time. Portland is also set to bring in thousands of visitors. Portland is set to host the National Education Association Convention in 2025 as well as the 2023 Global World Culture Festival.
Travel Portland President and CEO Jeff Miller recently said, “Portland’s tourism economy is really roaring back. We’ve got aways to go to get our highest benchmark, but things are looking very, very positive,” Miller said. “I’m very bullish on this summer and where we’re going as an industry.”
The National Education Association chose Portland to hold its annual conference. Travel Portland and Metro, the regional government that operates the convention center, say it’s the largest event of this kind the city has ever hosted. It will be at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland in 2025. It will attract over 12,000 attendees from around the country for the weeklong convention. The teachers union meeting will run from July 1 to 7 in 2025. It is reported that NEA members will book 35,000 room nights over the course of the event.
This year Portland is hosting a local 2023 Global World Culture Festival. This year there will be a blend of performances from cultures across the globe, a peace meditation and honoring distinguished community leaders who have positively impacted the well-being of the city.
The World Culture Festival is a celebration that reflects both the world’s unity and incredible diversity with it’s music and dance. What was created is what attendees see today. Since it’s inception in 2006, the festival has entertained, thrilled, and inspired more than five million people world-wide. Past festivals were held in Berlin, New Delhi, and Bangalore.
