Business View Magazine - August 2023

123 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 8 OREGON RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIAT ION Although our mission has evolved subtly over time, ORLA remains focused on improving, protecting, and promoting over 10,000 foodservice and 2,500 lodging locations across Oregon. These operations remain in business even after Covid unleashed its ferocious blow on an industry reliant on in person experiences. When considering both openings and closures, we estimate Oregon lost a net of 750 restaurants because of the pandemic, a number much smaller than originally anticipated but still devastating to economic ecosystems across the state. Of all our existing locations, ORLA currently has 3,046 who have chosen voluntarily to join their statewide association in support of our mission. It is clear the secret is out on Oregon as our population continues to grow with its geographic position between California and Washington. The state benefits greatly from its high qualify of life and diverse topography. You would be hard pressed to find a state with mountain ranges, a world-famous coastline, high deserts, and vast river and lake systems highlighted by the Columbia Gorge. As the state’s population grows so do the opportunities for additional foodservice and lodging pursuits. We are fortunate to have a state association which continues to slowly grow in its size and scope with 16 full time professional staff dedicated to the work. The hospitality industry here in Oregon is at a crossroads with a growing market of independent small operators determined to provide choice to their guests. The explosion of choice feels like the options we now have when turning on a television. Instead of a handful of channels, we have immediate access to hundreds in addition to what seems like a limitless supply of streaming content. The same dynamics are at play in the hospitality industry. On one hand, lodging brands have greatly expanded to provide more choice for the traveler. On the restaurant side, we continue to see innovative business models emerge including app-based ordering, ping pong bars, and a proliferation of food pods and mobile units. The world looks different when compared to the norm of decades past when the traditional family restaurant dinner was served by the restaurant owners and their staff. Online travel agencies (think Expedia and Booking.com) as well as third-party delivery services (like DoorDash and Uber Eats) are creating a highly advanced and complicated environment. Restaurant and lodging establishments have innumerable opportunities to partner with vendors and suppliers in their ultimate goal to make money and provide jobs to others (ORLA has 192 allied members within our 3,046 membership base). If an operator is too flippant and not committed to detail, it would be easy to launch a hospitality business without a means for sustaining it. Commission rates for Online Travel Agencies can be considerable for lodging operators and restaurants continue to