Page 82 - Clackamas County Watertourism Strategic Plan. Final.v3

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WATER-BASED TOURISM IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY, OREGON THE MARKET
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According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon ranks 7 among the top ten fishing destinations in the nation (Table 4-5) .
Table 5-5:Top 10 Non-Resident Fishing
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Destinations and Expenditures, 2011 Alaska is ranked 5 . Based on the analysis above, both states are shown to generate a disproportionately lower number of
visitor/days, however, they are generating more revenue from fishing than their neighbors. This means that those who do come to
Non- Total Non- Oregon are willing to spend a disproportionately higher amount of money to do so. Willingness to spend tourism dollars is an
Rank State Resident Resident
Anglers Expenditures indication that Oregon has a high-quality product and that it is worth the trip for non-resident anglers to visit the state. This
information, combined with the Proportional Share Analysis, leads to a reasonable conclusion that Oregon has a high-quality product
1 Florida 1,197,279 $898,283,876
but is not maximizing its potential. There is untapped tourism potential in Oregon’s angler market.
2 Michigan 347,029 $326,337,857

3 Wisconsin 336,753 $445,006,874 Clackamas County can capitalize on this untapped opportunity by marketing new destinations. Non-residents are aware of the
4 North 328,810 $260,296,738 Deschutes, Rogue, Columbia and other famous rivers, but know little about Clackamas County rivers and lakes. The Clackamas, Sandy,
Carolina and Willamette, are excellent fisheries that can be used to create new experiences for the visiting angler.
5 Alaska 327,418 $361,768,322
6 New York 297,070 $282,573,249 Understanding effective ways to market to anglers requires understanding what prevents them from fishing and what motivates them
7 Oregon 264,424 $241,771,577 to go. The top 3 reasons people go fishing is to: Spend time with family and friends; relax; and to improve their skills and gain some
exercise (sport and recreation). Spending time with family and friends is the single most important reason people fish. Catching a fish
8 Minnesota 259,324 $364,108,877
is only a bonus, not the primary reason that people go fishing. Marking and tourism promotion should focus on marketing fishing to
9 New Jersey 256,950 $106,323,764
relax and spend quality time with family and friends. New recruits to fishing are more likely to seek relaxation, while avid anglers are
10 Missouri 244,290 $205,686,074 xx
more likely to seek excitement and improve their sport .

Anglers stop or decrease participation in fishing for a variety of reasons. The reasons fall primarily within three general categories:
1) Time. Studies show that anglers are spending the same amount of time recreating but there is a growing shift in priorities and competition for the same leisure time.
People have an expanded array of other leisure pursuits than they did previously. Competition for leisure time is particularly strong from indoor electronic activities that
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comes from new and improved television entertainment and games . Family obligations and changes in the way recreational time is spent is leading to a decreased
amount of time fishing. Marketing efforts to increase angling should be more in tune with these shifting priorities. Television and electric media can be used to attract
anglers and packages that are tailored to attracting the entire family including women and children is needed.
2) Health. The second most common reason that people stop fishing is declining health. This is mostly related to the aging of the angler population. Two tactics can be used
to counter this trend. First, increase convenience for fishing including better parking, wheelchair ramps, and generally improved access. Second, increase youth
participation. Most avid anglers started when they were 5 years old or younger. It is more difficult to get a teenager to start fishing. If youth participation starts at a very
early age, then the rewards are likely to last a lifetime.