Chamber Chat – April 2026

THE JACKSONVILLE CHAMBER of Commerce is proud to reflect on its recent accomplishments, community collaborations, and local event support, which have elevated Jacksonville as a premier destination in Southern Oregon. Record-breaking attendance at Holiday events, Lunar New Year Celebration and the Citywide Chili Cook-off showcased the community’s spirit and charm. The previous year’s marketing efforts increased Jacksonville’s Lodging Occupancy rate by over 4%.

2026 Marketing Goals

As we move into 2026, the Chamber is committed to further enhancing Jacksonville’s visibility and driving economic growth. Our Marketing strategy and Key initiatives include:

  • Airport Digital Advertising Campaign: Targeting over 1.1 million annual passengers at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport. This campaign will encourage travelers to extend their current trip and plan for future visits to experience our National Historic Landmark Town.
  • Regional Print Media Campaign: Collaborating with trusted publications like Travel Oregon, Southern Oregon Magazine, and USA Today West Travel Distribution to reach high-intent travelers from key feeder cities such as Portland, Bend, Seattle, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
  • Drive-In Campaign: Targeting Drive-in-origin markets, specifically Portland and Bend, Oregon, using both magazine and digital media to attract experience-driven travelers who are likely to book multi-night stays, enjoy the woodlands, attend events, dine and shop in our big atmosphere town.
  • Curated Itineraries and Digital Storytelling: Showcasing Jacksonville’s unique offerings, including our National Historic Landmark District, award-winning wine region, cultural programming, outdoor recreation, fine dining, and locally owned businesses.

These initiatives aim to achieve another 4-6% increase in lodging occupancy rates, generating significant economic impact for our community. Each 1% increase in occupancy is another 400 annual overnight visitors, contributing approximately $136,000 to the local economy. Approximately half of this amount benefits lodging operators and boosts Transient Lodging Tax revenue, and the other half directly benefits our local businesses. In addition, these campaigns are estimated to increase general visitor traffic by another ten percent.

 Future Activities for Chamber Membership and New Members

We are excited to announce a series of engaging activities and initiatives for our members in 2026:

  • Quarterly Business Mixers: We recently conducted our First Quarter Chamber Business Mixer on March 18 at Bella Union. Focusing on networking opportunities, updates on marketing activities, visitor center enhancements, and social media tips. Complimentary pizza and non-alcoholic beverages were provided. The next Chamber Business Mixer will be announced soon, and non-chamber members are encouraged to attend and see what we have to offer.
  • Monthly Board Meetings: Held every second Thursday at 8:30am at Bella Union, with coffee and snacks provided. All members are welcome to attend the meetings and contribute to discussions.
  • Regular Membership Meetings: A new series of interactive meetings designed to keep members informed and engaged. Including programs enhancing member visibility, promoting Business growth and marketing strategies, optimizing Chamber websites and resources, and organizing community and Chamber events.
  • Visitors Center: Open daily, from 10am-3pm. The friendly and informative Visitors Center staff are on location to answer questions for Jacksonville’s Residents and Visitors. Handouts are available for all the exciting activities in our town and the Rogue Valley.
  • Chamber Community Communication: Chamber staff and Board Members enjoy speaking and presenting updates at community events and meetings. We welcome new businesses, assist with Grand Openings and ribbon cutting ceremonies. Please reach out with your requests, we are here to serve you.
  • Exciting Events: From the 2nd Friday Art Rush to future Cookoff events, we are planning a lineup of events to bring the community together and attract visitors. Suggestions and ideas welcomed.
  • Current List of Major Events:
    • Historic Trolley Tours, begin May 1
    • Enhanced Wine Trolley Tours,
      begin May 1
    • Wine Cruise, May 3
    • True Crime Summit, May 15-16
    • Britt events, June-October
    • Savor Southern Oregon, June 12-13
    • Cycle Oregon, August 27-September 2
    • Fork & Cork, September 19
    • Halloween Haunted Winery Tours, October 24-31

We are also thrilled to announce the relaunch of the “Membership Matters” newsletter, which will provide valuable updates, social media tips, and guidelines for submitting content to the Chamber website and calendars. www.jacksonvilleoregon.org.

As we continue to grow, the Chamber remains dedicated to supporting local businesses, fostering community engagement, maintaining our livability and charm, while promoting Jacksonville as a vibrant destination. Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to achieving great things together in 2026!