Travel Lane County Honors Two Organizations at 2026 Visitor Industry Celebration

The 2026 Visitor Industry Celebration, hosted by Travel Lane County on July 16 at the Valley River Inn, recognized Lane County organizations who made significant contributions to the region’s visitor experience during the past year. This year’s Celebration also featured the public unveiling of the Destination Master Plan, a community-built roadmap for the future of tourism in Lane County. The full plan can be downloaded at DestinationMasterPlan.org. 

“The Destination Master Plan is about where Lane County is going. These two award winners are proof of what’s already here. A hotel brought back to life, and a pavilion that has become a place where visitors gather with community  — that’s the work that makes a destination.”

– Samara Phelps, President & CEO, Travel Lane County

Destination Award
The Eugene, Cascades & Coast Destination Award honors the places that capture the spirit of the region — places that not only welcome visitors but inspire them to discover the experiences that make our communities unique. This year’s award honored The Florentine Waterfront Hotel for bringing new life to a piece of the Oregon Coast.

As recently as 2024, the property on the shores of Siltcoos Lake sat empty and abandoned. Owners Robin Singh and Sharan Samra saw the possibility in the site, which dates back to the 1940s, and in two years of business have transformed it into a distinctive lakeside retreat. Each cabin carries its own theme, and each shares a view of the lake.

Placemaking Award
The Eugene, Cascades & Coast Placemaking Award is presented to a business or organization that supports or creates community-led, equity-centered arts and culture efforts that strengthen people’s connections to each other and to Lane County. This year’s award honored The Farmers Market Pavilion for creating a space where the community gathers year-round. 

The Farmers Market Pavilion serves as a year-round home to the Eugene Farmers Market and a gathering space for community events including the First Friday Art Walk, Fiesta Cultural, the Asian Night Market, and the Eugene Native American Arts and Crafts Makers Marketplace. Built with locally sourced and sustainable materials, the pavilion gives visitors and residents alike a place to experience what makes Eugene and Lane County distinctive.

This year’s awards were designed and created by students from Connected Lane County, whose career technical education initiatives provide valuable hands-on experience that prepares Eugene-Springfield students for future professions.

About Travel Lane County
Travel Lane County promotes the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region as a destination for travel, conventions, sports, meetings and events. It serves as a private, nonprofit association dedicated to economic development through visitor spending, which contributed more than $1.3 billion to Lane County, Oregon’s economy in 2025.