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The Matterhorn in the Wallowas has one of the biggest mountain walls in Oregon.

(Terry Richard/The Oregonian/2005)

The Oregon Tourism Commission, which is better known as

, has launched a nearly $3 million advertising campaign, featuring seven iconic natural wonders in the state.

The "7 Wonders of Oregon," as defined in the campaign, are the Oregon coast, Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake, the Painted Hills, the Wallowas and Smith Rock.

Here are a couple of links to new posts:

Which

to the list of Oregon's wonders (poll)?

And just how does Oregon stack up

around it when it comes to wonders (poll)?

Travel Oregon worked with a team of agencies to create the campaign, including

,

,

,

and

web design. Title sponsors include

and

outdoor gear and clothing.

The campaign opened Monday, March 3, and will run through Monday, Aug. 4. Advertisements will air in cinemas and on television in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Boise and Vancouver, B.C., all prime markets for Oregon tourism.

The advertisements will be integrated with digital, social and PR campaigns in an attempt to encourage active travelers to visit the state.

Visitors will be invited to share their photos on Instagram with the #traveloregon hashtag. The

website will provide planning tools, suggested itineraries and other resources.

Oregon is truly a state endowed with natural wonders, but whether this campaign makes it rise above other states around it will be the test of the summer.

It would be easy for Washington to say its seven wonders are better, then name the Olympic coast, Mount Rainier, the sunny side of the Columbia Gorge, Lake Chelan, Grand Coulee country, North Cascades and Alpine Lakes.

And California could counter with the Big Sur coast, Mount Shasta, Redwood coast, Lake Tahoe, Death Valley, Yosemite and the high Sierra.

It's a tough neighborhood Oregon lives in, when it comes to competing for tourist dollars. Much of the state sells itself, though it always helps to put out reminders. And this campaign should be a strong reminder that Oregon matches quite well, even with the heaviest of hitters, when it comes to adventure tourism.

-- Terry Richard