Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

More people than ever are coming to Oregon, and they're hailing from all over the world.



That's according to new data released this month by Travel Oregon, which shows nearly 30 million overnight visitors came to the state in 2017. That's a 1 percent increase over 2016, and the eight consecutive year of tourism growth.



And while plenty of people from within Oregon and around the region make overnight trips to parks, cities and attractions around the state, state tourism officials are focusing their efforts on attracting the long-haul travelers – international tourists in particular – who tend to inject more money into local economies.



"It's not always about growing visitor volume, it's about growing visitor value," Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson said. "If there are things we can do that inspire destination travel we do."



And boy do they. As Oregon's official state tourism agency, Travel Oregon has spent big money on creative and often lavish ad campaigns that are spread far and wide. Its most recent, a fantastical Hayao Miyazaki-inspired ad with the tagline, "only slightly exaggerated" – created by Portland firm Wieden+Kennedy – became a viral sensation.

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The $5 million budget for the campaign may seem like a lot, especially considering Oregon's natural beauty practically sells itself, but the expenditure is a relatively small slice of Travel Oregon's annual $34 million budget, amassed through a 1.8 percent state lodging tax. According to the agency, that money goes toward ensuring international travelers not just come to Oregon in the first place, but leave feeling a special connection to our state as well.



"If somebody comes to Oregon and they go home changed, they're a little bit more Oregonian in their behavior when they return home, whether its Miami or Munich or Manhattan," Davidson said. "They're looking for Oregon wine on the wine list, they're wondering if their favorite corner pub might start carrying their new favorite Oregon craft beer."



That Oregon influence isn't empty hope, it's already happening. Just look at Voodoo Doughnut's massive expansion into Asia, the global reach of local craft brewers, or the recent inclusion of Oregon wine at the White House's recent state dinner for France.



Travel Oregon's campaigns are gorgeous love letters to the state, but they're also a bold attempt to attract farther-flung tourists, who will spend big money while they're here and, hopefully, keep supporting Oregon exports when they get back home.



"Suddenly you realize that the tourism industry is so much more than just the $11.8 billion in direct visitor spending that happens in Oregon now every year," Davidson said. "It's actually the front door to the entire Oregon economy."



Curious where all these travelers are coming from? According to the new economic impact report, these were the top 12 international places sending tourists to Oregon in 2017, rounded to the nearest thousand:

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AP Photo/Renata Brito

12. Brazil

8,100 visitors

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AP Photo/Peter Dejong

11. Belgium-Netherlands-Luxembourg

12,400 visitors

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AP Photo/Jacques Brinon

10. France

13,300 visitors

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AP Photo/Leif R Jansson, File

9. Scandinavia

16,400 visitors

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AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon

8. South Korea

21,300 visitors

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AP Photo/Marco Ugarte

7. Mexico

24,500 visitors

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AP Photo/Rick Rycroft

6. Australia

29,200 visitors

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AP Photo/Miguel Villagran

5. Germany

34,000 visitors

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AP Photo/Alastair Grant

4. United Kingdom

45,000 visitors

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AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

3. China

67,900 visitors

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AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man

2. Japan

73,100 visitors

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AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

1. Canada

581,700 visitors

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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