INSIDE: DEAR ABBY, HOROSCOPE, PUZZLES & FEATURES
C1
B USINESS
THE BULLETIN • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021
bendbulletin.com/business
THIRD QUARTER 2020
Central Oregon’s economy rebounds in Q3
BY SUZANNE ROIG
The Bulletin
Editor’s note: The Bulletin has partnered with the University of Oregon’s
College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Economics to produce the
Central Oregon Business Index. The index provides a regular snapshot of the
region’s economy using economic models consistent with national standards.
The index, exclusive to The Bulletin, appears quarterly in the Business section.
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The Bulletin
C
entral Oregon’s economy ap-
peared resilient in the fourth
quarter of 2020, despite a
pandemic that required businesses
to shutter temporarily and a virus
that continues, according to the
quarterly Central Oregon Business
Index.
If enough people can become vac-
cinated against COVID-19, Central
Oregon’s economy should normal-
ize in short order, said Tim Duy,
author of the index and University
of Oregon professor of practice in
economics. The index was 136.7 in
the fourth quarter of 2020, creeping
up slightly from the third quarter,
Duy said.
Jobs losses continued to drag on
the economy, especially in the fourth
quarter when Gov. Kate Brown
closed restaurant businesses and
limited the number of people who
could gather, Duy said. But housing
and lodging taxes were bright sign-
posts indicating a full economic re-
covery could be ahead, he said.
“The lodging tax was remarkable,”
Duy said. “That shows the attrac-
tiveness of the region for leisure and
hospitality. You look at all of this and
you see the index is improving and
that’s a good sign going forward.”
The city of Bend collected $8.8
million in fiscal year July 2019 to
June 2020, compared to $10.2 mil-
lion collected July 2018 to June 2019
in Transient Accommodations Tax. .
COVID-19 | Vacation trends
Pandemic-era popularity
Sandy Huffaker/The Washington Post
Carpenter Chris Witte works on custom wood walls inside of an Airstream camper at So Cal Vintage Trailer.
Old school Airstreams enjoy 22% jump in sales
BY EILEEN ZIMMERMAN • Special To The Washington Post
L
ast June, Amy Geren, bought a $42,000 Airstream
trailer, sight unseen, from a dealer in Vermont. The 16-
foot, 2020 Bambi floor model was the last one on the
lot. “And I could sell mine tomorrow for more than I paid for it,”
Geren, 49, says.
has found a new audience with its
That may not be an exaggera-
nostalgic cache. Its founder, Wally
tion. Despite being forced to close
Byam, named his invention, with
for six weeks early in the pan-
its rounded curves and polished
demic, retail sales at Airstream
aluminum body, an
dealerships jumped
“Airstream” because it
22% in 2020 and de-
moved down the road,
mand is still on the
he said, “like a stream
rise. It’s “beyond any-
Anniversary of
of air.” Every trailer is
thing we anticipated,”
Airstream this year,
still made by hand —
says Airstream chief
which opened it’s
executive Bob Wheeler. Culver City, California, each rivet requires the
factory in 1931.
labor of two people.
The growing popu-
Perhaps because
larity of Airstreams is
Byam grew up in a boomtown
part of a surge in sales of all recre-
along the Oregon Trail, or be-
ational vehicles during the coro-
cause he started the company in
navirus pandemic. RV shipments
California, Airstream has long
set new records in November and
been an iconic symbol of the West
December of last year, according
and The Great American Road-
to the RV Industry Association.
trip.
But Airstream, which will cel-
See Airstream / C8
ebrate its 90th birthday this year,
90th
Close-to-home travel boom
opens local profit avenues
BY ZACH WICHTER
Bankrate.com
and use that money to help cover
your mortgage, boost your sav-
ings or fund other big purchases.
These shifting travel demands
could present a good opportunity
for those looking to get into real
estate investing, too.
COVID-19 has changed how
people travel in addition to the
way people work and where they
want to live. Companies like
Airbnb and Vrbo allow home-
owners to rent out rooms or
Top destinations and trends
properties for short-term vaca-
“Once people feel safe to travel,
tioners, and have seen shifts in
they will. But it will look different
traveler preferences since the start
than before the pandemic. Travel
of the pandemic.
will be viewed as an an-
Both companies re-
tidote to isolation and
port that travelers today
disconnection,” Airbnb
are more likely to stay
co-founder and CEO
closer to home. Demand
More than half of
Brian Chesky wrote in a
for accommodations
vacationers prefer
report the company re-
that travelers can drive
a domestic or local
leased in January about
to, rather than fly, has
travel destination,
2021 travel trends. “Peo-
risen, and vacationers
according to a
ple don’t generally miss
are more likely to visit
report by Airbnb.
landmarks, crowded
places with outdoor ac-
shuttles, and lines and
tivities instead of urban
lobbies packed with tourists,” he
centers with indoor landmarks
added. “What people want from
and attractions.
travel now is what they’ve been
For homeowners, these chang-
deprived of — spending mean-
ing tastes could be an opportunity
ingful time with their family and
for a little extra cash. If you have
friends.”
a home in a newly-popular va-
See Staycations / C8
cation area, you could rent it out
+50%
See Index / C3