Travel Channel International Premieres Episodes Featuring Oregon Wine Adventures

- Series will showcase Oregon Wine Country to viewers abroad -

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Mar 11, 2014, 04:28 ET

PORTLAND, Ore., March 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- An international audience in 130 countries got a taste of Oregon last week when the Travel Channel International (TCI) premiered "Jeni and Olly's West Coast Wine Adventure." The four-part television series will showcase Portland, the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon over two episodes. The series, broadcast in 22 languages, will show in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific region over a two-year period and was the No. 2 most-viewed program the night it premiered on TCI in the U.K. market.

The series encourages viewers to experience the exceptional cuisine of the American West Coast: world-class wine; locally-grown, artisan food; and tasty adventures, all wrapped into an epic road trip from Oregon to California. To capitalize on the international exposure created by the series, Travel Oregon partnered with Brand USA and Visit California to host the TCI crew and to create a sweepstakes promotion that will air on all TCI channels throughout the month of March and will reach 5.9 million viewers. The sweepstakes, which is supported by 200 Brand USA-sponsored spots, will award two round-trip airline tickets out of London Heathrow, six hotel nights and a car service for the duration of the trip. Winners can sit back, relax and enjoy the stunning vistas offered by the western wine regions. This dual-state partnership was the first of its kind for a Brand USA promotion.

"We are delighted to share Oregon's culinary and outdoor treasures with the international community," said Teresa O'Neill, Travel Oregon's Vice President of Global Sales. "This series will inspire travel to Oregon within these key international markets. This dual-state partnership under Brand USA's umbrella is unprecedented and will create a greater impact in these key markets. International visitors don't consider state borders when they plan their vacations. They choose a region of the world based on the unique experiences and enrichment those places offer them personally."

The series co-stars Olly Smith, a dynamic and celebrated wine author and popular television presenter, and English actress Jeni Barnett. Smith, an award-winning wine expert, regular on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen, guest on ITV's This Morning, presenter of Channel 4's Secret Supper Club, and wine columnist for the Mail on Sunday's EVENT Magazine, has long been a fan of American wines.

"It's tremendous to be able to share the splendor of wine through the clever people who create it, the gorgeous vineyards that grow it and the delicious dishes that surround it," said Smith.

Delta Air Lines offers two non-stop flights from these international markets (Amsterdam and Tokyo) into PDX, which will provide easy access to Oregon for the international audience inspired by the series.

The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors' experience by providing information, resources and trip planning tools that inspire travel and consistently convey the exceptional quality of Oregon. The commission aims to improve Oregonians' quality of life by strengthening economic impacts of the state's $9.6 billion tourism industry that employs nearly 94,000 Oregonians. www.TravelOregon.com

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsSBg-5aUrk
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SOURCE Travel Oregon