"Olympic Peninsula" Legacy

2010-01-18T13:48:00.000-08:00

"Olympic Peninsula" Legacy written by Dan Youra
1 History of "Olympics"
2 Legacy in NW USA
3 Tribute to Nature
4 Sacred Places
5 Pilgrims travelers
6 Festivals and Events
7 Success of Games

Olympic Peninsula Tours for 2010

2010-01-18T13:43:00.000-08:00

2010 Olympic Peninsula Tours
OlyTours.com

OlyPortal.com

2008-06-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

Web Portal to the Olympic Peninsula is OlyPortal.com. The site is gateway to Activities, Attractions, Links, Lodging, History, Olympic National Park and much more.

Helpful Travel Tools

2008-06-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Find helpful travel tools for traveling in Washington online at ToolsWA.com.

OPTA on Mobile Web and SMS

2008-05-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Link to larger image in pdf format.
OPTA promotes businesses on cell phone with web sites on the Mobile Web and with interactive text messaging to cell phones.

Olympic Peninsula VIDEOS

2008-03-12T11:27:00.001-07:00

Click to see videos.

OPTA publishes short videos about the Olympic Peninsula.

Travel Association History

2008-03-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

In 1932 The Olympic Peninsula Travel Association OPTA was formed by a small group of prominent Olympic Peninsula business owners on Washington State's scenic peninsula after the completion of the Highway 101 loop, which joined communities together along the newly constructed road. Incorporated in 1933 as the Olympic Peninsula Resort and Hotel Assoc. (OPRHA), under the leadership of Bill Thorniley was one of the organizations largely responsible for making the Olympic Peninsula a nationally recognized vacation destination. In 1967 the organization changed it’s name to the Olympic Peninsula Travel Association in an attempt to strengthen its ability to represent a broader scope of businesses in the region. Later in the 1980's OPTA's membership began to drop off and as a result OPTA elected to hire Dan Youra as the executive director, who in 2001 took over complete ownership and management of the organization.

With Dan Youra at the helm for over the past 25 years, OPTA still continues to promote the Olympic Peninsula with its websites and the OPTA Olympic Peninsula Directory and Map which is celebrating its 75th anniversary edition in 2008. OPTA continues to play an important role in the Olympic Peninsula's tourism development. Washington State Lieutenent Governor, Brad Owen, a long time resident of the Olympc Peninsula recognized OPTA as the "oldest existing member-funded organization in the State of Washington". The organization is commended by Washington State Attorney General Rob Mckenna, House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler and Washington State Director of Tourism Marsha Massey. OPTA's familiar green, triangle-shaped logo has been known since the 1930s as the "Welcome Sign of the Olympics" and is famous for enticing travelers with catch phrases such as "Come Tour the New Olympic Loop" and "See the Olympic Peninsula - Americas Last Great Frontier." OPTA carries on those same traditions today by continuing to help Olympic Peninsula businesses by tirelessly promoting the region.

Past presidents of the organization have been LeRoy Tipton, executive director of Grays Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Louann Yager, Port Angeles Visitor Center, Gary Wood, general manager of Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic National Park.

The association posts short videos on its website documenting the history of the organization and also promoting regions around the Olympic Peninsula that are often most popular with visitors.

Olympic Peninsula Travel Assoc. OPTA