Bend’s booming tourism industry hits labor shortage snag

Summers have rarely been busier for Brian Sykes, who co-owns Ouzel Outfitters, a whitewater rafting company in Bend.

He has plenty of customers, but not enough guides to lead them.

The problem started last summer, as COVID-19 restrictions eased, spurring interest in outdoor tourism. Sykes found it difficult to find qualified guides for his trips, especially those with the experience to lead more advanced routes.

“We weren’t geared up necessarily to handle the amount of business,” Sykes said. “We dealt with that simply by limiting what we were able to offer.”

Sykes said some of his trips are sold out for the rest of June and July, and he’s not able to accommodate as many customers as in years past.

Outdoor outfitters, hotels and restaurants across Bend are struggling to find and retain employees in a region heavily reliant on tourism to fund its local economy. This means a reduction in services and potentially longer wait times for consumers.

For workers, the industry’s labor crunch has led to higher wages, signing bonuses and other perks to lure employees to a sector that typically ranks among the lowest paying in the nation.