Dec. 12, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Caryn Gresham
304-558-2288, ext. 347
cgresham@wvtourism.com
SOUTH CHARLESTON – Study after study shows that tourism continues to
be one of the fastest-growing and most-important segments of West Virginia’s
economy, and in 2005 the Mountain State continued its move to become the premier
tourism destination for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United
States.
In November, a Travel Industry Association of America study reported that from 1999 through 2003 West Virginia had the third-highest growth rate (3.1 percent) in travel and tourism employment among all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The same study ranked West Virginia fifth in payroll growth (12.3 percent) and sixth in expenditures growth (10.8 percent).
In July, the Division of Tourism released a study that showed
travel spending in West Virginia has increased by 11.4 percent per year since
2000. Tourists spent $3.4 billion, creating nearly 41,000 jobs and generating
$526 million in state taxes in 2004.
“West Virginia has become a leader in the region for tourism growth, and we still consider ourselves very young in this business,” said Tourism Commissioner Betty Carver. “We regularly see news clips citing West Virginia as a trendy destination or as one to watch in tourism.”
Carver said outdoor recreation, which includes fishing, camping, hiking, biking, skiing and rafting, remains a staple for attracting West Virginia tourists. Visitor surveys and nationwide trends suggest the state also is popular for ecotourism, cultural and heritage tourism and fall color.
Visitors noted that gaming, shopping, motorcycle touring and
ATV trails were among West Virginia’s strengths.
The state’s convenient proximity to major metropolitan areas is a natural
draw, as well. Visitors said West Virginia is affordable, easy-to-reach and
an excellent vacation value.
In 2005, the Division of Tourism tracked an estimated $20 million in editorial media coverage for the state. That’s in addition to the agency’s $3 million in paid advertising and another $9 million distributed to West Virginia tourism businesses through the Cooperative Tourism Promotion Fund, the advertising grant program
“There’s still a lot of growing to do in West Virginia tourism,” Carver said. “Our challenges are to keep our visitors and travel media returning to the state while we promote opportunities that will attract new tourists.”
The following is a timeline of notable tourism events and news throughout 2005. Accompanying photographs for each month are available online at http://www.callwvanews.com/photos_main.html. For additional information, please check the archive of news releases, events and media advisories at www.callwvanews.com.
Note: Looking for a year-end interview? The Division of Tourism maintains a list of West Virginia tourism industry contacts for interview topics ranging from special events, arts and crafts, dining, outdoor recreation, lodging, skiing, golf, Civil War, bed and breakfast inns, camping, hiking, fishing, African-American heritage, visitor statistics and general travel information. Please contact the Public Information Section at 1-800-225-5982 for additional story ideas or to put you in touch with those sources.
West Virginia Tourism – 2005 Timeline
• Oglebay Resort reopens its downhill ski area after a seven-year absence. A triple chair lift and snowmaking equipment delight Northern Panhandle tourists.
• The Division of Tourism debuts its all-new official travel guide, which in August ties for first place for best travel guide in the nation. The printed guide is free and can be viewed online at www.callwva.com.
• Tourism Day at the Legislature highlights the best of state’s tourism industry to legislators and visitors to the capitol complex. The state tourism office, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and WVU release a study that shows West Virginia's tourism industry has steadily grown in sales and employment for more than 20 years.
• West Virginia Tourism joins Gov. Joe Manchin and Dr. Hazo Carter of West Virginia State University to kick off Black History Month and announce special events marking West Virginia’s rich African-American culture and history.
• The West Virginia Film Office helps increase the state’s visibility as a valuable shooting location. ABC Family shot episodes of “Scariest Places on Earth” at Lake Shawnee, Mercer County, and at the West Virginia Penitentiary, Marshall County. Sony Corp. selected a site in Monroe County and Edward Jones Investments chose sites in Nicholas and Fayette counties to shoot national advertising campaigns.
• West Virginia Ski Areas Association and West Virginia Division of Tourism partner for the first Ski Day at the State Capitol, bringing truckloads of snow, snowboarders and a miniature terrain park to the capitol complex, drawing attention of media and state workers alike. When the ski season closes in April, the industry reports a record season of more than 850,000 downhill skier visits.
• The annual Wheeling Celtic Celebration is named a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event in the Southeast. Since 1985, the Southeast Tourism Society has published this list that highlights the best events across the Southeast. The lists are sent to more than 300 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations and all 125 American Automobile Association publications.
• The Division of Tourism hosts The Weather Channel Road Crew for filming of four segments that air on national television in March and April. The Road Crew visited Huntington’s Heritage Farm and Museum, the Winfield Locks and Dam, the Hatfield-McCoy Trails and the State Capitol.
• Dirt Wheels Magazine, a leading ATV industry publication, selects four annual events held by the Hatfield-McCoy Trails among the top 15 ATV events in the country. Out of the 15 named events, only five are east of the Mississippi River and four of them are Hatfield-McCoy events. In the June issue, the magazine names the Hatfield McCoy Trails among the “Best of the Best.”
• More than 40 West Virginia sites are featured on a full-sized map of Appalachia in the April issue of National Geographic Traveler and additional sites appear on a National Geographic Web site. West Virginia sites include unique eateries, cultural festivals, handmade craft shops, scenic and historic parks and attractions. The "Appalachia Geotourism Map Guide" is the first project of its kind for the Appalachian Regional Commission, which spearheaded the effort to stimulate economic development by showcasing the region's natural, cultural and heritage attractions.
• The production team for Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh is headquartered in Parkersburg while the crew shoots the feature film “Bubble” in Ohio. Local West Virginia residents appear in the film.
• The Reader’s Digest book, “The Most Scenic Drives in America”
includes West Virginia’s Midland Trail and Potomac Highlands Trail.
• The Division of Tourism, the West Virginia Golf Association and Miles Media Group publish the free 2005 Official West Virginia Golf Guide, the most comprehensive source for information about golf courses and golfing in West Virginia.
• The West Virginia Welcome Centers begin extended hours for the busy summer season. Each year, these Welcome Centers promote the state’s travel opportunities and help with directions and travel plans for more than 4 million travelers. Throughout the year, the centers host local tourism and arts businesses at special events that allow these businesses to showcase their attractions and work to visitors.
• Gov. Joe Manchin and the Division of Tourism kick off Mountain Bike Month. West Virginia was named the top state for mountain biking in the International Mountain Bike Association annual report card. This is the first time a state East of the Mississippi received this commendation, which complements West Virginia’s reputation for hard-core single-track mountain biking and family-style rail trails.
• The Division of Tourism begins a month-long station domination ad campaign in a Washington, D.C. Metro subway station. The creative campaign, which tied “beltway humor” puns with West Virginia tourism attractions, covers all ad space in the station.
• The Southern Governors Association names the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance as a best practice in southern tourism. The Division of Tourism is an active member of the group that promotes regional tourism.
• The Division of Tourism introduces two Civil War heritage brochures to draw attention to West Virginia Civil War history. Both brochures list Civil War sites, direct tourists to each location and explain the significance of each site. In August, the state completes installation of 12 Civil War Trail markers that showcase significant events from Wheeling to Bartow.
• The Division of Tourism introduces new tourism brochures that are distributed at Welcome Centers and through the 800-CALL WVA tourism hotline and www.callwva.com Web site. The brochures cover Civil War, African-American heritage, fall color, outdoor recreation, West Virginia facts, whitewater rafting, winter getaways and the State Capitol.
• A Dean Runyan Associates study shows that the state’s travel and tourism industry continues to have a positive economic impact on earnings, employment and tax revenue. Travel spending in West Virginia increased by 11.4 percent per year since 2000. Tourists spent $3.4 billion, creating nearly 41,000 jobs and generating $526 million in state taxes in 2004.
• ESPN broadcasts its nationally televised SportsCenter program atop
Snowshoe Mountain as part of its “50 states in 50 days” series.
The Division of Tourism provided background information, story ideas and West
Virginia footage to ESPN producers.
• The State Fair of West Virginia is named one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. To be nominated for a Top 20 event, an event must be at least in its third year and have a minimum attendance of 1,000.
• Gov. Joe Manchin appoints four members to the West Virginia Tourism Commission, filling three vacant seats and reappointing one member. He names Scott Rotruck of Morgantown the chairman and selects Joseph Manchin IV of Fairmont and Ron Marcus of Charles Town. Randy Worls of Wheeling was reappointed.
• The Division of Tourism wins two first place Mercury Awards in the Tourism Industry Association of America’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations annual program. West Virginia won first place in the Special Promotion category for its summer 2004 station domination advertising campaign in Washington D.C.’s Metro Station and shared first place for Best 2005 Print Visitors Guide with New Hampshire.
• The 2006 Rand McNally Road Atlas features Beckley, Cairo, Fayetteville, Parkersburg and numerous attractions in its “Best of the Road” driving tours in the atlas and on its Web site. The atlas has a circulation of “tens of millions,” according to Rand McNally officials. The Division of Tourism and industry partners in those towns coordinated a 2004 travel itinerary for Rand McNally editors for this feature.
• A three-day Grantsmanship Workshop in Flatwoods provides tourism-related small businesses with information on finding alternative funding sources by tapping into research programs and writing successful grant applications.
• The Division of Tourism participates in a consumer showcase at the Independence Air terminal at Dulles International Airport. The first-of-its-kind show highlights West Virginia tourism destinations that are accessible to Washington-area residents through inexpensive flights to Charleston.
• The Division of Tourism and state tourism partners participate in a Canadian sales mission that includes tour operator visits, media luncheon, presentations at Canadian Automobile Association offices and a consumer show in downtown Toronto. The promotion was held in partnership with other southern state tourism offices and businesses.
• Gov. Joe Manchin unveils the refurbished State Capitol dome and the U.S. Mint releases the West Virginia State Quarter in a celebration that includes music, artisans, exhibits and more than 1,500 schoolchildren.
• The Southeast Tourism Society names New River Gorge Bridge Day and Morgantown’s WVU Mountaineer Week among the Top 20 Events in the Southeast.
• West Virginia First Lady Gayle Manchin and the Division of Tourism host a breakfast at the Cultural Heritage Tourism Summit in Washington. The event highlights West Virginia’s heritage destinations and features a performance by the Appalachian Children’s Chorus.
• Gov. Joe Manchin reappoints Betty Carver as commissioner of the Division of Tourism, a position she has held since 2003.
• A Travel Industry Association of America study ranks West Virginia in top 10 states for travel and tourism employment growth, payroll growth and expenditures growth.
• Men’s Journal ranks Davis, W.Va., as one of the “10 Coolest Mountain Towns” in North America and a best-kept secret. The ranking results in national print media coverage, including features on CNN.com and in USA Today.
• Readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine name West Virginia the top outdoor recreation state in the Southeast.
• The West Virginia Tourism Commission presents Randy Worls of the Oglebay Foundation and whitewater pioneer Jon Dragan (posthumously) the Oshel Craigo Lifetime Achievement Award. The commission names Beverly Wellman of the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau the Tourism Professional of the Year.
• White Grass Touring Center in Canaan Valley is named by USA Today as one of 10 hot spots to snowshoe. “Hooked on the Outdoors” magazine also selects the West Virginia destination as a top site for cross-country skiing.
• The Helvetia “Feast of Sankt Nicholaus” is featured during holiday programs on the Travel Channel’s “Taste of America” show. Community leaders in Helvetia decorated their town and community center and celebrated the feast in October to provide the show with a segment for this month’s program.
• Historic towns of Bramwell and Beverly receive national designations as Preserve America Communities. The program recognizes towns for heritage and preservation efforts and promotes them as national tourist destinations.
• The Cooperative Tourism Promotion Fund, under the direction of the West Virginia Tourism Commission, issues more than $9 million for direct mail and advertising projects for businesses, fairs and festivals around the state. The program, now in its 10th year, plays an important role in marketing tourism properties and events, as shown by this comment from River Riders Inc., of Harpers Ferry: “We have had positive sales growth in all of the last 10 years and were up 20 percent in 2005 over 2004.”
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West Virginia Division of Tourism • 90 MacCorkle Ave., SW • South Charleston, WV 25303
304-558-2200
or 1-800-CALL-WVA • FAX: 304-558-2459 • www.callwvanews.com