Feb. 2, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Turner
304-558-2288, ext. 341
mturner@wvtourism.com

Around the state in 225 pages
2006 edition of West Virginia’s 1st place travel guide now available

SOUTH CHARLESTON – West Virginia’s tourism officials think it’s tough to beat the best in the country, especially when it’s you that you have to top. While the state’s travel guide last year tied for first place as the best state vacation planning guide, this year they think they’ve done even better.

The all-new “West Virginia, Wild & Wonderful” official state travel guide features an eye-catching cover that superimposes a bright quilt pattern over a fall scene in Cass, W.Va., said Tourism Commissioner Betty Carver. The bottom portion of the cover features inset photos that represent the state’s cultural and outdoor recreation attractions.

“We’re receiving a terrific response to the stunning cover photograph,” Carver said. “It’s a great way to draw attention to the tourist information inside. We have to make a good first impression when we’re competing with our neighboring states in brochure racks or a potential traveler’s mailbox.”

This year’s guide provides suggested vacation itineraries throughout each of its nine travel regions. In addition, there are four themed itineraries in the front of the book. The idea is to promote multi-day stays throughout the regions, rather than short stops at one attraction or in one city.

The guide is available free from the Division of Tourism. Some 350,000 copies of the guide will be distributed through the 1-800-CALL WVA tourism hotline, the callwva.com web site, and at welcome centers, special events and consumer trade shows, said Steven Keith, the Division of Tourism’s advertising manager. A complete online version of the guide is available at the state’s tourism web site, www.callwva.com.

“We took the best of last year’s award-winning guide and made it even better,” Keith said. “The articles are written by professional travel writers, so they give readers a more objective and descriptive look at their vacation options.
“We’ve also added lots of new photographs that we think bring West Virginia to life.”

Keith said one of the guide’s most popular features – a pullout map – this year is essentially a compact version of the official state highway map. “It offers more detail than last year’s and is a handy reference tool in the car or planning your trip before you leave.”

The guide is paid for by advertising and published at no cost to taxpayers by Miles Media Group Inc.

# # #

Editor’s note: Images of the travel guide are available for download at the Division of Tourism’s online newsroom, www.callwvanews.com. The site also features searchable archives of past news releases, photographs, story ideas, press kits and press contact information.