Travel up 7% in West Virginia compared to national travel growth of 1.2%

CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Joint Committee on Economic Development met this month as part of the December Interim sessions of the West Virginia Legislature.

All 55 counties throughout the state have experienced growth in tourism in recent years, with West Virginia boasting a 7% increase compared to 1.2% growth on the national level.

Various ads in both print and digital mediums are being implemented as a means of drawing tourism to the Mountain State, with Washington DC and Pittsburgh being cited as the most rapidly expanding markets for West Virginia tourism.

Outdoors-centric markets are also being targeted, with camping, biking, and other outdoor activities, along with hunting and fishing, being pushed as major draws to the state.

Waterfalls throughout the state were identified as the subject of top-performing ads, which led to the establishment of the Waterfall Trail. First established as an in-state initiative through which users could win prizes for checking in at various waterfalls, the initiative has grown to encompass check-ins by folks hailing from 49 states and 12 countries.

$43 million in new investments is currently in the works, and tourism throughout the state is expected to continue expanding. One issue which could potentially hinder growth, however, is that of workforce development.

With 21,000 annual job openings – many of which reportedly entail management-level positions which pay $60,000 and higher – the department intends to utilize a $5 million grant for the training of current tourism employees to fill those roles and educate communities.

Additional LOOTPRESS coverage for December Interim sessions of the West Virginia Legislature can be found here.