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Rebound: Parkersburg has chance to boost tourism

Mid-Ohio Valley residents are surely hoping Mark Lewis is correct when he says “everything is coming back from that time when the gas drilling and exploration went away.”

Lewis, the president and CEO of the Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, is dealing with an upswing of the past few months after a couple of years that have been a little rough for tourism in Wood County. Signs of life include new hotels opening in the county, CVB website traffic up by nearly 6 percent and pageviews up 35 percent. Social media support for the CVB is increasing and three new web videos featuring Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park, Fort Boreman Historical Park and the Parkersburg Art Center are now available.

It is giving the CVB enough confidence to be able to help a couple of struggling state agencies, Blennerhassett Island and North Bend State Park, which are in a tenuous state funding situation.

“We are going to focus on Parkersburg as West Virginia’s weekend get away destination,” he said. “That is what we want to push. Not only into Ohio, but West Virginia.”

Mid-Ohio Valley residents should be excited about the possibilities, but also putting on their thinking caps when it comes to making this region a place that will attract visitors who want more than just a one- or two-attraction experience, but want to explore the community as well.

Statewide, tourist destinations are revamping their efforts to attract visitors to our state. Lewis is right: Parkersburg can be a hub for that kind of activity. But we have got to make it happen. The efforts of the Convention and Visitors Bureau are a great start. It is time for the rest of us to jump on board.

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