We must harness tourism
Last weekend, I got to escape on a weekend trip with a couple of friends to Asheville, N.C.
It was gorgeous. The leaves were perfect; our activities ranged from hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway to standing wide-eyed in the library of The Biltmore; the food and shopping were fantastic.
But, as so often happens when I travel with these women, we got into a weekend-long discussion: This place could be anywhere in West Virginia.
Before I go too far, don’t think I am unaware of the seed for all that tourism success in Asheville. When the Vanderbilt family decided to unload its mansion, its land, Biltmore Industries, its farms, and everything else that fed the economic engine The Biltmore has become, one of their reasons was to spur tourism and stimulate the economy in the region, during the Great Depression. So, yes, I realize that when I ask “What does this place have that West Virginia does not?” the big answer is Vanderbilt (and later Cecil) money and support.
Well, West Virginia has had its Rockefellers (Jay and Sharon might live in Washington, D.C., but they still maintain a house in Charleston); its billionaire coal barons (Gov. Jim Justice is not only personally worth $1.7 billion, he owns the resort that bills itself as the state’s premier high-end tourist destination); and other industry titans who may be quieter about their money and their home state, but they are here.
Meanwhile, there is nothing about Asheville’s geography and scenery that outshines parts of West Virginia. In fact, there are plenty of locations here at home that not only are prettier, but boast more outdoor activities. There is certainly no shortage of empty buildings just waiting to be turned into the kinds of offbeat artists studios, galleries and boutiques that made downtown Asheville and its River District so attractive to visitors. They’ve got history; we’ve got history. They’ve got incredible, creative restaurants; so do we — the only difference is they’ve got lines winding around blocks to eat at the latest trendy spot, and we haven’t figured out how to spread the word.
That kind of buzz feeds itself. But as the three of us wandered around repeatedly asking “Why not West Virginia? This place has NOTHING on us,” there was one thing that stood out. Among the attractions that had visitors handing over money as fast as they could get it out of their wallets was the numerous vineyards, wineries, craft breweries, craft beverage makers, trendy cocktail spots and even a place that specialized in “sour and funky beer.” There is a wine trail. There are brewery tours. There are tasting events and festivals — and no, we did not see droves of people stumbling about acting like 20-somethings rolling down High Street after a late WVU game. Most folks just seemed to be having a good time, enjoying their vacations as they paired their beverages with fantastic food and talked about the other features of their trip.
It is worth thinking about, particularly for teetotalling lawmakers who do their best to sideline any piece of legislation that has anything to do with freeing entrepeneurs in the alcoholic beverage industry from the mountain of regulations that cripples them.
Also worth noting is the open, welcoming atmosphere there. We did not catch any whiff of resistance to “new” or “different,” though I’m sure it is there. It just does not appear to be the prevailing sentiment.
Asheville proved to me that tourists WILL flock to Appalachian communities, if given a reason to come, and then a reason to stick around for a few days. There is no Dollywood, no entire towns turned into Disney-fied shopping districts that scream “tourist trap!” with every clink of the cash register.
It can be done, folks. The Mountain State is the perfect place to make it happen. Let’s go!
Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com