Tourism: Budget boost paying off for West Virginia
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West Virginians know at least one state agency will do what it is expected to do with taxpayer dollars, to the benefit of the state as a whole. The Department of Tourism and Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby have made impressive strides in bringing nationwide awareness of our wild and wonderful attractions.
Last week, Ruby told the Tourism Advisory Council the state's direct impact on tourism exceeded $5 billion over the course of 2022, and the overall economic impact exceeded $7 billion in 2022.
Social media impressions are in the billions. Travel magazines are clamoring to include features on the Mountain State.
And, "Some states just target their out-of-state markets, but we in West Virginia know that West Virginians love their state and love to travel, so we make sure that we're continually working to inspire West Virginians," Ruby said, according to a report by WV MetroNews.
Among the out-of-staters that ARE being targeted are Floridians. It's a savvy move.
"We're looking in places in Florida where people are in highly concentrated areas, where these wide open spaces, the beautiful landscapes, the four seasons are things that would appeal," Ruby said, according to WV MetroNews.
That's right, the Department of Tourism has figured out that some who fled to Florida "for the weather" might be starting to miss what they left behind.
Tripling the tourism marketing budget has turned out to be a smart investment. The hope remains that some of those visitors might decide to stay a while. (Imagine the possibilities if our elected officials would work together on ideas that would make them want to do so).
Certainly, Ruby and the Department of Tourism continue to do their share of the heavy lifting. At this rate, some others in Charleston would do well just to get out of their way.