Fog sits under the New River Gorge Bridge outside of Fayetteville. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is second in a series of columns about Leadership West Virginia, as well as the successes and challenges of different regions of the state.

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FAYETTEVILLE — When one thinks of West Virginia’s economy, certain industries come to mind: coal, natural gas, chemicals, lumber, agriculture, etc.

An industry that often gets singled out is tourism, but the problem over the years has been getting the word out beyond the state’s borders.

But that has been changing over the last several years, and Fayetteville is one of several parts of the state benefiting from a burst of out-of-state visitors seeking West Virginia’s beauty and outdoor adventures, state residents seeking staycation opportunities, new foodie and craft beer destinations and young professionals going so far to call the Mountain State home for virtual work.

The Bridge Walk tour gives visitors an opportunity to see the New River Gorge Bridge from beneath the massive structure and provides breathtaking views of the gorge and New River below. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

Members of the Leadership West Virginia Class of 2023 spent three days in Fayetteville Wednesday through Friday hearing from leaders in the state tourism industry, including James Beard Award-nominated chefs, National Parks Service rangers, local elected officials and white water rafters. Class members also toured the New River Gorge’s many outdoor recreation opportunities and the massive Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.

One thing is certain: the state of West Virginia’s tourism industry is very strong and only getting stronger.

In recent years, Gov. Jim Justice and the West Virginia Legislature spun off the Division of Tourism, once one of many agencies within the Department of Commerce, into the new cabinet-level Department of Tourism. Cabinet Secretary Chelsea Ruby has helmed that department since Justice took office in 2017.

State funding for tourism became a priority, jumping by 160% since fiscal year 2019 when total state funding was nearly $13 million. The Department of Tourism was funded at more than $39 million in the current fiscal year ending this month. When the new fiscal year begins on July 1, the department’s funding will remain more or less the same.

Much of that funding is going toward a national and international TV, radio, podcast, print and social media ad campaign. You might have heard it, the gentle humming of John Denver’s classic “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” beautiful imagery showing off the state’s various seasons and activities.

The Bridge Walk tour gives visitors an opportunity to see the New River Gorge Bridge from beneath the massive structure and provides breathtaking views of the gorge and New River below. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

The “Almost Heaven” campaign appears to be wildly successful based on the numbers.

According to the Department of Tourism, traveler spending in West Virginia by the end of 2021 was 3.4% higher than spending pre-pandemic and higher than even a decade prior in 2012, coming in at $4.9 billion in 2021. The resulting boom brought in $1.3 billion in earnings, supporting more than 44,400 jobs, and generated more than $754 million in tax revenue.

As a result, lawmakers agreed to provide more funding for the “Almost Heaven” ad and brand campaign. Previously funded at $3 million, the department is set to receive $3 million through the appropriation process after July and an additional $7 million of surplus general revenue fund dollars when the current fiscal year ends, a total of $10 million.

According to a 2022 report commissioned by the Department of Tourism, all nine of West Virginia’s travel regions have seen growth, with the economic impact at record levels and visitors spending $13.6 million per day in the state last year. In Fayette County alone, annual traveler spending was $99 million in 2022, with 760 jobs supported by the tourism industry.

The department also has partnered with ALLTrails to showcase all of the state’s popular hiking destinations. A new West Virginia Waterfall Trail launched last year, with new waterfalls added to the list this year, with the department offering prizes for visitors who check in at all the waterfalls. And the state has been featured frequently the last two years by various publications, such as Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today, CNN, and Frommer’s.

The Bridge Walk tour gives visitors an opportunity to see the New River Gorge Bridge from beneath the massive structure and provides breathtaking views of the gorge and New River below. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams

One of the biggest things to happen in Southern West Virginia was the designation in 2021 of the New River Gorge area from a national river to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the nation’s 63rd and newest national park.

Originally designated a national river in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter, the New River Gorge Park and Preserve Designation Act created the new 7,021 acre park. The bill also sets aside 65,165 acres for a nature preserve, opens up 368 acres for hunting in the Grandview area and maintains another 301 acres in the Lower Gorge for hunting.

Dave Bieri, district supervisor for the National Park Service, said the designation has resulted in a huge influx of travelers. Visitations increased by 25% in 2022 and visitations this year are already set to surpass last year’s numbers. Merchandise sales in the park also spiked last year, increasing by 75%.

“We expected an increase in visitations, and we’ve certainly seen that,” Bieri said. “What I didn’t expect was the change in the type of visitors that we got. In the past, we were more of a place people would stop at on their way to somewhere else. Now, our visitors are mostly coming from out of state and they’re here for several days.

Among speakers Friday during the Leadership West Virginia Fayetteville session was Chef Paul Smith of Charleston. Smith was joined by West Virginia food writer Steven Keith to talk about the growing food tourism industry in the state.

Chef Paul Smith said West Virginia restaurants and chefs are getting more national attention, drawing new visitors to the state. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

“When someone comes to travel, they have a preconceived notion of what they’re going to get when they come to West Virginia,” Smith said. “I will guarantee you nine out of 10 people when they leave, they leave with a new attitude and a whole different look of what West Virginia is. It is the people. It is Appalachia.

“We have great food now. We’ve always had great food; it just took a little push to get it out there,” Smith said. “When people come in, they want the food to look beautiful and taste beautiful. We have all of those things right here in West Virginia and I think this is what we’re doing right now.”

“Most people aren’t traveling to a city just for one restaurant,” Keith said. “What we need to do is help get the word out that there is a scene here. There are lots of good restaurants, finer dining experiences.”

Smith is involved with several Charleston-area restaurants, including 1010 Bridge Road, The Pitch, and Ellen’s Ice Cream. He also consults with many other restaurants.

Most recently, Smith was nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award for best chef in the Southeast. Smith traveled to Chicago for the award ceremony at the beginning of June. While he did not win, just being nominated for a James Beard Award is a huge accomplishment for any chef.

Since last year, Smith has served in the Department of Tourism’s Chef Ambassador program. Smith helped curate special Almost Heaven meal kits to send to food writers and bloggers across the country to promote the state’s food and restaurant culture. Smith moved back to West Virginia more than 14 years ago after training abroad.

“What brought me home is that nowhere else felt like home,” Smith said. “I missed the mountains and I missed more than anything the people and then feeling I had when I was in West Virginia. That is what I try to do with my food is give you the comfort to let your guard down and have a good time.”

Steven Allen Adam can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.