Tag: Tourism

Accessible Outdoor Recreation Needs Growth In West Virginia’s Blooming Tourism Economy

West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of people with disabilities in the nation. One in three West Virginians has a disability.
Eric Thompson founder and Director of Access-On-The-Go says there is a need for more accessible recreation in the state.

West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of people with disabilities in the nation. One in three West Virginians has a disability.

Eric Thompson founder and Director of Access-On-The-Go says there is a need for more accessible recreation in the state. 

“When it comes to accessibility, people with disabilities want to recreate in all the same ways that able bodied people want to,” Thompson said. “As long as we have the ability to do so, and basically have the infrastructure available.”

Accessibility And Beyond

Other states like Colorado, Idaho, and Utah have fully adaptable resorts and recreating areas, however West Virginia is still lagging behind with fewer options for outdoor recreators with disabilities. Thompson said West Virginia is an untapped market. 

“So if you’re not running a business that’s fully accessible and inclusive, you’re not really running very good businesses,” Thompson said. 

He said that when it comes to accessibility in recreation, having accessible infrastructure like ramps, paved parking lots, bathrooms, and ramps is a start. However, he says it should go beyond that, like adaptive skiing, mountain biking, and even whitewater rafting — and make money doing so.  

Money On The Table

“We can do a lot better job catering to that market to be able to use that economic development there. And again, it’s a win-win situation because it’s not even really costing money since there are tax incentives available for small businesses. It’s up to $20,000 a year to pave parking lots, do entrances, do bathrooms and share what you’re already wanting to share, just with everybody.”

Last year, tourism had its highest recorded economic impact, generating more than $7 billion for the state. Thompson said that the legislature should prioritize the largest minority in the United States, people with disabilities, by adding accessibility and adaptability to state-owned facilities and expanding incentives for privately-owned outdoor recreation facilities. 

The Present And Future Of Accessibility

“I’m hoping in the future that we can work to branch out to bring more adaptive biking to those locations like our state parks,” Thompson said. “We have a great opportunity to basically copy some of the other programs that have happened to other states such as Georgia and Minnesota and Pennsylvania, where they’ve got adaptive mobility equipment into the park system. So people with disabilities can check out,track chairs or special types of offered wheelchairs where they can actually go and enjoy the parks.”

There are places in West Virginia that offer adaptive outdoor recreation like Canaan Valley Resort State Parks adaptive skiing, Snowshoe’s Adaptive Skiing program, and Snowshoe’s adaptive mountain biking program. There are also accessible guides like WVU’s Accessible Recreation Guide. 

Department Of Tourism Launches W.Va. Culinary Trail

The West Virginia Department of Tourism is highlighting 27 restaurants in the state in its new Culinary Trail.

The West Virginia Department of Tourism is highlighting 27 restaurants in the state in its new Culinary Trail. To participate in the program, users need to download the Culinary Trail passport and then check in on their phones at any one of the participating restaurants. The app uses the GPS locations of the restaurant to confirm users check in.

The restaurants were chosen by one of nine chefs working with the Department of Tourism. West Virginia Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby encourages travelers to visit state and national parks while visiting Culinary Trail restaurants. 

“While you’re tasting the best dishes the Mountain State has to offer, you might as well enjoy a side of adventure, too. Plan a foodie road trip and stay a while in ‘Almost Heaven,’” Ruby said.  

Every time a user checks into a new restaurant, they receive a point towards a prize. Lauren Hough, public relations manager for the Department of Tourism, said three points can be redeemed for a Culinary Trail branded bottle opener, 10 points gets a chef-selected local ingredient and corresponding recipe card, and checking into all 27 restaurants gets a locally made charcuterie tray. 

“It’s made by our good friend Matt Thomas at Thomas Works. He’s based out of Gilmer County, and he’s great,” Hough said. “I think any foodie, even if you’re not a foodie, I think you would enjoy having this tray in your home.”

The trail is part of an effort to give travelers an idea of where to go when visiting different parts of the state and encourage them to try out a new local restaurant. The Culinary Trail launched Nov. 15. 

“This is a way to spread awareness about those restaurants that are off the beaten path, so that you can’t miss while you’re visiting,” Hough said.  

Encore: Wildflowers, Paddle Makers, Turkey Calls — And More Inside Appalachia

This week, we’re airing an encore episode of Inside Appalachia. We’ll meet a man who makes wooden turkey calls. We’ll also meet people who make wooden paddles by hand and custom-decorate each one, and a man who repairs cuckoo clocks. Finally, we’ll travel to some of the most beautiful spots in Appalachia to find wildflowers, like Dolly Sods and the Canaan Valley of West Virginia.

This week, we’re airing an encore episode of Inside Appalachia.

We’ll meet a man who makes wooden turkey calls, but these aren’t just any turkey calls. Painter Brian Aliff doesn’t call himself an artist, but he intricately paints his turkey calls, which are now collectors’ items.

We’ll also meet people who make wooden paddles by hand and custom-decorate each one, and a man who repairs cuckoo clocks.

Finally, we’ll travel to some of the most beautiful spots in Appalachia to find wildflowers, like Dolly Sods and the Canaan Valley of West Virginia. And we wonder — are these areas becoming too popular?

These stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Welder Keeps Old Clocks Ticking

When you need to check the time, where do you look? Most people turn to their phones or digital watches. These days, it seems like every electronic device has a clock function in addition to whatever it’s supposed to do, but it hasn’t always been this way. Not all that long ago, marking the passage of time was the job of one device — a clock.

Folkways Reporter Zack Harold spent some time with Carl Witt, a man in Fairview, West Virginia, who learned how to repair clocks after crossing paths with the late Charles Decker. Witt, a welder at the time, decided to retire and went on to start his own clock repair business — Curiosity Clockworks.

Dolly Sods Hosts Wildflower Pilgrimage

Dolly Sods is federally protected public land — full of rocky ridges, soggy bogs and beautiful views. It’s also the site of an annual nature walk called the West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage. The event attracts wildflower and birding experts from around the country and was most recently held in May of this year.

Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams made the pilgrimage in 2021 from his home in Floyd County, Virginia to Dolly Sods in West Virginia’s Canaan Valley.

Paddlers Design Their Own Gear

Appalachia has several huge rivers: the Gauley, the Youghiogheny and the New River, just to name a few. Whitewater paddling is popular in the region, but it wasn’t that long ago modern paddlers first started exploring these rivers, designing their own gear and even building their own paddles. Some of those DIY paddle makers are now master crafters and their work is in high demand.

As part of our Inside Appalachia Folkways Project, Clara Haizlett learned more.

Handmade Turkey Calls

Like many Appalachian traditions, turkey calls go way back. Historically, they’ve been used as a hunting tool, but one West Virginia artist has taken it to the next level. Brian Aliff makes hand-crafted, prize-winning decorative turkey calls. These pieces are functional and they’re becoming collector’s items, but it took a while for Aliff to think of himself as an artist.

Folkways Reporter Connie Kitts talks with Aliff on this week’s episode.

Increase In Tourism Puts Strain On Local Infrastructure

Tucker County, West Virginia, has seen a surge of new visitors from Washington, D.C. in the years since US Route 48, also known as Corridor H, opened. The growing number of visitors is good for business, but it’s also straining the resources of a county with just one stoplight and 7,000 year-round residents.

Mason Adams visited the towns of Thomas and Davis in Tucker County, West Virginia and has this story about managing growth and resources against the backdrop of expansive natural beauty.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Dinosaur Burps, The Chamber Brothers, and Wes Swing. Bill Lynch is our producer, but Roxy Todd originally produced this episode.

Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

What’s Workforce W.Va. All About And Turning A Former Mine Into A City Park On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, we continue our series “Help Wanted, Understanding West Virginia’s Labor Force,” as Randy Yohe talks with Scott Adkins, acting commissioner of Workforce West Virginia, about the agency’s job seeking services – and how well they are working.

On this West Virginia Morning, we continue our series “Help Wanted, Understanding West Virginia’s Labor Force,” as Randy Yohe talks with Scott Adkins, acting commissioner of Workforce West Virginia, about the agency’s job seeking services – and how well they are working.

Also, Pittsburgh-based environmental issues program The Allegheny Front’s latest story about efforts to convert former mine lands into a city park in Pittsburgh.

And federal approval moves a new COVID-19 vaccine closer to release, a WVU administrator addresses legislators, and the state’s best tourism year.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

West Virginia Has Best Tourism Year In 2022

Tourism brought more than $7 billion dollars into the state last year Gov. Jim Justice announced Monday at the West Virginia Governor’s Conference on Tourism at Canaan Valley Resort State Park.

Tourism brought more than $7 billion into the state last year, according to Gov. Jim Justice. He made the announcement Monday at the West Virginia Governor’s Conference on Tourism at Canaan Valley Resort State Park. 

That represents a 17 percent increase in visitor spending compared to pre-pandemic levels. Justice noted that nationwide tourism has only increased 1 percent overall since the pandemic. 

Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company that measures tourism spending and economic impact, found that visitors to the state had direct spending of $5.3 billion last year, an all-time high. Tourism Economics provides impact studies for 30 destinations and is the official research provider of U.S. Travel, which promotes American tourism around the world.

Visitor spending grew more than 30 percent since 2016. It generated $887 million in tax revenues last year, with $520 million going directly to state and local governments.

Food and beverage spending topped $1.4 billion in 2022. Lodging spending surpassed $800 million for the first time ever, led by a 275 percent increase in short-term rental revenue since 2019.

Justice noted that tourism supports more than 53,000 jobs that account for nearly $2 billion in annual income. Tourism-generated tax dollars contributed approximately $715 per household to maintaining government services.

Historic Flooding In W.Va. And Federal Grant Bolsters Agriculture Innovation In KY, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the historic flooding in central and southern West Virginia washed away houses, vehicles and caused damage to roads and homes in the area. Briana Heaney has the story.

On this West Virginia Morning, the historic flooding in central and southern West Virginia washed away houses, vehicles and caused damage to roads and homes in the area. Briana Heaney has the story.

Also, in this show, a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to support efforts from eastern Kentucky’s Mt. Folly Farm to help innovate agriculture nationwide. As Shepherd Snyder reports, the money is going to help support a regional farming workforce, promote climate-friendly practices, and promote tourism.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

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