Although the nation's economy continues to struggle, many area businesses benefited from a busy summer tourism season. The increasing number of tourists has added money to local coffers and tourism promoters have taken notice.
The sign-in book at the Randolph County Convention and Visitors Bureau had more than 1,000 guests in its pages during July. In July 2008, 600 people had signed the guest book. RCCVB Executive Director Brenda Pritt said the organization expected around the same number as last year, but instead experienced a 40 percent increase. Pritt noted the number of visitors who signed in were only those who stopped at the RCCVB's site along North Randolph Avenue.
Within the last year, Pritt said the RCCVB has welcomed around 13,000 guests at the visitors center.
Over the summer, the RCCVB paid for an advertisement for Randolph County that was distributed in newspapers across the country. From the ad, the RCCVB has received more than 3,000 requests for more information about the area.
As October enters its third week, traffic at the Welcome Center hasn't slowed down. Pritt and her staff have been busy taking calls and pointing tourists to points of interest.
Fall tourism numbers are increasing for Beverly with a Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad train bringing visitors to the historic town, according to Historic Beverly Preservation and the Rich Mountain Battle Field Foundation Executive Director Chelley Depp. Over the summer, Depp said Beverly hosted tourists from several states, including Missouri.
Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Robbie Morris said the influx of people arriving in Elkins for tourist adventures has a positive effect on local businesses.
"The amount of tourists coming to our community during the summer and fall months is unbelievable," he said. "With thousands of tourists comes thousands of dollars which help our local businesses and communities."
Morris says the Mountain State Forest Festival presents some challenges to local businesses, especially those located along the streets where carnival rides and food vendors park each year. However, he said overall the MSFF affects business in an important and positive way.
The ERCCC has recently begun tracking the number of phone calls and visitors it receives.
From Sept. 1 to Oct. 5, the ERCCC received more than 50 phone calls inquiring about the MSFF. The requests ranged from dates of the festival and event information to lodging and dining suggestions, Morris said. Hits on the ERCCC Web site also increased during the months and weeks prior to the MSFF.
"I spoke to many people saying it was their first time to Elkins and the Forest Festival and they were having a wonderful time," Morris said. "I believe with the state of the economy, people are looking to stay closer to home for vacations, and what a more beautiful and exciting place to come to than Randolph County. Due to the fact that Randolph County and the surrounding area have so much to offer, this is a great boost to our local economy. There is also no doubt that the Durbin & Greenbrier Railroad and the American Mountain Theater have added greatly to the attraction of Randolph County, which in turn has added to the success of our summer tourist season."
Visitors are also calling the ERCCC for information about the county and surrounding areas. Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 5, the ERCCC received 135 calls, according to Morris.
AMT President and Producer Kenny Sexton said business during the summer and fall months at the Branson-style music show has increased between 40 and 50 percent since last year. With the first bus arrival in May, AMT welcomed 182 buses prior the start of the MSFF. The arrival of the MSFF typically yields fewer buses, but Sexton and his cast performed for 15 tour bus groups during festival week this year.
Sexton says the increase may be attributed to the low cost of booking a trip to Randolph County. For $250, a person can get away from home and travel to Elkins versus nearly $1,000 per person to travel elsewhere. Those who are employed and think they can spend money on a vacation are likely looking for a less-expensive destination, Sexton said.
Just a few feet away from the AMT is the DGVRR whose business hasn't slowed down this year either. Manager of Group Tours and Special Trains Amanda Swecker said the count on buses for the 2009 season is approximately 230, and the overall passenger count for 2009 has increased compared to 2008.
Elkins' newest hotel, Hampton Inn, was booked full every weekend during the summer and for the MSFF, according to management. During the week nights, Hampton Inn's 81 rooms are 80 to 90 percent full, management says. Many buses coming to the area this month have also kept staff busy.
Compared to last summer, the Holiday Inn Express, located in the Elkins railyard, had a 10 to 15 percent increase in room sales during the summer months, according to General Manager Craig Fortney. The 69 rooms available at the Holiday Inn Express were also more popular during this MSFF than last years. Fortney said that during festival week the hotel sold 80 more rooms than it did in 2008.
"West Virginia's Mountain Playground" might not have seen a gain in tax revenue over it's 2009 summer season, according to Pocahontas County CVB Marketing Specialist Gail Hyer, but that doesn't mean they had a bad season.
"We were right at last year's numbers at least," Hyer wrote in an e-mail to The Inter-Mountain, "and considering the economy, we consider that a good thing."
However, the information given out at the visitors center has seen a definite increase Hyer reported. Visitors center traffic increased by 4 percent while phone calls increased 14 percent.
Responses from the advertising print campaign increased by 66 percent.
Bob Woolwine, who served as director general of the 73rd Mountain State Forest Festival, said he believes the celebration provided a boost to the local economy and said more would be known when the city can provide fiscal reports. Woolwine also serves as a 1st Ward Elkins city councilman.
"I am hoping it had a positive impact on the local economy," he said. "We will have a better idea when the financial reports come out."
Woolwine said he expects the reports to be available next month.
"It seemed to be a larger crowd this year," he said. "It was a really good crowd."
Woolwine said the decent weather on Friday and great weather on Saturday of the festival helped encourage the larger crowds. He did not have an exact count of the number of people in town during the festival but has heard there were more 80,000 in town on Saturday.
"The talent shows during the week were packed, the Queen's Ball was sold out, the coronation and the lumberjack competition also had large crowds," Woolwine said. "All the volunteers made it a success and without the businesses that helped it would not have been possible. I had good assistants and without them I could not have done it."
Main Line Books owner Vickie Roidt said the summer months went well for her business but she was not as busy during the MSFF. She said during the festival she normally closes her shop early because of the parades and the large crowd.
"The summer was great," Roidt said. "We had a good summer season with the train visitors and railyard tourists."
Although still less than a year in business, 301 Coffee Company owner Sally Yeager said the week of the 73rd Mountain State Forest Festival was one that kept her and her staff on their toes. Yeager claims to have been twice as busy during the festival at 301 Coffee Company than she was the year before at Unexpected Treasures.
"The whole week was wonderful," Yeager said. "We had a great weekend."
Third Street Trading Company owner Hope Anderson and her mother, Sherry Hammer, owner of Hopscotch, reported the weekend before the festival kicked off was their busiest time. Hammer said because of the parking, most of the business they receive as part of the visiting crowd is on the Saturday and Sunday before and the Monday after festival. Both store owners feel differently about the Forest Festival. A homecoming is what it really is, Hammer said.
"We love the Forest Festival," Hammer said. "It was very interesting to be in the middle of the kiddy carnival."
As to previous years, Hammer said she and Anderson had an average year in comparison. On Friday the window shoppers wanted to make sure Hopscotch and Third Street Trading would be open on Monday so they could make their purchases as they left town, Hammer said.
Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Bill Smith was very pleased with the summer season and is just as excited about the upcoming numbers for this month and last.
"We are expecting a strong September and October," Smith said. "Nationwide, industry travel is down 8 to 9 percent."
Tucker County was well ahead of the national trends for April through August. Smith reported the TCCVB only dropped 2 percent those months from 2008-2009. During the annual report given to the Tucker County Commission, Smith said the 2008 numbers were almost all up. Responses to print advertising increased 84 percent and in-office visits were up 16 percent. The TCCVB also saw more visits to its skiing promotional Web site www.skithevalley.com; these visits increased 21 percent.
"We have produced a new visitors guide," Smith also reported to the commission, "that has received rave reviews."
The money coming to the TCCVB from the hotel/motel tax nearly doubled from $198,000 to $342,000. Smith thanked the commission for approving a 3 percent increase on the tax to the maximum 6 percent. This additional money helped with the creation of the guide and other advertising efforts. As to the number of people the advertisements have reached, Smith reported they have sent information to more than 13,500 people.
Philippi Main Street committee spokesperson Tammy Stemple said the summer tourism season was very busy for the organization. She said the group sponsored several events including a citywide yard sale, Smokin' on the Tygart Chili Cook-off and various other activities.
"The weather dampened a few of our activities, but overall things went very well," Stemple said. "We drew decent crowds for several events. There seemed to be lots of people at the covered bridge on weekends taking pictures. We've had a lot of motorcycles coming through town on rides. So, I think we had a successful summer."
(Contributing to this article were Staff Writers Ben Simmons, Carra Higgins, Alec Rader and Anthony Gaynor.)
