TAKING a bigger step into the Earl’s Court limelight next week is the relatively little-known state of West Virginia, which is sandwiched between bigger neighbours Virginia and Pennsylvania in the southeast.
Since it appointed Destination Marketing as its first UK representative in March, the state has launched a UK promotional campaign which it intends to build upon at World Travel Market.
While its neighbouring states major on their historic links as prime attractions, West Virginia aims to promote its outdoor activities such as white-water rafting, biking and hiking, under the slogan ‘West Virginia: Wild and Wonderful’.
The aim is to encourage tour operators to include some of these activities in their pre-arranged self-drive itineraries.
State tourism director Alisa Bailey said: “West Virginia is not well known in the UK and we are very excited about changing that fact. Our state is a wonderland of outdoor recreation opportunities, cultural heritage and scenic beauty, and we’re located near large international gateways. These qualities will be marketed aggressively in the UK.”
Joining Bailey on the stand will be commissioner Robert Reintsema and international marketing representative Betty Cutlip.
South Carolina
TRAVEL South USA partner South Carolina will reveal details at World Travel Market of an educational and training roadshow programme for agents and reservations staff next year.
Run in conjunction with Delta Airlines it will be based on a 50min presentation and lunch on board a coach that will tour various UK locations.
The state also claims to have plans for an aggressive marketing plan for the UK in 2000 with advertising campaigns directed at both the trade and consumer.
Other initiatives will include stepping up its partnership with North Carolina with a joint stand at various consumer holiday shows in Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin.
The latter two venues will be replaced in 2001 with the Destinations show in London and the South of England Travel Show in Bournemouth.
South Carolina Tourism sales manager UK, Rand Romaine, will be joined by senior marketing director Moke McGowan and director tourism sales office Beverly Shelley, along with representatives from Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head.
North Carolina
NORTH Carolina is teaming up with South Carolina and Virginia to promote a new Golf Trail featuring a selection of courses across the three states.
It will be officially launched in the New Year but visitors at World Travel Market will get a sneak preview of the new product. Another special-interest tour to be unveiled next week is North Carolina’s Garden Trail, which links formal, historic and private gardens throughout the state.
Other major interests include Civil War history, coastal resorts and shopping, where at Charlotte the largest outlet shopping mall on the East Coast – Concord Mills – recently opened.
The state is also gaining more attention following the launch in June of US Airways’ Gatwick-Charlotte daily service. It supplements British Airways’ daily ex-London flights to the city as well as American Airlines’ daily frequency to nearby Raleigh-Durham. Getaway Vacations is among a number of tour operators showing new interest in the destination with the launch of two North Carolina flydrives in its 2000 brochure.
North Carolina Division of Tourism will be represented at WTM by director of marketing Miki Wall, international sales manager Mitchell Bowden and director of communications Chris Mackey.
n Agents have a chance of winning a place on a North Carolina educational this winter, being staged inconjunction with American Airlines. Details will be available at the state’s stand.
n New Orleans, together with Nashville and Atlanta, is stepping up promotion of its Rhythms of the South themed itinerary for music and history fans. The partners said it is attracting more interest from the UK and a PR campaign focusing on the three cities will begin shortly.
n Mountain resorts operator Intrawest Corporation has invested more than $70m in improvements at West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Pocahontas County. New facilities include the Rimfire Lodge, opening this winter, additional ski, snowshoe and snow-mobiling trails and an adventure park.
n A new Arnold Palmer-designed golf course opens in May at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, to complement the complex’s two existing courses which are within one hour’s drive of Pittsburgh Airport in Pennsylvania.