Adventure Outside the Box: Growing Tourism In West Virginia

Outdoor adventure is the backbone of tourism in the Mountain State. A study done by Longwoods International on behalf of the West Virginia Division of Tourism reported that the state’s 2014 tourism advertising campaign generated 1.5 million trips to West Virginia, $180.9 million in visitor spending and $13 million in state and local taxes. West Virginia’s strengths when compared to its competitors in the study included the beauty of the mountains and the opportunities for whitewater rafting, hunting, hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking, skiing and snowboarding.