By: Mat Cloak
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau released their 2016 Annual Report days before the Leaf Peeper Festival drew many to the area by headlining the attractiveness of Tucker County.
“2016 was a year of positives and negatives for the Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the tourism industry,” the report stated. “We strongly feel that the positives from this year will outweigh the negatives and will assist in making the tourism industry grow in the future.”
As many Tucker County residents know, last year’s winter season did not produce the typical amount of snow. Thus, the season was not as financially successful as years past. In contrast to the lack of stimulation in the winter season, the summer numbers were slightly above average. This helped make the 2016 hotel/motel tax collection the same as 2015.
One of Joy Malinowski’s businesses, the Billy Motel, which opened in July of 2016, was featured in the report. “You would think last year was bad because of the snow, but the winter was really good,” Malinowski said. The Billy Motel opened with three rooms in operation, and by Labor Day of 2016, 10 rooms were open. Malinowski also owns the Cooper House in Thomas.
The Tucker True marketing campaign helped make 2016 a successful year by focusing on the unique aspects of the county. These marketing efforts were conveyed through Internet and print media sources. Sixty nine percent of advertising was through Internet sources and 27 percent through print media.
One of the media sources utilized during the campaign were electronic billboards placed in the D.C. area. These billboards specifically targeted winter sports enthusiasts. A large print media advertisement was featured in Southern Living Magazine. Internet placements were found on the websites of Ohio Magazine, Recreation News, Blue Ridge Outdoors, and Columbus Monthly.
The Camp Like a Girl podcast hosted an event at Blackwater Falls State Park. Tucker County was also featured in an editorial by the online bike publication, Pinkbike. The article was read by 25,800 readers, and the video was watched by 7,650.
In addition to the Tucker True campaign, West Virginia Department of Tourism featured the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area as a part of their national television campaign, which aired from D.C. to San Diego, Calif.
The report highlighted many positives resulting from the Bureau’s efforts. “It [2016] was a good year, and if we continue this way, we will double our income in 2017,” Malinowski said.
