Wheeling, WV (WTRF)- New research finds tourism is big when it comes to growing our economy, and there is good news for West Virginians and locals here in Wheeling.
It finds that we’re already using the recommendations this research gives for improving tourism, and essentially, we’re right where we need to be when it comes to attracting out-of-towners.
Even the Appalachian Regional Commission says so.
The ARC recommends the Appalachia region to embrace a lot of new technology for tourism, create authentic experiences, and give locals a better understanding of what they can do to attract visitors. Things that even director of visit Wheeling WV Frank O’Brien sees in our very own Friendly City.
“Wheeling does a great job in creating authentic experiences for our visitors. Take a look at Center Market. Today it’s been refurbished. It looks good. It’s a great collection of real authentic restaurants, retail, and antique shops. It’s not created. It’s authentic, so the more of those things we can do, the more people will visit.”
Frank O’Brien, Director of visit Wheeling WV
O’Brien believes tourism is big here. There’s Oglebay, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, festivals on the Waterfront, and there’s a lot of cultural and history. But that’s just here.
O’Brien points out there’s a lot of things for out-of-towners to do in other parts of the state as well.
