The Shadow
The Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is beginning to see positive results from focused tourism marketing efforts.
Key to that marketing effort is the chamber’s website at www.visitalleghan-yhighlands.com.
“In the past, only a limited amount of information was available on the chamber’s website concerning tourism related businesses, attractions and amenities,” said chamber Executive Director Teresa Hammond. “Now the Alleghany Highlands benefits from an all-encompassing tourism website.”
The website was launched in April of 2011 and garnered nearly 3,000 hits in eight months.
In 2012, traffic to the website increased to 6,445 visitors and 6,738 people have already logged onto the website this year.
“We are experiencing significant traffic to the website, which is generating requests for additional information and copies of the visitor’s guide,” Hammond said.
The chamber has distributed a surprising number of copies of the Alleghany Highlands Visitors Guide since the website launched.
“Over 48,000 copies of the visitors guide have been handed out,” Hammond said. “I was really surprised to see the number was that high.”
In addition to the visitors guide, 4,000 copies of a tear-off map of the Highlands have been distributed, along with 14,000 copies of a brochure printed earlier this year that lists trails available for recreation in the Highlands.
For those who are curious as to what kind of impact this marketing has had on the economy of the Highlands, Hammond points to a 1.21 percent increase in visitor spending from 2011-2012.
While tourism data for neighboring localities in Bath and Botetourt counties have showed a marked increase in visitors, spending and lodging taxes collected by local governments, Hammond explained that those numbers are somewhat skewed in Alleghany County and Covington.
“The reports show a significant increase in lodging taxes collected during 2012, primarily from the biomass boiler project,” said Hammond.
MeadWestvaco recently began testing its $285 million biomass boiler, which the company began construction on in 2012.
Since the project began, Alleghany County collected $214,610 in lodging taxes, an increase of 40 percent over 2011’s revenues.
City coffers swelled with a 100 percent increase as lodging taxes collected in Covington totaled $16,469.
“The boiler project skewed the numbers, but what a positive impact,” Hammond said. “I think it’s really nice to see how the boiler has impacted our economy.”
With the success of the marketing program, renewed interest in the Virginia Main Street Plan and the upcoming completion of the Alleghany Highlands Vision 2025 plan, Hammond is excited about the possibilities of growth for the area.
“We feel that the Alleghany Highlands is well positioned to grow and expand tourism,” Hammond said.
That growth is at the very heart of the chamber’s mission.
“The Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism’s mission is to provide programs and services which foster a healthy business environment and promote community growth, thereby enhancing the quality of life in our community,” Hammond said.
