Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Despite Mother Nature’s efforts to postpone it, spring has finally sprung and the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau is ready for the droves of springtime revelers who plan to enjoy all the county has to offer in this renewing season.
CVB marketing specialist Chelsea Walker said the CVB is working on several campaigns geared toward the spring season and all it has to offer, especially for those who enjoy two-wheeled transportation.
“We’ve got this nice mountain bike campaign that we’re getting ready to roll out,” Walker said. “We’re doing some motorcycle stuff. That’s a big target we hit, too. We’re doing some local partnerships with Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Durbin Greenbrier Valley Railroad and Green Bank Observatory. We’ve also got some typical family branding – family fun campaigns.”
At the first sign of spring, the CVB began receiving phone calls from people with cabin fever, asking about upcoming programs and things to do in the county in the warmer weather.
“I would say fishing and biking are definitely two of the top things people want to do,” Walker said. “We did a survey a year or so ago, and we asked people ‘what are some of the things you did while you were here,’ and a lot of people said ‘scenic drives and hiking.’ Those are two of the major things that people do, but in the springtime, definitely fishing and biking, for sure, are some of the most popular activities that we have.”
As always, when there is room for improvement and suggestions, the CVB is on-hand for its partners with Tourism Talks, which take place once a month and usually center around one or two specific marketing ideas or upcoming events.
Walker said the next Tourism Talk will be April 23, at 2 p.m., at the Wellness Center in Marlinton. The subject will be the upcoming Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series, which will take place at Snowshoe Mountain Resort this fall.
“We’re going to collaborate with Snowshoe, and they’re going to have some presence at the Tourism Talk, and we’re going to prep partners on what this is and what it means for everybody,” Walker said. “It’s not just going to be a Snowshoe event. It’s going to spill down into a lot of different communities as far as lodging and dining and people doing things. It’s a week-long event. There will be a lot of moving around, so people will hopefully get a feel for the area while being up there at Snowshoe, too.”
Walker added that the talk will be broadcast on a live webinar for partners who are interested in learning more, but cannot attend.
Whatever it is that draws the visitors in, the CVB has made sure they know the mountains are calling and are ready for a great spring season.
“We always try to brainstorm and collaborate with partners on different packaging ideas, especially with events that are coming up,” Walker said.
“We want to help our partners with whatever they might need. We’re always open to ideas to expand branding. We’ve got campaigns running that are focused on branding Pocahontas County and the experience of coming here, because it’s unlike anywhere else.”
