WYTHEVILLE'S TOURISM EFFORTS PAY OFF WITH MANY MORE VISITORS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 24, 1993                   TAG: 9301220062
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short
WYTHEVILLE'S TOURISM EFFORTS PAY OFF WITH MANY MORE VISITORS
Tourism-related businesses in Wytheville grew 22 percent from 1991 to 1992 despite the recession and wet weather in May and June which are generally high-visitation months for vacationers.
One reason for the increase may be a the town's marketing plan that targets regions known to send visitors to Wytheville often. Town representatives attended many American Automobile Association, travel agent and motor coach shows to encourage visitation.
The town also hosted three tours in 1992, including a Canadian motor coach tour resulting from a sales mission in Toronto. Travel writers and AAA representatives were hosted during a tour of Southwest Virginia.
Wytheville's 1992 tourism marketing plan was the largest ever attempted by the town's promotion team. It included attending AAA travel fairs in North Carolina and West Virginia, two consumer shows in Ohio, Canadian sales missions to Montreal and Toronto, and three motor coach shows.
In 1993, Wytheville tourism representatives will attend sales missions in Canada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and other parts of Virginia. Wytheville will also host four conferences this year including the New River Symposium and an annual resource, conservation and development conference.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB