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Tourist trail idea attracts interest, concern in Highland
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
 | | Highland supervisor Jerry Rexrode said the industrial wind turbine utility proposed in for construction in the county should be added to the list of tourist attractions on the proposed Alleghany-Highlands Tourist Trail. (Recorder photo by James Jacenich) |
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MONTEREY - "What do you think the strengths of the region are?" asked John Hull.
Hull is an economic resources planner for the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission; he came to Highland to steer last Wednesday's public input session at The Highland Center on a tourism trail proposal. Hull is studying the feasibility of a trail connecting the counties of Highland, Bath, Alleghany, and Craig; city of Covington; and towns of Clifton Forge, Iron Gate, Monterey and New Castle under a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The session at the center was the third in a series of four planned for the region. The last session was held Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Bath County Courthouse. The purpose of the input sessions was to develop an inventory of the region's assets.
After that, the proposed schedule for the study includes hiring a marketing consultant in November, developing a marketing plan by January, an economic impact and competitive brand analysis in February, developing branding tactics in March, brand application in May, and financial plan and Web site by June.
Betty Mitchell and Carolyn Pohowsky represent Highland County on the tourist trail steering group. There are two representatives from each community involved in the project.
"The trail theme will depend ultimately upon the outcome of the asset inventory," said Hull.
The 30 or so attendees at Highland's session listed natural attractions, historic sites, local businesses, artists and artisans, farms, and lodging.
The Highland County Board of Supervisors attended the meeting. "It would be foolish not to mention we are probably going to be the home of Virginia's first wind farm," said supervisor Jerry Rexrode. "It is probably going to be a major tourist attraction. Are you going to list it when your brochure comes out?" Several in the group booed, laughed or snickered at his comment, reflecting the controversial nature of the utility, which would be the state's first such wind energy plant.
"If you all have a right to say what you want to, then I have a right to say what I want to," Rexrode replied.
"If it fits in, it depends on the theme you are going to take," said Hull.
A similar trail project, "Crooked Trail" in Southwest Virginia, already exists. "I have had a lot of conversations with people that I interact with in that part of the world," said supervisor Robin Sullenberger. "They have very posi- tive things to say (about Crooked Trail), but they have some issues, such as with the (Ralph) Stanley Museum. I was told very bluntly that the town of Clintwood has to subsidize it to keep its doors open. I don't know we have anything comparable to that. We are really looking at a more open-ended kind of tourism instead of a destination tourism, but when you get out into the really rural areas, there are challenges to make (tourism) a viable venture."
Randy Rose, tourism development specialist for the Virginia Tourism Corp., said, "I can't answer for the town of Clintwood. A lot of these rural communities don't have a formal tourism plan or are just now looking at a formal plan. As far as offsetting the cost, I don't know how that town council is looking at the (effect) on other businesses - bed and breakfasts, lodging and other things - that can benefit from that. I can't say if it is economically viable. The Crooked Road and other tourism projects we've been involved with encourage localities to take advantage of these opportunities and develop a tourism marketing plan."
But, Sullenberger said, "I'm not trying to be negative. I think you have to be realistic and go through all these things in the potential planning process; you have to offset the potential pitfalls. Here it seems to be a different concept, much more generalized, not so dependent on a given route. Which came first, the museum or the Crooked Road? Are you building those kind of destinations to make it viable for tourism?"
Rose said, "There were multiple funding sources, state and local."
"The reason I was asking, as it was explained to me, the people I am working with are business people who were asked to put money into it, they are reluctant to do that, they are not sure that this is a feasible idea in the long run," said Sullenberger.
"You need some infrastructure," said Betty Mitchell.
"Clinton is at the end of the Crooked Road," said Hamilton.
"It's not the only tourism development tool for that area," said Rose. "The Virginia Coal Heritage Trail is being de- veloped. They realize that may not be the only tool to draw tourists to that area. There are other markets out there. They are in the early planning stages. Museums often have to look for income to offset their funding. They are providing a service. It's not like food or other products. That's something you definitely need to look at. That's one of the reasons you are looking at all of these assets to see if you have a recurring theme, it doesn't mean you create a museum. There are thousands of items."
Local artist Amy Middleton said, "Highland can handle 35,000 people on two weekends." She was referring to Highland's Maple Festival, held over two weekends each March, which draws thousands of visitors to the county.
Hull said, "We are looking at pre-packaging what's here. We're not about putting infrastructure in."
"Virginia has a lot of preconceived ideas and perceptions that are challenges to overcome," said Sullenberger. "We are considered already by most people to be the most attractive part of the state for scenic views."
"I've done more research than a lot of people have," said Rexrode. "Am I correct this tourism trail doesn't have to be legislative? This is a feasibility study to see whether this is even feasible to put into production? From the beginning this was not going to be a legislative act - that was what we were told. Second, there are funding concerns - the county didn't put up any money. It is certainly worthwhile to look at. I hadn't heard until now that there will be a legislative act, or even the possibility of one; is that something that just came up?"
"It's the first time I've heard that being mentioned," said Hull. "It doesn't have to be (legislative). It is yet to be determined. Part of the things we are looking at is the cost to promote this trail and how it will be financed."
"Are there advantages or disadvantages to being legislatively passed?" asked resident Clay Hamilton asked.
"The advantages are there are more legislative funding streams, but the disadvantage is you lose control of your own destiny," said Sullenberger. "People tack on things that may or may not be to your advantage. If we want the project to be exactly the way we want it to be, we are probably better off to not have anything legislative and do it on our own."
"All these issues are out there," said Hull. "We are at the very beginning of the project. We are reaching out to as many stakeholders as possible. We are working on the development of a brand, trail, and marketing plan - it's part of the process is to see what it is going to take to promote this trail."
"And how it is to be financed," said Rexrode.
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