Beckley, WV – Visit Southern West Virginia is celebrating 60 years of marketing Southern West Virginia’s travel opportunities and hospitality. Formed in 1966 as the Mountainaire Travel Council, this tourism organization has worked for over half a century to promote the attractions and scenic landscapes of Southern West Virginia.
As Visit Southern West Virginia enters its 60th year of operation, the team has reflected on what has changed and what has stayed the same. In the beginning, the organization promoted six counties—Raleigh, Fayette, Mercer, Monroe, Summers, and Greenbrier—but has since expanded to nine, adding Nicholas, Wyoming, and McDowell to its footprint. The name has also evolved, from Mountainaire Travel Council to New River Travel Council to Southern West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and eventually to Visit Southern West Virginia. During its tenure, the organization has seen the construction of the Summersville Dam and the New River Gorge Bridge, the emergence of the first commercial whitewater rafting company, the development of the New River Gorge into a National River and then a National Park and Preserve, and the creation of the Hatfield-McCoy trail system.
Throughout name and leadership changes, as well as a transforming business landscape, Visit Southern West Virginia continues to follow its mission, set six decades ago—to promote the timeless experiences of the southern region of West Virginia to guests from far and wide.
“It has been an amazing journey through time as we have scoured the archives of the past 60 years,” said Lisa Strader, Executive Director. “Though our mission has remained the same, the growth we’ve seen, both within our organization and across our region as a thriving vacation destination, has been nothing short of inspiring.”
Visit Southern West Virginia will celebrate its 60th anniversary at a special dinner for its members and partners at Smokey’s on the Gorge on April 30th. The dinner will include special messages from leaders in tourism, such as Mike Darby, Scott Durham, and Secretary Chelsea Ruby. Visit Southern West Virginia will take this opportunity to thank its members and partners for supporting the organization and allowing it to prosper over its more than half-century of operation.
