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Heart of Appalachia tourism director outlines marketing push for Lee County
Summary
Jeff Hess, executive director of the Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority, told the Lee County Board of Supervisors on March 18 that he plans to market the county to nearby metropolitan areas and build on local trails and scenic assets to boost tourism and small-business revenue.
Jeff Hess, executive director of the Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority, told the Lee County Board of Supervisors on March 18 that he wants to target nearby metropolitan markets and expand marketing of the county’s outdoor and historic assets to increase tourism and small-business revenue.
Hess said the authority will concentrate marketing dollars where lodging-data show most visitors come from — “Knoxville first and then Charlotte, Greensboro, and then Salem, Roanoke,” — and emphasized using print materials, visitor guides and targeted advertising to reach those audiences. “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” Hess said of existing regional marketing efforts, adding that his focus is to “save more money so that we have more advertising money.”
Hess told supervisors the region’s assets include the Cumberland Gap, Wilderness Road, local lakes and springs, and several “Appalachian back roads” that the authority markets to recreational drivers and motorcyclists. He described a 128-mile bicycle route that begins in Saint Paul, Virginia, and mentioned a planned Pine Mountain Trail that will connect to Cumberland Gap. He also said the authority is redoing its visitor guide and noted that the printed visitor guide costs about $1 per copy.
Hess said he joined the authority in April, noted past staff turnover, and said his experience with Virginia Tourism Corporation and private-sector marketing informs his approach. He told the board he hopes to work with county staff and local tourism partners to stretch advertising dollars and increase visitor spending in Lee County.
Board members asked questions about specific sites and trails during the presentation. Chair Mr. Wright asked whether Hess had visited Burkes Garden; Hess replied that the Heart of Appalachia bicycle route reaches Burkes Garden and described it as a valuable attraction. The presentation concluded with Hess offering to be a contact for county officials and local businesses.
No formal vote or county action was taken on the presentation itself; Hess’s remarks were received as information.
