West Virginia is no longer waiting to be discovered. Across the state, convention and visitors bureaus, regional partnerships, and community organizations are actively designing the kind of outdoor tourism that brings people in on purpose, keeps them longer, and gives them a reason to return.
At the WV Outdoor Economy Summit, a clear pattern emerged from tourism leaders: success is not accidental. It is built through inventory, branding, event strategy, and long-term partnerships that connect trails, towns, and experiences into something visitors can actually plan around.
These conversations highlight how different regions are positioning West Virginia as a destination, not just a drive-through state.
Charleston and the “Bike City, USA” Strategy
For Tim Brady, leading the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau, landing USA Cycling’s Pro National Championships through two Olympic cycles was not luck. It was the result of a deliberate strategy built on inventory first thinking.
Charleston’s outdoor pitch started with what already existed: Canal State Forest, the Elk River Trail system, flatwater paddling, and nearby Hatfield McCoy trail access. The “Bike City, USA” brand grew directly from that foundation, turning scattered assets into a cohesive identity.
From there, the strategy expanded. A gravel route mapping project now spans multiple counties. Appalachian Outlaw Trails adds a major motorized recreation anchor just outside the city. Future plans even include Amtrak bike access from DC, designed to make Charleston a true arrival point rather than a passing stop.
The goal is simple and measurable: bring people in once, and give them a reason to come back again.
Learn more about the work being led through Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau and regional partners including Elk River Trail Foundation.
North Central West Virginia and Building Around What It Is
Visit Mountaineer Country has spent the last decade building more than 1,500 miles of gravel routes across seven counties.
Susan Riddle’s approach is direct: stop trying to rebrand the region and lean into what it already is. That includes remote, technical gravel riding and a growing identity built through events like the Mountaineer Monster, a cryptid-themed bikepacking race that could only exist in West Virginia.
That same strategy is now attracting national attention, with the National Gravel Championships doing site visits.
Learn more about Visit Mountaineer Country and regional partners like Village to Village.
Fayette County and the Reality of Growth
Mara Kistler has watched Fayette County transform over 35 years from a quiet town into a nationally recognized outdoor destination.
The New River Gorge brought climbing, rafting, and tourism at scale, along with challenges like housing pressure and visitor management. She calls them the “pains of success.”
Melanie Seiler of Active Southern West Virginia works across 22 counties building volunteer-led outdoor programming. Together, they emphasize that collaboration is the only way communities can keep up with the pace of growth already underway.
Learn more about Active Southern West Virginia.
The Bigger Strategy Taking Shape
Across all three conversations, West Virginia’s tourism strategy is becoming easier to define.
It is not about a single flagship destination. It is about building a network of regions that each understand their identity, invest in their strengths, and connect those strengths into something larger than any one county or organization.
Charleston is positioning itself as a gateway city for cycling and mixed transportation access. North Central West Virginia is leaning into gravel, culture, and place-based identity. Fayette County is navigating what long-term success looks like and sharing those lessons outward.
Different approaches, same direction.
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