Corridor Boosts Tourism
May 16, 2009
Tourism representatives in the region can attest to the fact that the shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight line and locally that means a four-lane divided highway.
The portion of Corridor H from Weston to Elkins that has already been completed has opened the vast Potomac Highlands playground to visitors from points north, south and west. But what about the heavily populated eastern markets of Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland?
Randolph County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Brenda Pritt explained that other than West Virginia residents, the area hosts the most tourists from Ohio and Pennsylvania. It's Corridor H that has helped play a part in bringing more visitors from these areas because they have Interstate-like travel the entire way, she said. Those who stop at the CVB along North Randolph Avenue comment on the convenience of the road that links Interstate 79 with Elkins, according to Pritt.
Each year the CVB compiles a top 10 list of the number of tourists from states. While Ohio and Pennsylvania consistently rank among the top three, Virginia is often at No. 8.
Pritt said people from the east enjoy visiting the area, but accessing Randolph County is difficult because of the long trip over multiple mountains on two-lane roads. If Corridor H were completed, Pritt thinks the metropolitan areas east will move to the top of the visitor list because the region offers the perfect weekend getaway.
Other than out-of-state guests, more people from Clarksburg and Buckhannon are coming to Elkins for a day trip because Corridor H provides a quick route between the cities, Pritt explained. Although the trips might not involve an overnight stay, Pritt says every visit helps because people are spending money at local businesses.
Pritt was involved with the Coalition for Corridor H during the 1990s and says the CVB will support efforts to increase tourism in the area while responsibly preserving the environment.
American Mountain Theater President and Producer Kenny Sexton uses the completed portion of Corridor H as a marketing tool with tour companies planning to bring busloads of tourists to Elkins.
Motor coaches arriving in Elkins from the north, south and west have traveled four-lane roads almost the entire way, Sexton explained. However, most companies scheduling tours to the area prefer to not take two-lane roads over winding mountains, Sexton said.
Finishing Corridor H to Virginia would create an "absolute bonanza for tourism" by opening the eastern market, he said.
Corridor H would also provide a quick route to hotels if all rooms in Elkins were booked. Sexton said busses could cut travel time for an overnight stay in Canaan Valley from an hour to 25 minutes.
Correlation does not always prove causation, but Joe Stevens, communications director for the West Virginia Ski Areas Association, also says the portion of Corridor H between Weston and Elkins has likely created a boost for area ski resorts.
When the road opened during the 1990s it became an artery to access Snowshoe, Canaan Valley, Timberline and Whitegrass for those who live in Ohio and southern Pennsylvania, Stevens explained. He said most visitors don't mind traveling Corridor H because it's well maintained and when they arrive to Elkins they only have another 30-minute drive to Tucker County or 45 minutes to Pocahontas County.
Before the Corridor opened between Weston and Elkins approximately 7 to 8 percent of the skiing market from Ohio and Pennsylvania was traveling to the area, now the market is at 15 percent.
Those traveling the road may stop to stay overnight, get gasoline or eat dinner in Buckhannon or Elkins before making it to the powder-covered slopes, he said.
As Corridor H sits in broken pieces between Elkins and Wardensville, the millions who live east are left without a quick and easy way into the mountains they know offer recreational opportunities, Stevens said.
The West Virginia Ski Areas Association plans to reach out to Corridor H support groups and stay in touch with Gov. Joe Manchin, U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd District, about the importance of the road to the $250 million ski industry.
