West Virginia Day is in a week, and the state’s Department of Tourism has, once again, used the opportunity to showcase some of the beauty of the Mountain State while offering a chance for prizes to anyone wishing to participate.
Earlier this month, Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby announced the return of a social media-based birthday celebration, both in observance of June 20 being the state’s birthday, and this year being the 50th anniversary of the John Denver song “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
The campaign asks residents and visitors alike to take pictures of their travels through our state, and share them on their (public) social media sites, specifically Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #AlmostHeaven.
There are 50 prizes donated to the campaign up for grabs, and by posting your photos with the hashtag, you are automatically entered for a chance. Most of the prizes involve overnight stays at one of our state parks, an outdoor adventure package such as tubing, rafting and ziplining tours, a ride on the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad and more.
It runs until noon Friday.
This isn’t the first time West Virginia officials have turned to social media as a way to tell our story and attract people to visit our borders. When a similar campaign was announced a few years ago, I was fully in favor of it. Social media has become a strong component of vacation planning, with people doing research through the posts of experiences of others.
I can tell you, as part of plans for one trip I’m taking, I took opportunities to look around Instagram for photos and descriptions from several people, some as recently as this week. The website available for some of these locations can help, but it’s always nice to get a more visual representation.
If you are going to one of our many state parks, for example, the park’s website can give a description of the types of activities available, or the length of a hiking trail, but social media posts can give you more real-time information, such as weather conditions and the scenery you might find along those trails.
You might see whether a particular area is crowded with visitors or if you might find a more lightly attended area, depending on your hopes for relaxation.
I work primarily through the written word, but I can’t deny photos, video and audio tend to gain more attention. Plus, the use of social media cuts down on any costs they might need to put together any kind of advertising program.
West Virginia is incredibly diverse, with a variety of beauty.
Whether you look at the natural aspects from our mountains and rivers, the artistic qualities of our rust-filled industrial background or the history of many of our communities, there is something to attract just about anyone.
We don’t need any outside agency to tell our story. We can do it ourselves, whether it be through a contest or just through individual efforts. Certainly it will do better than wrapping up the state’s toll plazas.
Some of the prizes for this contest already have been awarded, but there is still time to enter if you choose. If not, keep posting what you have and show the world what West Virginia is really made of.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter @CHowellWDT)
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June 12, 2021 at 12:42PM
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