BUCKHANNON — The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area is inviting tourism industry professionals to the Highlands Creative Economy Tourism Summit. This event, scheduled for Monday, August 5, will be held at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf & the Blind in Romney.
The summit’s primary focus this year is on addressing accessibility issues within the tourism and hospitality sectors. The event will feature presentations from regional experts, covering topics like Accessibility, Agritourism, Hospitality, Community Development, and Heritage Tourism.
Eric Thompson of Access on the Go, a non-profit organization promoting accessibility and adaptive recreation in the Appalachian region, will deliver the keynote address. Thompson will discuss how tourism and hospitality businesses can better serve travelers with disabilities, and share resources to help organizations enhance accessibility.
The summit presents an excellent opportunity for professionals to learn about tools and resources pertinent to tourism, as well as to network with industry peers. The event is free to attend and open to anyone interested in regional tourism. For more information and registration, visit www.afnha.org/news-archives/2024-tourism-summit.
Highlands Creative Economy (HCE), a partnership between the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area and Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College, organizes the summit. HCE also hosts monthly networking meetings and other training events for tourism-related organizations. These meetings take place on the fourth Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. The HCE initiative is supported by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the National Park Service. Further details can be found at www.afnha.org/creative-economy.
