Appalachian communities can package appropriate assets and activities to increase the economic benefits from tourism, increase visitation, and increase employment in tourism and craft industries.

Niche Audiences: An Opportunity for Tourism Growth
Niche audiences contribute the greatest opportunity for growth in multi-state travel, especially from group tours and urban centers near and within Appalachia.

Adventure: One-half of American adults have taken an adventure trip in the past five years, including 31 million adults who participated in adventure activities such as whitewater rafting and mountain biking. In fact, biking vacations attracted more than 27 million travelers in the past five years and rank as the third most popular outdoor vacation activity in the U.S. after camping and hiking (Adventure Travel Report, Travel Industry Association of America, 2001). Travelers who participate in adventure activities are likely to be young, single, and employed.

Soft-adventure travelers look for outdoor recreation activities or to visit national or state parks. One in four trips include some form of outdoor recreation and/or a visit to a state or national park. Outdoor trips are likely to be taken by car and include camping in a RV or tent (Domestic Travel Market Report, Travel Industry Association of America, 2002).

Cultural Heritage: Cultural heritage activities are the number one pursuit for families, the preferred activity for group tours, and one of the top three activities of all American travelers (National Tourism Association). In fact, 65 percent of all Americans include a cultural heritage component in their vacation. The cultural heritage traveler tends to spend more and stay longer than other domestic travelers. Historic trips often include airfare and lodging at hotels, motels, or bed and breakfasts (The Historic/Cultural Traveler, TIA, 2001).

Education: American travelers like to learn: about one-fifth have taken an educational trip to learn or improve a skill, sport, or hobby in the past three years. Overall, educational travelers are more likely to be young, male college graduates with a professional or managerial occupation and a high annual household income (TIA).

Gardens: Forty million Americans went on a garden tour, visited a botanical garden, attended a gardening show or festival, or participated in some other garden-related activity in the past five years. Ten million American adults participated in a garden-related activity while traveling (TIA).

Geotourism: This niche market currently includes 55 million travelers with another 100 million potential U.S. travelers. Travelers interested in geotourism want experiences that "sustain or enhance the geographical character of the place being visited-its culture, aesthetics, heritage, environment, and the well-being of its residents." (The Geotourism Study, National Geographic Society/TIA, 2002)

Group Tours: Group tours represent 40 percent of the package travel market. Each group tour spends approximately $6,405 for each overnight stay (based on a motor coach of 35 passengers). That's about $183 per person.

Package Travel: Package travel—in which at least two elements of a trip are purchased in advance—represents one of the largest industry segments in America. In 2001, North American packaged travel accounted for $99 billion spent within the United States (TIA).

Domestic Travelers
Attracting visitors from outside of Appalachia can be done by showcasing the diversity and value associated with the Region, especially compared to other mountainous areas of the United States.

Travelers from states outside the ARC region can be targeted for fly-drive and group tours of subregions of Appalachia. This packaging, in addition to increasing tourism revenue, can encourage repeat visitation, as travelers experience the diversity and quality of tourism activities in neighboring states and areas.

International Travelers
Canada and Mexico send more travelers to the U.S. than any other foreign nation. More than 80 percent of international travelers who leave Mexico each year come to the United States. And nearly 60 percent of international travelers from Canada visit the United States.

The United Kingdom was the top country for inbound travel to the U.S. in 2001, with 4.2 million visitors; Japan was second with over four million arrivals. International visitors continue to spend more and stay longer than their domestic counterparts. (TIA, 2002)

In The 2002 Profile of Overseas Travelers to the United States, visitors from Western Europe comprised 8.3 million visitors, with the United Kingdom leading the markets with 3.8 million visitors to the United States (United States Department of Commerce).

Another strong Western European market, especially for Appalachia, is Germany, with 1.2 million visitors to the United States in 2002 (United States Department of Commerce).

Tourism Development
State Tourism Contacts
Economic Effects of Tourism in Appalachia
Key Trends Affecting Tourism
Profiles of Potential Target Markets
Growing Appalachian Economies Through Craft
Report on Tourism and Craft