Published: March 21, 2008 10:20 am            

Driving tours map of Appalachia available

WASHINGTON – The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and National Geographic Society today announced the release of the

completion of the new Appalachian Driving Tours Map. Commissioned by ARC, the map features 28 unique driving trails of the Appalachian Region that lead to a broad array of historical, archeological, cultural, and scenic sites.

The driving tours map is the result of a unique alliance between ARC and National Geographic to design maps that will stimulate economic development by showcasing the remarkable diversity of the Appalachian Region's natural and heritage assets.

Supplemented with colorful photos, descriptive text, and more detailed information for travelers, the map will be distributed to 865,000 subscribers in the April 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine as well as to other target audiences in the Region.

ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne Pope welcomed the launching of the new map. "As the successor to the highly successful National Geographic

MapGuide to Appalachia, which was launched in March of 2005, we expect it to continue to increase visitation to the Region in measurable ways," stated Pope. "The driving trails featured in this map represent wonderful opportunities to see all the natural treasures Appalachia has to offer."

National Geographic Editor Keith Bellows noted that "With the theme of 'All Travel, All the Time,' National Geographic Traveler celebrates journeys that are about place, experience, culture and authenticity. It makes a distinction between tourism and travel, and aims to inspire readers to pick up and go.

The Appalachian Driving Tours Map does just that. Appalachia contains a wealth of natural, historic and cultural treasures, and we're excited to give travelers a great tool to seek out the more than 130 sites featured on the printed map and even more online."

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, ARC States' Co-chair, said, "This new National Geographic map of the driving trails of Appalachia highlights more of the rich tourism experiences that are available in our Region. It will help increase traveling, lodging, shopping, and dining and comes as a welcome boost to the economies of our local communities."

According to Travel Industry Association of America estimates, tourism is a $740 billion industry employing nearly 7.5 million people in the United States in 2006. The cultural heritage tourism sector has been growing twice as fast as the overall travel market, with the Appalachian region boasting six of the top 10 states most visited by travelers from this sector.

Map readers are encouraged to "Visit Appalachia" through a newly-developed,

consumer-oriented online companion piece at www.visitappalachia.com. The site's content will feature an interactive version of the 28 driving tours featured on the map, a downloadable PDF of the map, Google map features to help travelers plan their next driving vacation to Appalachia, and links to the 13 Appalachian State Tourism offices for additional info.

        

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