(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Mark Lewis talked to partners Wednesday at the Grand Pointe Conference Center about improvements made to the visitor’s center over the last year.

VIENNA — The Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau held its annual Partners’ Meeting Wednesday night at the Grand Pointe Conference Center and reported sustained growth in visitation, expanded programming, and stronger regional partnerships.

“Tonight really is all about our partners. You know, what we do is basically economic development. We’re working to increase the economy in West Virginia, in our particular area, through importing tourism dollars,” Mark Lewis, president and CEO said.

Lewis said one of the clearest indicators of that growth has been the performance of the Welcome Center, which the organization moved into about three and a half years ago after the building had sat vacant for three years.

Since relocating, he said foot traffic has risen steadily each year, reaching 9,319 visitors this past year.

“The first year we were down there, we saw 6,000 people. The next year, we saw over 7,000. The year before last, we saw over 8,000. This past year, (we saw) 9,319 people,” Lewis said.

As a destination marketing organization, he said the CVB promotes the region’s attractions, restaurants, shops and events to draw visitors from across the state and surrounding areas.

“We’re a destination marketing organization, and it’s all the great things that we have at our destination that make it worth marketing… to bring people here,” he said.

He said the Welcome Center serves as a strategic hub for motor coach tours and also works with the Blennerhassett Island State Park, Henderson Hall and the Oil and Gas Museum to build multi-stop itineraries. He said that each face-to-face encounter at the Welcome Center is a chance to deepen the economic impact of tourism in the area.

“All of those personal interactions are opportunities to upsell people, to get them to spend more money while they’re here,” Lewis said. “Or to get them to come back for another visit. So every one of those personal interactions, you cannot overstate the value of that.”

Beyond distributing brochures and itineraries to strengthen those interactions, Lewis said the CVB is also transforming the Welcome Center’s back parking lot into a versatile community venue. He said he sees the space as a way to support local organizations and create more reasons for both residents and visitors to gather at the center.

“This year, we were able to seal the back parking lot. We were able to cut down some trees. We’re going to put up the stage that was over at Southwood Park… And then the Lions Club of Parkersburg has gotten us a donation,” Lewis said. “They’re going to donate the money for us to put a big tent back there… to really create a space that can be used by local groups for events.”

The CVB’s marketing efforts — anchored by digital campaigns and regional print placements — are designed to keep Parkersburg and the Mid-Ohio Valley top-of-mind for travelers, Lewis said.

“Our job is to reach out and to get people to come to Parkersburg, and we did have a very successful season with our marketing this past year,” Lewis said.

He said campaigns have run in Ohio Magazine, Long Weekends, West Virginia Living, and other outlets, while the CVB’s social media presence has also grown significantly.

Looking ahead, the CVB is leaning into regional collaboration and new types of experiences to keep visitation growing.

Lewis said the bureau is working with Marietta’s tourism partners to jointly hire a public relations firm focused on earned media coverage in regional and national outlets.

“It’s much better to bring more people to the area, working with them, and create a bigger pie than it is to fight each other for a slice of a pie that’s static or shrinking,” he said.

They’re also pursuing funding to map gravel cycling routes, tapping into one of the fastest-growing segments of biking and aiming to feature those routes on the CVB website by next year.

“We hope to get the funding in place so that they can start the mapping and have that on our website by next year or middle of next year,” Lewis said.

Meanwhile, Lewis said the revival of the West Virginia Motor Speedway and the future opening of the Ohio River Museum in Marietta are seen as major assets the CVB plans to promote and connect with existing attractions.

Another highlight is the 48-bed community garden that came with the building and has since become a point of pride and a community resource.

“When we bought the building, it came with a 48 raised-bed community garden, which was in a state of disrepair,” Lewis said. “We decided that we wanted to keep that and through grants from local foundations, we were able to do a bunch of renovations.”

He said thanks to support from the Rotary Club of Parkersburg, foundations and corporate volunteers, the garden now boasts near-full usage.

“We’re really proud of that,” Lewis said. “I think there were two beds that weren’t rented out this year out of the 48, so it’s really become a focal point for gardeners that can’t raise things where they live.”

He said volunteers from Highmark and the McDonough Foundation helped repaint the raised beds, and a new concrete walkway now connects the back parking lot to the garden, making it easier for motor coach visitors to walk through.

The organization will also play a key role in promoting events tied to America 250, the nation’s 250th anniversary, ensuring that residents and visitors know what is happening and how to take part.

Throughout the presentation, Lewis underscored that the bureau’s success is rooted in relationships — with partners, volunteers and staff.

“I look around the room and I really don’t see anybody I don’t know,” he said. “Tonight really is all about our partners.”

Lewis also announced plans to retire later this year, closing a 14-year chapter marked by record visitation, expanded community partnerships, and renewed investment in local attractions.

“I am retiring on November 1 of this year, and the past 14 years of my life have been back here in Parkersburg,” Lewis said. “And it’s been my honor to be here and to be in this job. I love my job.”