State official endorses local tourism efforts

Not only did "agri-tourism" expert Carol Kline offer a vocal endorsement of the county's efforts to develop its tourism industry, she also endorsed Caldwell's tourism offerings with her checkbook as well.

And that's just the kind of reaction that Caldwell County businesses and government officials are hoping for from all of its visitors.

Kline, a professor at N.C. State University and an authority on agri-tourism, was a guest of the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce. During her visit she toured Caldwell, taking in many of the sites that county officials hope will draw visitors and their tourism dollars.

While here she bought handmade pottery and locally-made wine, offering an example of the benefits that an out-of-town visitor brings.

Kline spoke at Friday's Lenoir Rotary Club meeting and offered a glowing critique of the efforts that Caldwell County has put forth so far.

She advised those in attendance of the importance of creating an "experience," which is the true draw for tourists. Among the offerings that contribute to an experience are: people, food, entertainment, recreation, climate, history, arts and culture, she said, with the audience offering examples of what makes up the experience.

"Caldwell County has the complete tourism product," she said. "Rural tourism is hot. The beautiful thing about it is when it's planned right it not only brings tourists, but it also brings the community together."

Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deborah Ashley said that Kline has visited and worked in every county in the state. Kline toured the county last Friday morning and liked what she saw.

The Chamber, in addition to other agencies such as the Caldwell County Economic Development Corporation, has been busy in recent years preparing to boost tourism in Caldwell County. County officials have touted tourism as a "clean" industry that has the potential for huge economic impacts on an area.

A reference was made to a recent Appalachian State study about Caldwell County's tourism potential, which was conducted by Lenoir resident Dana Clark's travel and tourism class. Clark had brought several students from one of his classes to the Rotary meeting as guests.

The study, which was released about one year ago, advised Caldwell County to create a tourism board, hire a tourism marketing director and be more active marketing the county's natural resources, historic sites and existing attractions.

Many of those goals already have been implemented, and there are projects such as marketing the Wilson Creek area that have built momentum in recent months.

"I was blown away on my first visit," Kline said. "The delivery of the product and the hospitality I was shown was flawless. If every visitor is getting that kind of service, you have no worries in the tourism industry."

Kline admitted that her economic impact on the area, which is the goal for attracting new visitors to the area, was limited because she stayed at a home rather than a hotel. However, she did spend $100, which included shopping and eating, during her 24-hour visit, and her overall impact may have topped $200 had she stayed in a hotel, she said.

Kline also said that Caldwell County's status as a newcomer to the tourism industry presents a unique opportunity to create whatever image it wants. She also said that Caldwell County is doing a good job of controlling tourism rather than tourism controlling Caldwell County.

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