Lawmakers in West Virginia are convening for three days of legislative interim meetings, focusing on tourism and economic development. On the first day at Stonewall Resort, members of the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization received a presentation from Chelsea Ruby, cabinet secretary for the Department of Tourism. Ruby, who has been in her role for over eight years, was reappointed by Governor Patrick Morrisey.
Ruby provided an overview of the department’s operations, strategies, and recent successes. The department has evolved to address the tourism industry comprehensively, including workforce development and community initiatives. With 47 positions, 39 of which are filled, the department’s budget has grown from $8.1 million in 2015 to $35.9 million for fiscal year 2026, primarily allocated to marketing and advertising. Tourism has an $8.7 billion economic impact, employing over 60,000 people and generating more than $2.1 billion in income. Visitor spending has grown by 23% since 2019, surpassing the national average of 9%.
The department promotes tourism across all 50 states and internationally, with a focus on nearby metropolitan areas like Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Advertising campaigns include animated billboards, partnerships with publications, and leveraging cultural icons like the song “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Future goals include finding efficiencies, launching a trademark licensing program, and expanding workforce development programs.
In a separate meeting, Nicholas Preservati, director of the West Virginia Office of Energy, discussed the reorganization of the Department of Economic Development under the Department of Commerce. The review aims to align economic development with energy and workforce policies. Over the next three days, lawmakers will tour various facilities and sites in the region.
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West Virginia tourism, economic development focus of first day of legislative interims at Stonewall Resort
CHARLESTON — Lawmakers are spending the next three days in Central and North Central West Virginia for June legislative interim meetings, on Sunday receiving reports from state tourism and economic development officials. Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization heard a presentation Sunday afternoon from Chelsea Ruby, cabinet secretary for the Department of Tourism, during the first day of interims at Stonewall Resort in Lewis County. Ruby was reappointed as secretary for the Department of Tourism by Gov. Patrick Morrisey when he took office in January. Previously the commissioner of the Division of Tourism, Ruby was made a cabinet secretary by former Gov. Jim Justice in 2021 when Tourism was upgraded from a division to a department. “I came in with Gov. Justice, so I have been in this job going on eight-and-a-half years now, and I’m very, very grateful that Gov. Morrisey reappointed me,” Ruby said. Ruby’s presentation offered lawmakers a comprehensive overview of the department’s operations, strategies and recent successes in response to an audit by the Legislature’s Performance Evaluation and Research Division. “I will say that the mission of the Department of Tourism has changed over the years,” Ruby said. “You’ve seen over the last eight years that we’ve really grown into an organization that looks at the tourism industry as a whole, looks at the workforce, the tax credits, and is now starting to look at some of the community development.” The presentation outlined the various teams within the department and their roles, from creative advertising and destination development to public relations and visitor services. The department has 47 positions, of which 39 are filled. That number was down from 66.9 employees in 2015. That’s not counting the new divisions, boards and commissions added when Tourism absorbed the Department of Arts, Culture and History through legislation passed earlier this year. While the number of positions in the department has been reduced, the budget has grown, from $8.1 million in fiscal year 2015 to $35.9 million for fiscal year 2026 beginning on July 1. Yet, the department’s operations budget has remained relatively the same, with most of that budget growth going directly to marketing and advertising. Ruby said the state is receiving a significant return on investment in the department, with tourism having an $8.7 billion economic impact. The industry employs more than 60,000 people in the state and generates more than $2.1 billion in total income, according to the department. “One of our best milestones, I think, was last year when we surpassed $1 billion in tax revenue generated from visitors in the state,” Ruby said. “That was our first year to go over $1 billion.” West Virginia’s visitor spending has grown 23% since 2019, a record year, compared to the national average of 9%. Ruby said this growth is directly correlated to increases in the department’s budget thanks to the Legislature. Approximately $17 million is spent per day in the state by tourists, generating approximately $835 per household in tax revenue each year. The department promotes West Virginia tourism in all 50 states, territories and even internationally. But much of the advertising focus is on states within a five-to-six-hour drive or states that offer direct flights to West Virginia. Focus is also being placed on nearby metropolitan areas, such as Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., including an advertising campaign in D.C.’s Metro subway system. The department is using animated outdoor boards and electronic billboards in major cities to catch attention and highlight various state locations. Advertisements are being placed in publications like “Garden and Gun” and “Afar,” alongside targeted digital ads based on user interests. Partnerships include stadium singalongs featuring “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” aiming to leverage the song’s cultural impact. Ruby explained that the department measures success through awareness, traveler spending and industry growth, providing data on increased visitation, economic impact and private investment. Future goals include looking closely at finding new efficiencies, launching a trademark licensing program, expansion of tourism workforce development programs, continuing to be innovative in advertising approaches and continuing upgrades for online reservations for state parks. In a separate conference room, the Joint Committee on Government and Finance heard a report from Nicholas Preservati, the director of the West Virginia Office of Energy, regarding the effort to recombine the Department of Economic Development as a division within the Department of Commerce. “In eight days, Economic Development is going to go from a department back under Commerce as a division,” Preservati said. “We’re in the process of finalizing a comprehensive review of economic development top to bottom. … We’re looking at economic development in conjunction with the energy policy and the workforce policy, and we think that all three have to be based upon the same principles.” Preservati told committee members the department was reviewing various economic development decisions by the previous Justice administration and bringing the department in line with the Morrisey’s vision for economic development. “Out of respect to the previous administration, I want to acknowledge that any change in direction that we take, or any changes that we make, is not directed towards the previous administration, because they had a lot of significant successes in economic development,” Preservati said. “I just want to say that, to the extent there’s a change in direction, it mirrors the governor’s priorities and the economic reality of the state and at federal level, with a lot of funds … being different than it was in the last several years.” Over the next three days, lawmakers will be going on private members-only tours of various facilities, companies, state and federal agencies and tourism sites in the region. Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.
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