by Lisa Schauer
After an executive search concluded in March, Travel Berkeley Springs, Morgan County’s tourism board, hired a new executive director, Dusty Martin.
Martin, 28, grew up in Summersville, just minutes from New River Gorge, West Virginia’s most-photographed tourist destination, and only national park.
“I was in high school when the coal mines shut down. People were forced to leave. There was just addiction and poverty everywhere. But we had tourism. We never looked poorly on tourism,” said Martin.
A self-described social media influencer, Martin wanted to change the stigma of West Virginia. He and his girlfriend started posting videos of things that make the state unique and cool.
While at Lamar Advertising, Martin was a top salesperson for the outdoor advertising company. He has worked with other regional Convention and Visitors Bureaus, specifically Visit Mountaineer Country.
Now he’s getting his feet wet in America’s first spa town, as executive director of Travel Berkeley Springs.
“My passion is to promote West Virginia,” he explained, saying he plans to invigorate and re-energize tourism in Morgan County.
In a joint promotion with Jefferson and Berkeley counties, Martin has already planned and executed an outdoor advertising campaign in the D.C. area, with signage wrapped around Metro stations and double decker tour busses.
A targeted digital media campaign, including invitations to social media influencers and food bloggers to visit the area, has increased engagement on social media.
“Simplicity is key. We’re America’s first spa vacation for a reason,” said Martin, describing the brand strategy.
The website, social media content, advertising, and printed brochures tout recreation, restoration, and relaxation for those who want to escape the city life.
Martin says the best customers are repeat customers, who enjoy coming back every year, going to the same places, and seeing the same people they’ve gotten to know.
“People make this place special, and that goes for all of West Virginia,” he said.
Unique challenges for our area include recent job cuts to the federal workforce in D.C. Martin is closely following the situation and will adjust as needed.
He says West Virginia is still one of the least visited states, and there is a long way to go.
Travel Berkeley Springs is funded by a six percent hotel/motel tax, which has been collected on all listed lodgings on vacation rental sites since a state law went into effect in 2022. The tax has been around longer than that, but short-term rentals are the newest segment of the tourism sector to generate the revenue.
The tax revenue is used to pay for tourism advertising, as well as mowing the Little League field, Rankin’s fitness center, town fireworks, and the summer concert series, according to Martin.
Tourism has a broader economic impact beyond tax revenue. It brings money into the area, benefitting local people and businesses, including shops, restaurants, contractors, realtors, cleaning services, landscapers, and outfitters.
“Tourism is a friend of Morgan County. We are 100% working to promote tourism. If anyone has questions, I have an open door,” said Martin.
Travel Berkeley Springs is now located at the visitor center in the historic Berkeley Springs train depot on the north end of town.
