Bringing Tourist Back To Weldon
First Published in the Roanoke Rapids Sunday Herald on February 11, 1996
As one looks at Weldon's past, it is evident that this small community has enjoyed and benefited from the traffic and spending of tourist. As a matter of fact, Weldon was built on the trade of tourist. The impact of the people that visited Weldon via the canal, river and railroad was that they bought and traded goods and services building a economic base that Weldon was formed on.
After the invention of the automobile and the development of the highway system, Highway 301, then the equivalent of I-95, traversed right through the middle of town on Washington Avenue exposing people to Weldon and it's businesses. But how did this effect Weldon and what impact can it have to our little community today and in the future.
What Is A Tourist
According to Tourism USA - Guidelines For Tourism Development, a tourist can be described as someone who has traveled to a community from some other location and does not plan to stay permanently. A tourist may be on vacation or business, visiting relatives or area attractions, attending a special event or a meeting, participating in a sporting event, sight-seeing or just passing through. Regardless of their reason for traveling, tourist spend money--lots of money, which could help the economy of our community.
The Value of Tourism
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports the effect of tourism on a community in a list of "What 100 Tourist A Day Means".
 | 140 new households |
| $78,000 in tax receipts, enough to support 156 school children. |
| $777,000 increase in personal income. |
| $1,120,000 in retail sales. |
| 7 more retail outlets. |
| 111 new industry related jobs |
This is compared to
"What 100 New Manufacturing Jobs Mean"
| 100 new households. |
| 91 more schoolchildren. |
| $410,000 increase in personal income. |
| $331,000 in retail sales |
| 3 more retail outlets. |
| 65 industry related jobs. |
The North Carolina Department of Commerce office of Travel and Tourism estimated tourism spending at $8.3 billion annually making it the states second largest industry. By the year 2000, tourism is expected to be the state's top industry.
Halifax County already enjoys a tourism related spending of $50.1 million. The best benefit of dollars spend by tourist is that it's money brought into the area from some where else, spent here, then turns over an average of three times by the local economy.
What is Heritage Tourism?
Heritage and environmental tourism (or eco-tourism) is one of the fasting growing segments of the tourism industry. Heritage/Eco-Tourism is defined as tourism that conserves and enhances the natural, cultural and historic heritage of an area, educating visitors and residents of the area about the nature and function of the area's natural resources systems and promotes the sustainable use of an area's resources. The creation of jobs and the improvement of the quality of life for the residents of the area is a benefit as well.
Who Is A Heritage Tourist?
The average heritage tourist is over 30 years old, college educated, earns more than $58,000 per year, interested in protecting the environment, sensitive to an area's history, culture and environment, enjoys outdoor activities, seeks intellectual, cultural or spiritual discovery while on vacation and typically prefers to patronize locally owned and operated lodging, restaurants and tour operators.
Potential For Weldon
Weekend trips to nearby areas are becoming increasingly common and according to the 1990 US Census, over 11.5 million people live within a 4.5 hour drive of the Weldon area and 10.8 million vehicles travel through Halifax County each year on I-95.
Herein lies the potential for Weldon.
Weldon is rich in history related to early American transportation systems involving the canal, river and the railroad. Specific events have contributed to Weldon, such as the rock fishing industry and the occupation of Weldon during the Civil War. Weldon has served as home to the state's first Boy Scout Troop, the oldest continually operated weekly newspaper in the state, The Roanoke News, the World's First Rockfish Hatchery and one of the earliest electric power plants in the nation.
By capitalizing on our past, we can plan for a bright future in Weldon. The Town of Weldon and WOW-Workin' on Weldon are already working together to develop and promote the heritage and eco-tourism opportunities of Weldon. In doing so we will be able to attract tourist to the downtown area making it a thriving, bustling place to live, work or operate a business. Then, not to far in the distant future, Weldon could be realizing the impact of 100 tourist a day, thereby strengthening the economy of the community. And we all could stand a little to that.