Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 27, 1994                   TAG: 9402240039
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-12   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MICHAEL CSOLLANY
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NEW PLANS TO PUSH AND PULL TOURISTS INTO SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

These days, Virginia's Southwest Blue Ridge Highlands Inc. is moving in a new direction to zero-budget promotion.

Ed Crossan has a new set of ideas: the push-piece and the pull-piece.

A new brochure by Southwest Virginia's tourism group will direct people to a specific spot in a community to learn more about activities, accommodations, and restaurants there.

This is the push-piece.

Once there - a visitor's bureau, a chamber of commerce, a tourist destination itself - another brochure will offer a discount for participating places of accommodation, restaurants, stores, entertainment and outdoor activities places of accommodation, restaurants, stores, entertainment and outdoor activities in the community.

There is no cost to participate in either the pull- or the push-piece, Crossan said. Participation is considered a membership benefit of the sponsoring regional and community organizations - such as the chamber of commerce.

If your community wants to participate on the region's push-piece or if your business wants to participate on your community's pull piece, contact Kitty Grady at (703) 228-3111.