Summit highlights unifying strategies for Blue Ridge Parkway’s gateway communities

More than 130 leaders from Virginia and North Carolina gathered to discuss strategies for unifying and strengthening communities adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway during a summit held earlier this month.

“Stretching across hundreds of miles and 29 counties in two states, the region surrounding the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most important destinations in the country for its abundant natural and cultural resources, significant tourism opportunities, and is increasingly a top destination for business and those in search of a high-quality place to live,” said Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout.

Blue Ridge Rising is an initiative driven by community engagement to unite the Parkway’s gateway communities for the betterment of the region.

The event, hosted by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation working with Destination by Design, highlighted six key focus areas determined by participants in a series of 30 listening sessions. Presenters highlighted the top action strategies in marketing, education, advocacy, resource protection, visitor experiences and capacity building.

The strategies include developing a unified regional voice, creating curated travel itineraries to highlight regional offerings, advancing connector trails and greenways, protecting the viewsheds that attract Parkway visitors, bolstering workforce development in hospitality and natural resources, promoting safe bicycling adventures and identifying dark sky areas for stargazing along the 469-mile route of the national park.

The Blue Ridge Rising action plan will be finalized in early 2024, and the foundation and its partners will implement the first projects soon thereafter.

In 2022, the Parkway was the most visited national park with more than 15.7 million visitors who spent nearly $1.3 billion in communities near the national park.

Blue Ridge Rising is organized by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, with primary funding provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The foundation is the nonprofit fundraising partner of the Parkway, helping to ensure cultural and historical preservation, natural resource protection, educational outreach, and visitor enjoyment. Since 1997, the organization has provided more than $22 million in support for the national park.

For more information, visit BRPFoundation.org.