Virginia Museum of Transportation

Six Memorable Travel Encounters in Roanoke, Virginia

Published October 25, 2013 | By Clark Norton

Mayor Bowers with his Spanish-speaking dog. Photo by Clark Norton

Most memorable travel moments revolve around people as well as sights and activities — often chance encounters on the road, sometimes fleeting, other times resulting in more long-lasting friendships.

Here are a few snapshots from my recent stay in and around Roanoke, Virginia, made possible by the Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, which sponsored me and a number of other travel writers and photographers so that we could get an overview of the area, dubbed “Virginia’s Blue Ridge.”

In Roanoke, some of my encounters were pre-planned, others serendipitous.

My fellow writers and I were privileged to meet the mayor of the city, David Bowers, who greeted us on an overlook atop Mill Mountain, below the city’s iconic 100-foot-high illuminated star. (Read more about the star here.)

The mayor brought his “Spanish-speaking dog,” who, while not actually… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Cities, States | Tagged baby boomer marketing strategies, baby boomer travel, baby boomer travel trends, baby boomer travelers, baby boomers, baby boomers and tourism, Black Dog Salvage Company, boomers, marketing baby boomer travel, Roanoke, Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, selling travel to baby boomers, travel marketing, traveling baby boomers, Virginia, Virginia Mountain Vineyards, Virginia Museum of Transportation, Virginia's Blue Ridge | Leave a comment

Ten Things I Didn’t Know About Roanoke, Virginia

Published October 23, 2013 | By Clark Norton

A pastoral scene near Roanoke, Virginia. Photo by Clark Norton

In my previous post, I talked about my trip last week to the Roanoke, Virginia, area, and what I regard are the smart marketing techniques of the Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau by hosting travel writers and photographers from around the U.S. and Canada to experience an area they might otherwise not visit.

The trip was organized by the Florida-based public relations firm Geiger & Associates, who work out every activity down to the minute and somehow manage not to lose any writers — who rank right up there with cats in the “herding difficulty” scale — along the way.

Now I want to detail some things I learned about Roanoke and surroundings — well branded as “Virginia’s Blue Ridge” — that might be of interest to baby boomer travelers.

So in no particular order, here… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Cities, Marketing | Tagged Appalachian Trail, baby boomer marketing strategies, baby boomer travel, baby boomer travel trends, baby boomer travelers, baby boomers, baby boomers and tourism, Blue Ridge Parkway, boomers, Fincastle, Link Museum, marketing baby boomer travel, Roanoke, Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, selling travel to baby boomers, travel marketing, traveling baby boomers, Virginia Museum of Transportation | 5 Comments

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.