Visit Mountaineer Country Convention & Visitors Bureau (VMCCVB), the official Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO) for North Central West Virginia, is proud to share that the team brought home three awards from this year’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Each award highlights a different way Mountaineer Country is leading the way in tourism across the state.

“Winning in three different categories really speaks to the breadth of work happening in Mountaineer Country,” said Susan Riddle, President & CEO of VMCCVB. “From investing in our future workforce, to embracing digital innovation, to hosting events that put our region on the national stage—we’re proud to be driving tourism forward for West Virginia.”

VMCCVB was recognized with:

• Future of Tourism Award – for the third year in a row, celebrating the Apprenticeship Program, workforce training, professional development, and ongoing efforts to promote and educate students on the seven Leave No Trace principles.
• Digital Innovation Award – for launching a fresh new website, introducing an AI chatbot, reimagining the way email signatures are used, and raising the bar on social media engagement. 
• Mountain State Tourism Development Award – for hosting GeoWoodstock XXI over Memorial Day Weekend 2025, which welcomed more than 5,200 geocachers from all 50 states and 11 countries. Mark Webb, GeoWoodstock XXI event organizer, also took home the Innovator’s Showdown Award for pitching the implementation of treasure tourism to other destinations.

“These awards are a reflection of the creativity and hard work of our team and the incredible support we receive from our community and partners,” said Riddle. “It’s an honor to be recognized for the work we are doing to uplift the tourism industry. We’re proud to lead with innovation and collaboration, and we’re even more excited about what’s ahead.”

Other CVBs in Mountaineer Country were also recognized. The Clarksburg CVB won Best Print Media for their visitors guide, and both Clarksburg CVB and Marion County CVB earned the Regional Collaboration Award for their work on the Pepperoni Roll Trail.

“Seeing Mountaineer Country so well represented is exciting for all of us,” added Riddle. “When one of us succeeds, our whole region moves forward, and we collectively achieve the ultimate goal of increasing tourism to benefit the communities that we represent.”