LAUREL HIGHLANDS AMONG TOP TRIPS
The Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau has been very happy with how the voting turned out.
On Election Day last Tuesday, the tourism organization announced that the part of Western Pennsylvania it promotes — Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties just east of Pittsburgh — has been voted by travel bloggers to be one of the top 30 emerging travel destinations on the entire
planet for 2020.
The annual awards honoring trending destinations were published Tuesday on the site TravelLemming.com, which promotes emerging destinations around the world as a solution to overtourism.
Also delighted is Pennsylvania’s deputy secretary for marketing, tourism & film in the state’s Department of Community & Economic Development, Carrie Fischer Lepore. She cited the newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage site Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Fallingwater, the Flight 93 National Memorial, Seven Springs
Mountain Resort, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and the natural scenery among the area’s leading charms.
Visit PA, the state tourism agency, nominated the region for this recognition. Travel Lemming explains that it seeks nominations for trending destinations from governments and tourism boards, then submits the nominees to a panel of bloggers from around the globe.
According to Travel Lemming, “More than just another random listicle of places to travel, the Emerging Destination Awards aim to bring together local stakeholders, content creators and travelers to help encourage travelers to spread out and appreciate every corner of this stunning planet.”
In the list of winners, Megan India of the Bobo & ChiChi blog explains that the Laurel Highlands was picked because it is “[a]nother overlooked destination in the Eastern U.S. that’s home to incredible architecture, nature and cultural sites that makes for the perfect escape at one of their luxury resorts and an amazing road trip.”
The only other U.S. destinations on this year’s list are Colorado Springs, Colo.; Pasa Robles, Calif.; and Navarre Beach, Fla. Other recommended destinations range from Rwanda and Namibia to Southern Laos to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.
Nearly 8 million people visit the Laurel Highlands each year already, but the visitors bureau thinks this recognition will make even more people put the area on their travel bucket lists.
Says the visitors bureau’s executive director, Ann Nemanic, “This is a WOW moment for all of us in the Laurel Highlands.”
Get the full list at https://travellemming.com/2020-emergingdestination-awards. Until Dec. 5, you can vote for your favorite to win the site’s annual Readers Choice Award. There’s also a “Solutions Center” with more tips for reducing overtourism.