BUCKHANNON — The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area invites all tourism industry professionals to the annual Highlands Creative Economy Tourism Summit on Monday, August 5 at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf & the Blind in Romney. This year’s event will emphasize the importance of addressing accessibility in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

The summit will feature presentations from regional experts and offer the opportunity to learn about tools and resources for tourism organizations, as well as network with peers in the industry. This event is free to attend and open to anyone interested in tourism in the region. Attendees can register or learn more at www.afnha.org/news-archives/2024-tourism-summit.

Sessions will cover various topics, including Accessibility, Agritourism, Hospitality, Community Development, and Heritage Tourism. The keynote address will be delivered by Eric Thompson of Access on the Go, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting accessibility and adaptive recreation opportunities throughout the Appalachian region. Thompson will discuss the needs and benefits of tourism and hospitality businesses serving travelers with disabilities and share resources and tools to help organizations make their communities more accessible.

Highlands Creative Economy (HCE) is a partnership between the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area and Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College. The HCE program hosts a monthly networking meeting for tourism-related organizations, training events, workshops, and the annual Tourism Summit. Meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. HCE is supported in part by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the National Park Service. Learn more at www.afnha.org/creative-economy.