Dec. 1--The 2006 MountainFest Motorcycle Rally and the Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors Bureau won state tourism awards Wednesday at the annual governor's Conference on Tourism held in Charleston. MountainFest garnered The Mountain State Award, for promoting tourism that enhances community pride while preserving the state's heritage and beauty, according to a state Division of Tourism news release. The rally attracted about 27,000 participants in 2005 -- its debut, and best estimates for this year are somewhere from 30,000 to 50,000, said Cliff Sutherland, an organizer of the event. It's estimated that the event brings about $5 million into the local economy, he said. The group is planning its third annual event for the last week in July 2007. It will be extended to four days, from its former three, he said. "God provided us with our scenic beauty and our quality people and the roads we have to ride on. So what we're selling is what God gave us. And we are sharing our beauty and that's why it's going to grow," Sutherland said Thursday. Organizers are, again, work- ing to double the amount of participants, he said. Sutherland said residents have helped make the rally successful. "And everyone who comes here for the rally talks about the people -- they can't believe how friendly they are," he said. The Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) garnered the Best Web site award for tourmorgantown.com. The award is under the category of media and advertising, according to the news release. Tourmorgantown.com has been operating since January 2005, said Stacey Brodak, CVB executive director. It's an honor to have the Web site recognized from among the 37 bureau sites in the state, she said. "In this day and age there's not a CVB in the state that does not have a Web site." Among the site's features is a "Must See" section that allows site visitors to collect a list their favorite attractions. "Visitors can click on things and put them into a shopping cart -- a list of must-sees," she said. Once complete, the list can be printed, and includes telephone numbers and other information. Blaine Turner Advertising in Morgantown custom-built the listmaking program for the bureau, Brodak said. The Distinguished West Virginian award went to Cal Hite, a WVU graduate who is retiring superintendent of the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River. At the New River Gorge National River, he has been recognized for protecting the gorge from development threats. He took a lead role in communicating about the significance of the park's resources, the release states. In second place for the Web site award is Mountainstate Association of Bed and Breakfasts, at wvbandb.com. In third is Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, at oglebayresort.com, the news release states. Among the numerous other awards were: Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award -- Rod Stoner, retired vice president of food and beverage for The Greenbrier and The Greenbrier Resort and Club Management Company. It is the highest award for tourism, according to the news release. Tourism Professional of the

Year -- Jerry Henderson of Buckhannon. Henderson is the proprietor of A Governor's Inn. She volunteers with the Division of Tourism, the local convention and visitors bureaus and the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.