Tourism is big business for the Middle Peninsula, a state official reported during the Feb. 27 meeting of the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission at its offices in Saluda.

Sandra Tanner of the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) said that tourism has an annual impact of $195 million on this region and provides more than 2,400 jobs. Tourism helps generate $14 million in local tax receipts, Tanner said.

"If economic development is about creating community wealth," she said, "then tourism should be considered a very important strategy for every community."

Following some discussion, the commission voted to have VTC develop a regional strategic tourism plan. MPPDC economic planner Harrison Bresee said he expects it will take about a year for VTC to develop the plan.

Bresee said that regional community assessments will be considered in compiling a tourism strategy to benefit the six counties and three towns on the Middle Peninsula.

In other business, the commis...