Slowly but surely, tourism is increasing in Anson County.
Since the Ansonia Theatre opened in 2011, it has welcomed thousands of guests. Out-of-county guests have represented at least 84 towns and cities and 13 states.
In the 2012-2013 fiscal year (July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013), a total of 6,166 people visited the theatre. In FY 2013-14, 7,398 people visited. Just five months into FY 14-15, over 3,600 people have been to the theater so far.
When tourists visit the theater, the benefits expand to other businesses, according to Anson County Arts Council representative Roe Boothby. “When people come for a show, they eat, buy gas, and spend money here,” she said.
About 25 percent of the customers at Southern Medley Wine Cellar are from out-of-county, according to winery owner Elizabeth Schafer. “It’s been very successful for me,” she said.
While the majority of her guests are people on their way to the beach, she has had some groups attend. The Charlotte Corvette Club met there, and N.C. Poet Laureate Joseph Bathanti held a poetry reading there. Schafer said personal contacts from her time in Charlotte also help.
Schafer does no advertising other than a sign on Highway 74, maintaining an Internet presence, and having a listing in the North Carolina Winery Guide, which is free. “A lot of people who come from out of town have a goal to visit every winery in the state,” she said. “We’re new, so people stop by here. We also get couples who see our signs on the road or do a quick Internet search on their phones on the way to the beach.”
When visitors ask about local restaurants, Schafer points them to Oliver’s Hometown Restaurant and Bar, just up the street from the winery. Likewise, when restaurant patrons look for other local activities, restaurant owner Jeff Oliver recommends Southern Medley. “It works both ways with the restaurant,” Schafer said. “We can share business, so that’s been a good partnership for us.”
The Wadesboro Chamber of Commerce also helps bring in tourists. Director Lynn Edwards said that the majority of the bikers in this year’s Discover Anson bike ride were from out of town, as only 11 of the 41 participants were from Anson County. “One man came from Canada,” she said. “He drove down, spent the night at the Forever Inn, and rode in the bike ride, then went home the next day.”
Other bikers have come from Oak Island, Georgia, and many other places, she said.
Edwards also credited the Big Game Hunt over Thanksgiving weekend for bringing in tourists. “The golf tournament draws some people from out of the county, but it’s a one-day thing,” she said. “With the bike ride, some people stay the night before they ride. And the hunt is a two-day event,so some people probably do stay overnight for that.”
Recently, community members have sought to combine their resources and focus their efforts. Group organizer Leroy Flowers has encouraged community leaders and businesses to follow a seven-step process to develop Anson’s potential for an outdoor recreation industry. Meetings are held monthly at the new hospital on Highway 74 in Wadesboro.
Some efforts to tap into Anson’s outdoor resources have already been made. Carolina Thread Trail is actively working to connect Anson to the 15-county trail system by creating blueway points, or paddle trails, along the Rocky and Pee Dee Rivers. To learn more about the blueway, visit www.carolinathreadtrail.org.
Additionally, the Anson County Tourism Development Authority helps fund many local events in an effort to increase tourism. The TDA has helped fund events from the Arts Council, such as marketing for the Ansonia and the Carolina Writers Festival, donated a large sum to the future Agri-Civic Center, and more.
To learn more about efforts to increase local tourism, visit the TDA’s website at www.discoveranson.com.
Staff Writer Imari Scarbrough may be reached at 704-694-2161, ext. 2302 or on Twitter @ImariLattimore.
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