Benning W. De La Mater of the Berkshire Eagle reports that “In this month’s edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine, the region tied for 7th out of 133 vacation destinations ranked by a panel of 437 experts in fields such as historic preservation, sustainable tourism, travel writing, food, photography and archaeology.”
In the article, one unnamed expert writes that the area “seems to have the right balance of picturesque towns, arts offerings, and well-protected natural beauty.”
Lauri Klefos, president of the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, said businesses and cultural venues have been ecstatic about the recognition, which she views as the best free advertising possible.
“This is one of the premiere travel magazines in the world,” Klefos said. “People pick up this magazine when they’re looking to find a destination that they never considered before.”
Michael Supranowicz, president of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, predicted that the acknowledgment will be used as a “selling point” for the local tourism industry.
“This is a feather in our cap, and we deserve it,” he said. “We have a beautiful place here, and a lot of people know it. But what was interesting about this survey is that it wasn’t based in stats and numbers. Their experts had personal knowledge of the places.
Click here to read the full Berkshire Eagle Article!
Click here to read the National Geographic Travel Article!
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