Governor Timothy M. Kaine celebrated Virginia’s role in the new Appalachian Driving Tours Map, a partnership of the Appalachian Regional Commission and National Geographic Society Friday.

The map insert will be in the April issue of National Geographic Traveler and features 28 driving trails in the nation’s Appalachian Region. Nearly 20 sites along Virginia’s Crooked Road and Wilderness Road, from bluegrass venues to state parks, are highlighted as part of an effort to increase tourism in Appalachia.

“Tourism is one of Virginia’s most powerful industries and key to the economic development of our smaller communities,” says Kaine. “Tourism provides quality jobs that cannot be outsourced and helps preserve Virginia’s unique heritage and culture.”

Tourism is a $17.7 billion industry for Virginia, providing more than 208,000 jobs and $1.2 billion in state and local taxes. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, tourism is a $740 billion industry, employing nearly 7.5 million people in the United States in 2006.

The cultural heritage tourism sector has been growing twice as fast as the overall travel market, according to TIA, with the Appalachian region boasting six of the top ten states most visited by travelers from this sector.

“National Geographic’s recognition of the rich culture and heritage of Virginia’s Appalachian region is a feather in the cap of our tourism industry,” says Alisa Bailey, president & CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. “This new map highlights our ongoing marketing efforts to increase visitation and traveler spending in Virginia by capitalizing upon travelers’ ever-growing interest in our heritage.”

The Virginia section of the Appalachia driving trails map highlights two heritage-themed trails; the Wilderness Road and the Crooked Road.

The Wilderness Road: Virginia’s Heritage Migration Route, traverses the general route of America’s westward expansion, down the Shenandoah Valley through Southwest Virginia and on to the Cumberland Gap. Known by a variety of names, the route features museum and sites in historic communities such as Winchester, Staunton, Roanoke, Wytheville, Abingdon, Duffield and Jonesville.

The Crooked Road: Virginia Heritage Music Trail focuses on the rich musical heritage of Southwest Virginia. The music tells of the traditions of the region and includes some of the most hallowed sites in musical history such as the Birthplace of Country Music in Bristol, and the Carter Fold in Hiltons. Music is available all along the 253-mile route at such venues as the Floyd Country Store in Floyd, the Rex Theatre in Galax, and the Country Cabin in Norton.

Supplemented with colorful photos, descriptive text, and detailed travel information, the map will be distributed to subscribers and on newsstands in the April 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

The map’s online component features interactive driving tours, a downloadable PDF of the map, Google map features to help travelers plan their next driving vacation to Appalachia, and links to the 13 Appalachian State Tourism offices for additional information.

For more information about travel in Virginia go Virginia.org or call 1-800-VISITVA.