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Tourism continues to have a strong economic impact on Virginia, tourism officials at the State Capitol said at a media briefing, presented as part of National and Virginia Tourism Week, May 3-9.
In 1990, nearly 50 million people visited Virginia, spending $8 billion, said Lawrence H. Framme III, Virginia’s secretary of economic development.
“This spending directly generated 156,000 jobs for Virginians,” Mr. Framme said, “and contributed more than $600 million in state and local taxes."
The 1991 figures are expected to be even higher, he said.
In 1991, the Tourism Development Group of the Virginia Department of Economic Development fielded 528,000 requests for travel information, a near record, and advertising-generated inquiries for the first quarter of 1992 are up 10 percent over the last record quarter in 1989, he said.
The 1991 combined attendance at Virginia’s attractions, parks and travel centers also grew by 3 percent over 1990.
“Visitation increased despite the Gulf War, a recession, and state and local government’s - as well as private industry’s - budget restraints.
“This was due to the state being able to capitalize on its proximity to half the nation’s population and to public and private-sector niche-marketing efforts,” Mr. Framme said.
Such 1991 cooperative nichemarketing efforts included the Ski Virginia Program and a firstever Virginia golf promotion.
Other state and private-sector cooperative efforts include the state tourism offic’s participation in Gov. Wilder’s Partnership for Rural Development. This includes the Tourism Development Group’s marketing of a farm tours publication and launching a
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