The Fort Leonard Wood Region tourism committee has unveiled a new regional tourism website (www.exploreflw.com) aimed at increasing tourism throughout the entire four-county region, which includes Texas County.
In 2019, the Sustainable Ozarks Partnership (SOP) created the committee as part of the Office of Economic Adjustment grant received by the cities of St. Robert and Waynesville. The committee includes tourism professionals, city officials and business leaders from the four-county region.
The committee conducted surveys throughout the region and then established long-term plans to collaborate efforts focusing on developing community partnerships, increasing military tourism, and enhancing military family life, for those who are stationed at Fort Leonard Wood and those who retire in the region. The committee serves as the central point of communication for regional tourism.
To achieve the committee’s goals, a Facebook page and a website have been established.
“The website was created as a collaborative effort to promote Pulaski, Phelps, Laclede, and Texas counties to travelers visiting, and residents of, the Fort Leonard Wood region,” said Fort Wood Hotels director of sales and marketing and FLW Region tourism committee co-chair Judy Fortner.
The website will provide a variety of tourism information for the entire region, including suggestions for outdoor recreation, restaurants, theater, local events, etc.
“It’s been exciting to be a part of such a purposeful project. Sharing timely and relevant information on the website and the Facebook page will hopefully maximize the experience visitors and residents have within the region,” said Comfort Inn general manager and FLW Region tourism committee co-chair Janel Rowell.
The committee’s Facebook page, Explore Fort Leonard Wood (www.facebook.com/ExploreTheFort) allows committee members, including tourism directors, chamber directors, as well as city and business leaders the opportunity to share relevant tourism information on one central social media page.