Dover recognized again by travel industry as a destination vacation spot

Wendie Vestfall believes Dover hasn't gotten its due as a vacation destination.

With its historical and culinary offerings, as well as events that draw people from across the Mid-Atlantic, the president of the Kent County Tourism Corporation thinks the state's capital has been snubbed.

Until now: Two different travel websites have named Dover as top picks to visit.

Last week, Dover was named as one of the top 12 “Best Budget Destinations in America 2018, Part 1: The Northeast” by BudgetTravel.com, a media brand with a mission of helping travelers see more for less dough. 

And in February, Dover was named Delaware's "Best Places to Escape" in 2018 in Expedia.com's most recent travel list.

"Being recognized confirms we are moving forward and people outside of Delaware are seeing this area as a great place to visit," Vestfall said.

Each year, Budget Travel encourages its readers to go beyond the well-known cities, beaches, and theme parks to experience mid-size cities and towns they haven't seen yet.

The travel site defines a budget destination as a second-to-none vacation spot that offers value through lodging well under $200 per night, outstanding culture, cutting-edge cuisine and natural beauty.

Budget Travel editors pared the top 12 from a list of 51 budget destinations, one in each state and the District of Columbia. Its online article mentions how Dover is recognized for its history stretching back to pre-Colonial days, welcomes all types of travelers and provides upscale comfort foods, a lively Amish countryside and affordable lodging.

It mentions "exquisite, manageable museums and historic buildings," as well as marquee events and sites such as Dover Downs, NASCAR races, the Firefly Music Festival, First State Heritage Park and Kent County Tourism’s Delaware Wine & Beer Festival. 

Vestfall said that since the launch of Delaware’s Quaint Villages, both Kent County and the City of Dover have reached a larger audience. He credits the marketing campaign with a 2.6 percent increase in occupancy and a 3 percent increase in room revenues.

Kent County has seen a $4.5 million windfall in tourism spending since Jan. 1, 2017, and is well on its way to its $12.4 million goal by the end of June.

According to its website, Delaware’s Quaint Villages is a unique group of villages, including Smyrna, Dover and Milford that have diverse adventure, historical and culinary activities.

"Not a lot of people really knew what Kent County had to offer before the marketing campaign was launched," Vestfall said. "We're not just the county you go through to get to the beaches anymore."

Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JerrySmithTNJ.

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