CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Paranormal tourism is booming across West Virginia, but the increase in ghost tours, haunted history walks, and supernatural-themed events doesn’t necessarily reflect a rise in belief in the paranormal.
According to David Sibray, publisher of West Virginia Explorer and a long-time interpreter of Appalachian folklore, the state’s growing ghost-themed tourism sector has much more to do with storytelling, heritage interpretation, and social experiences than with literal belief in supernatural forces.
“Paranormal tourism is rising because it’s entertaining,” Sibray said. “People love a good ghost story even if they don’t believe in ghosts. Most visitors understand these events as part history lesson, part atmosphere, and part fun.”
Tourism officials across the Mountain State say nighttime tours and haunted-history experiences have become reliable draws for fall travelers and off-season visitors—particularly in areas highlighted for their Civil War history, frontier-era settlements, and abandoned mining and railroad sites.
Interest Up, Belief Stable — A Key Difference
Sibray said it’s essential to distinguish between rising interest and rising belief. While Gallup and Pew surveys indicate a decline in religiosity nationwide, there is no clear national increase in literal belief in ghosts or supernatural forces.
Instead, he said, what’s growing is curiosity and appetite for immersive cultural experiences.
"I know this is a particular concern among the state's conservative Christians—that paranormal tourism would encourage participants to indulge in the occult—but it doesn't appear to be the case, no more than watching scary movies might,” Sibray said.
Across the country — from Salem to Savannah — paranormal tourism thrives even in highly secular regions. West Virginia’s trend fits the same pattern. At the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, paranormal tourism is helping to fund the restoration of one of the largest hand-cut stonemasonry buildings in the United States.
A Boom Fueled by Heritage, Storytelling, and Social Media
Sibray said West Virginia’s surge in paranormal tourism is tied to larger movements in the travel industry, such as experiential tourism and nighttime activities that provide visitors with more ways to explore downtowns and historic neighborhoods.
“These ghost tours are really about history,” Sibray said. “They’re about mining towns, railroad tragedies, frontier folklore, and the stories families have passed down for generations. The paranormal framing makes the history accessible to a wider audience.”
He also credited state tourism leadership for amplifying the profitable cultural trend in the Mountain State. In early 2025, the West Virginia Department of Tourism launched an official West Virginia Paranormal Trail.
“The rise in paranormal tourism has absolutely been helped by Chelsea Ruby and the W.Va. Department of Tourism,” Sibray said. “Their marketing campaigns have spotlighted small communities, historic districts, and offbeat travel experiences that truly resonate with modern travelers.”
The low-cost, low-risk nature of ghost tours also makes them appealing to families, friend groups, and younger travelers seeking memorable content for social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Why West Virginia Is Particularly Ripe for Ghost Tourism
West Virginia’s landscape naturally lends itself to the genre—rugged mountains, isolated valleys, historic boomtowns, and layers of lore tied to coal, timbering, and the American Civil War. Communities across the state are using these assets to support small businesses, downtown revitalization, and shoulder-season visitation.
Sibray said the stories are already embedded in local identity, and paranormal tourism simply gives them a stage.
“West Virginians have always told ghost stories,” Sibray said. “It’s part of our culture. Paranormal tourism just packages that storytelling in a way that draws visitors and supports local economies.”
What the Trend Means for Tourism in 2025 and Beyond
While the boom continues, Sibray predicts paranormal tourism will remain strongest where it aligns with authentic history and community identity rather than manufactured scares.
“The sites that succeed are the ones grounded in real places and real stories,” he said. “Visitors can sense when the folklore connects to the landscape. That’s what brings them back.”
As West Virginia markets its heritage, outdoor recreation, and small-town revitalization efforts, paranormal tourism is emerging as an unexpected but powerful tool, he says — one that blends history, storytelling, and entertainment in a way that resonates with modern travelers.
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