Leaders from the Richmond region are getting ready to look at how another Southern city is capitalizing on its rich history.

About 110 business, government and community leaders will spend tomorrow through Friday in Charleston, S.C., for this year's InterCity Visit.

The jaunts, organized by the Greater Richmond Chamber, are designed to highlight efforts in other cities that have relevance locally. Ideally, the experience helps local leaders bring good ideas home.

In Charleston, the Richmonders will hear how the city's Colonial and Civil War history is marketed and used -- the city attracted an estimated 4.4 million visitors in 2006. Charleston was founded in 1690 as Charles Town, on the Ashley River. The first shots of the Civil War were fired into Charleston Harbor on April 12, 1861.

"Clearly, one of the most successful destinations as far as heritage travel is Charleston," said Alisa B. Bailey, president and chief executive officer of the Virginia Tourism Corp., who will take part in the trip. "They had a conscious effort to develop their city so you're immersed in history. There's shopping, dining and neighborhood preservation."

Bailey said Richmond has historic neighborhoods, such as Church Hill, but many of them lack the restaurants and retailers that could help draw visitors.

This year's InterCity Visit is the 16th organized by the chamber, and it follows ones to Oklahoma City; Nashville, Tenn.; and Seattle.

Most of the cities picked for prior visits have been about Richmond's size or larger, said James W. Dunn, president and chief executive officer of the chamber. Charleston is different because its regional population -- just more than 600,000 -- is about half of Richmond's.

"Yet, they're doing something down there that can be very instructive to us," he said.

For example, Charleston has been able to sustain retailers in its downtown, Dunn said. "They're right off [Interstate] 95 and not far from outlet malls."

The Richmond group, which includes government officials from Richmond and Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties, is scheduled to hear from longtime Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. and his staff on a variety of topics, including the city's vision, its reinvestments in infrastructure, and efforts on affordable housing, the arts and children and families.

"I just enjoy seeing how another community capitalizes on its assets, seeing the things that makes that community special," said Kathy W. Ivins, a senior vice president with Thalhimer/Cushman & Wakefield. She'll be making her fourth InterCity Visit.

Jim Snyder, president and chief executive officer of Odell Associates, a Henrico-based architectural firm, will be making his fifth trip. He said Charleston should be different because it has a historic downtown that's more like Richmond's than the other, more modern cities.

"I think we're still searching for the vision of Richmond," Snyder said. "I think we've got a lot of different pieces to it, but we're still looking for that three-word description for Richmond."
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or wjones@timesdispatch.com.