Tourism has become a large part of Appalachia's economy due to its high concentration of national parks and forests, including Chattahoochee in Georgia,  Pisgah in North Carolina, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia . In addition to these there are many state forests that also attract visitors. The A.T runs through a lot of these parks and forests allowing visitors to see the natural beauty of the region. These visitors need lodging, food and other necessities that are provided by businesses in the area. Therefore, these businesses grow and towns like Damascus, VA  can recenter the focus of the town on tourism after losing industrial, or other types of  jobs. Tourism/hospitality jobs offer a similar pay grade to industry while also encouraging higher paying research jobs to move into the area. Having a tourist centered economy raises property values and makes rental properties more accessible and profitable.