Together Crittenden and Lyon counties have landed a major marketing opportunity, being selected as the 2011 spring destination of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoors Writers.

Michele Edwards, director of tourism in Marion, and two Lyon County representatives traveled to Michigan City, Ind., last weekend where they made a final presentation to host the writers’ proposed outdoor adventure for next year. They learned early this week that their efforts have been successful.

As part of the deal, 40 to 50 outdoor writers, plus additional media and corporate sponsors will converge on Crittenden County for turkey hunts and Lyon for fishing trips April 19-21, 2011.

Each will have one year to publish an article in a national magazine or produce a television segment about their adventures on Barkley Lake and afield in western Kentucky.

“What these folks can do for us is unbelievable,” said Edwards. “They can put us on the map.”

Crittenden and Lyon beat out Niagara Falls, N.Y., to host the 2011 event.

Steve Vantreese, longtime outdoor writer for The Paducah Sun, validates Edwards’ claims.

“That is a pretty substantial group. There are some heavyweights of outdoor journalism affiliated with AGLOW,” Vantreese said. “From a tourism interest, this is an ideal group of scribes warm up to.”

Vantreese said many lakes area tourists come from the North, and AGLOW should provide immediate and long-term interest for the area.

Edwards said hunting and fishing are the primary drawing cards, but that the writers will be taking notes and doing articles on a variety of attractions.

“The last time they were here, one writer stopped at a little winery and did an story that really put them on the map,” she said.

AGLOW is in Branson, Mo., for this spring’s annual outing.