When most people think about tourism, they don't necessarily picture acres of rolling farmland and rural neighborhoods.

That's about to change in Edgecombe County, though.

A group of 13 tourism students from N.C. State University, along with Professor Carol Kline, presented a plan Monday before Edgecombe County commissioners that is intended to stimulate tourism in the rural county.

For the group of students, the plan represented a final exam grade in an interactive, senior level course.

For Edgecombe County, however, it could represent a lot more.

The crux of the plan is rooted in the promotion of what Edgecombe County already has: rural, historic and natural appeal that big-city life just can't offer.

Kline told county officials that the key is not to create new attractions, but rather to bring existing attractions together in a united movement to draw visitors.

The plan offers several suggestions that would allow the county to profit from visitors who travel through the county for fishing, boating, historic tours and the like.

Tourism isn't the answer to all of Edgecombe County's economic woes, but it is a start.

That's why it's vital for the board of commissioners to study the plan, digest the information and then put it to work as soon as possible.

North Carolina is the nation's sixth most visited state. It's time for Edgecombe County to claim its share of the prize.