The Travel Trade: Marketing The Mountain Empire

The Mountain Empire lacks a beach or an amusement park, but that hasn’t stopped the Tri-Cities region from capitalizing on its scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. Officials actively draw money in by marketing our area as a destination for everything from eco-tourism to historic getaways to agri-tourism.

So what are the Mountain Empire’s top draws for tourists and how much money does the business of tourism bring into our area? How do we compare to other areas of Tennessee and Virginia?

This multimedia project explores our current attractions, the types of tourism that impact our area and the success stories as we study the many possible answers to a single question – is tourism our future?

Picking the top attraction was the easy part.

Bristol Motor Speedway brings in the big bucks, the national media attention and swelling crowds twice a year. There was no argument that NASCAR is the big draw in this part of Tennessee and Virginia.

How could an event that seats 160,000 during each big race not be No. 1?

But ranking the remaining nine top attractions was downright painful at times. After all, who are we to decide which of the region’s beautiful state parks are tops, especially when there are no attendance numbers for many of them?

Should the Jefferson National Forest, a massive chunk of mostly pristine land in Virginia, West Virginia and part of Kentucky make the list when U.S. Forest Service officials have no idea just how many people venture into the woods or picnic at developed sites each year?

A Clinch Ranger District worker made it clear that there is no way to tell how many people travel to High Knob in the family minivan, even though the Forest Service charges a small admissions fee per vehicle.

It’s almost the same for South Holston and Boone lakes. It’s hard to track how many people go boating or dip their toes or fishing lines into the cool lake water each year.
The Breaks Interstate Park keeps a good record of its visitors. Close to half a million people drive through the winding mountain roads to stare in awe at the breathtaking beauty that is the Breaks gorge.

Warrior’s Path State Park also brings flocks of visitors to East Tennessee to picnic, play a round of golf and enjoy the outdoor air.

The Barter Theatre seemed a good choice. After all, Barter head Richard Rose was able to say that 160,000 folks from all over the world spent some time in the two venues at Virginia’s State Theater last year. But how does it compare to the extremely popular

Virginia Creeper Trail just down the street?

That one seemed a no-brainer as well. U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher’s office provided us with attendance figures for the Creeper Trail, which they say draws more than 200,000 annually.

And where to put the popular festivals and music venues the region is known for these days?

The Virginia Highlands Festival brings droves of antiques hunters and crafts-lovers to Abingdon each year. The streets of historic Abingdon are swamped in the summer when the festival comes to town. Many people from around the nation set their vacations to coincide with one of the South’s most enduring festivals.

The Crooked Road’s many musical stops certainly deserve a spot on the list. How could the Carter Fold in Maces Springs, the Country Cabin in Josephine and the Ralph Stanley Museum – all on The Crooked Road – not be included?

The region’s storytelling heritage also deserved a slot in the top 10. Jonesborough Storytelling Festival and Center is growing in national and world recognition as animated storytellers keep large crowds riveted each year in Tennessee’s oldest town.

Developing the top 10 list also revealed a few trends that many in state tourism offices already knew. Today’s travelers like the outdoors, the region’s authenticity and heritage. Several of the region’s top attractions cater to outdoor activities and nature. Others highlight the region’s heritage and history.

There are also many of the region’s gems that did not make the list but are still huge draws: Natural Tunnel State Park in Scott County, various coal mining museums, Hungry Mother State Park in Marion and the popular Bays Mountain in Kingsport all draw plenty of visitors.