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I'm not talking about all the mountain tourist towns 45 min-1 hour outside of Knoxville; they are destinations in their own right and people visit Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, GSNP, etc. without ever setting foot in Knoxville.
Market Street, Gay Street, and UT are popular destinations so I wouldn'tgo as far to say they don't even set foot there. Without the metro, I would place the most popular large cities in this order:
Market Street, Gay Street, and UT are popular destinations so I wouldn'tgo as far to say they don't even set foot there.
Market and Gay streets don't appear to be unique to the point where they offer anything different or better than what can be found in the downtowns of the mountain towns. UT would probably only be visited by fans or alumni first and foremost; I don't see it as a special draw for folks visiting towns 45 min-1 hour away.
Market and Gay streets don't appear to be unique to the point where they offer anything different or better than what can be found in the downtowns of the mountain towns. UT would probably only be visited by fans or alumni first and foremost; I don't see it as a special draw for folks visiting towns 45 min-1 hour away.
I'll give you that they are not unique to many other mountain towns, but for the region they are a big draw. You also have the Tennessee River with its own draw for nature enthusiasts, as well as many moderate to difficult trails/greenways throughout the city. It's not Las Vegas tourism (none of these cities are), but I believe those attributes deserve credit where credit is due. Knoxville also has the only Apple Store for a large region, including Western North Carolina, South Western Virginia, East Tennessee, etc., and other first to market retail offerings that give another reason for people to visit. UT is visited by many world renowned engineers, health care, life sciences and government researchers with TVA, and I would argue that fans count as tourists, there are many UT fans here in Nashville (all of that orange gets on my nerves after a while lol, but like country music, you don't even think about it) that make the trip for home games. Most people watch programs based in Knoxville all the time such as HGTV and Jewelry Television, and probably didn't even know it.
Knoxville does not identify as a tourist town per se. There are a number of conventions and also street rod / motorcycle(gold wing) gatherings that take advantage of the geographical location and inexpensive lodging. And of course UT games and concerts bring in visitors. But it aint Gatlinburg and we don't want it to be.
Market square truly is a unique experience and I would encourage any of you traveling through the area near lunch or dinner time to get off the interstate and join us for a meal and a prime people watching experience. I think it's a jewel.
I'm not sure what other mountain towns Mutiny refers to. There's more going on in Asheville, less in Roanoke, about the same in Chattanooga. But they all offer different environments and are worthy of a visit if you are in the area. Asheville of course is a tourist destination by itself. It's just not worth it for an Atlantan to drive the extra miles when you can have the experience of "getting out of town" in Chattanooga. You will encounter visitors in Knoxville from Asheville and other WNC locales just because people like to go someplace different for a change.
My point was originally in response to a post that says that Knoxville wins if you throw in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, GSNP, etc; although they are in the Knoxville metro, they have their own appeal and tourist target populations which are separate from Knoxville and folks visit those areas which are 45 min-1 hr from Knoxville without ever setting foot in Knoxville itself. They are two completely different markets for the most part.
And I'd say many Atlantans think Asheville is worth a trip over Chattanooga; they are pretty distinct cities that offer different types of experiences.You'd be surprised at the draw Asheville has for folks from metro Atlanta.
Actually Sevier county is no longer part of the Knoxville Metro. I agree that's where the draw is. It helps Knoxville's economy because a lot of the suppliers and specialty service providers (electricians, H/A, etc.) are based in Knoxville. Some conventions and motor clubs see the mountains as an added attraction but no one since Bart Simpson has ever gotten in their car and driven long distances to Knoxville solely for a tourist experience.
It doesn't surprise me a bit that Asheville has a draw for Atlantans. But I notice the Chattanooga visitor ads feature a narrator with a deep south AA accent - I'm guessing that Atlantan AAs are a big part of their target market. You don't see too many Black tourists in downtown Asheville.
I gotta go with memphis on this one as far as the nation goes despite the poll numbers, on City Data maybe Knoxville but in real life i hear more about Memphis
Last edited by BlueRedTide; 07-12-2015 at 07:16 PM..
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