Take a look at a map of Tennessee and your eyes may drift to the sizable patch of green near its eastern border. Spanning 800 square miles, Smoky Mountain National Park brings in tourists all year long to view its wildlife and participate in its outdoor adventure activities—from hiking to white-water rafting. Known as the most-visited national park in the country, with roughly 10 million people gracing its gates each year, the park isn’t the only draw of the area. Along its border sits a variety of communities that welcome meeting delegates each year with a bevy of places to stay and attractions to enjoy.
Knoxville and Chattanooga stand tall as the region’s largest cities. Well-appointed hotels and convention centers are sure to attract groups, but it’s the cities’ thriving dining scenes, cultural diversions and outdoor activity options that tempt delegates both during and after the meeting agenda, convincing many to stay when business comes to an end.
Closer to the national park, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are three locations sporting historical and entertainment gems sure to delight meeting delegates. Sevierville has more than a dozen places where groups can take in theater, musical and comedy performances nightly. With its famous Dollywood, Pigeon Forge brings in throngs of country music lovers each year and surprises visitors with its other cultural attractions. Gatlinburg is also filled with intriguing lures, including a renowned salt-water aquarium and a thriving arts and crafts community.
Farther east are the towns of Kingsport, Johnson City, Jonesborough, Greenville and Bristol. Each community has unique attributes—from Kingsport’s newly renovated conference resort and the college town charm of Johnson City to the historical feel of Greeneville and Bristol’s affinity for country music and fast cars.
Chattanooga
Chattanooga has long been a meeting planner favorite, with well-equipped hotels and plenty of gathering space, but what delegates may not know is how dedicated the destination is to the environment and its community.
Earlier this year, the Chattanooga Convention Center struck a partnership with a nearby farm to bring in fresh, seasonal produce to serve meeting attendees as part of a new menu initiative.
"Our convention center has partnered with a local farm within about 40 minutes of here, and they have dedicated several acres to the convention center and their food needs," says Steve Genovesi, vice president of sales and marketing for the Chattanooga Area CVB.
In addition to food changes at the convention center, there are gastronomical changes all over town. According to Genovesi, Chattanooga has seen an explosion of restaurants in recent times.
"Our culinary options have dramatically changed in the past three years," he says, adding that dine-arounds are more popular than ever with groups.
St. Johns Restaurant promises your food was at a farm within four to five hours of when it landed on your table, according to Genovesi. Other dine-around favorites include Table 2, Hennen’s and Niko’s Southside Grill.
The Chattanooga Convention Center reigns supreme in terms of meeting space in town, with 185,000 square feet, but space for groups can also be found at local hotels. The 100-year-old Chattanooga Choo Choo is a great option for groups, as is the Chattanooga Doubletree, the Chattanooga Marriott, The Chattanoogan Hotel & Conference Center and the Sheraton Read House Hotel.
Knoxville
Bustling with people and activity, downtown Knoxville is an inviting place to explore. Visitors can check out quaint shops or take a break in one of the many restaurants lining the streets.
"Knoxville is completely walkable as far as the downtown is concerned," says Kim Paul, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation. "From one side of the downtown to the other is only a mile, so you could get a cab from the airport and never need a car."
Knoxville is also home to the University of Tennessee, and its many other attractions include the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the Star of Knoxville Riverboat, the Knoxville Zoo and World’s Fair Park, which has outdoor areas and an amphitheater that accommodate groups events.
Meeting facilities include the Knoxville Convention Center, with 500,000 square feet of function space; the Knoxville Expo Center, with 120,000 square feet of exhibit space; and the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum, which brings big-name musical and comedy acts as well as meetings.
More than 60 hotels with 7,500 guest rooms ensure delegates never have to worry about a place to stay. Major meeting hotels include the Hilton Knoxville, connected by a sky bridge to the convention center; the Knoxville Marriott, connected to the city’s civic auditorium and coliseum via covered walkway; and the Crowne Plaza Hotel Knoxville, located downtown.
Smoky Mountain Region
As travelers head east, they get closer to the state’s biggest attraction: Smoky Mountain National Park. This year marks the park’s 75th anniversary, giving groups all the more reason to celebrate and visit the surrounding towns of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
Dolly Parton may have grown up in Sevierville, helping to put the 12,000-person town on the map, but a lot has happened since then. For starters, the city’s hotel inventory has exploded in the past 12 months.
"By the end of 2008, 30 percent of our hotel inventory was new," says Scott King, director of sales at the Sevierville CVB, citing expansions to the popular Wilderness Resort at the Smokies and property debuts such as a Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Suites, Hampton Inn and La Quinta Inn. "We have seen tremendous increases in group business. It is a very exciting time here in Sevierville."
When groups aren’t enjoying the town’s new and improved hotel properties or participating in a meeting at the recently opened Sevierville Events Center, which offers a 108,000-square-foot exhibition hall and a 19,000-square-foot ballroom adjacent to Wilderness Resort at the Smokies, they can head outside for some fresh air fun. Horseback riding, canoeing, fishing and hiking are just a few of the many options available for groups.
Head seven miles south and you will arrive in Pigeon Forge, an adorable town filled with walkable streets, well-appointed meeting venues and exciting attractions and entertainment options that make it a hub of fun in the Smoky Mountains region, luring roughly 12 million visitors per year.
"We have a lot of folks that come in for meetings during the day and really enjoy what they can do in the evening," says Joy McNealy, senior sales manager at the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.
Dollywood is a premier attraction for groups, with a variety of shows, rides, festivals, heritage and crafts attractions, and themed shops. Meanwhile, walking around Old Mill Square or taking in shows at Smith Family Dinner Theater, Country Tonite, The Miracle Theater and WonderWorks are also favorites for groups, in addition to visiting the Smoky Mountain Car Museum and the Elvis Museum.
The destination is home to Smoky Mountain Convention Center, and meetings-ready properties include Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center, Music Road Hotel, Holiday Inn Pigeon Forge, RiverStone Resort & Spa and Inn at Christmas Place.
Drive about 15 minutes down the road toward the national park and you will arrive in Gatlinburg, a place Sharon Rinehart, director of sales for the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism, says is worth the visit.
"There is nothing like coming to the Smoky Mountains, because when you get here it is a different world," she says. "It is very relaxing, which gives it a more focused atmosphere for meetings."
Exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a top diversion for delegates, in addition to all of the outdoor adventures that come with it, and there are plenty of other attractions to entertain groups. After a meeting, delegates can hop on a biodiesel trolley for a ride around the city for only 50 cents. The trolley traverses Gatlinburg’s downtown area, making it easy for dine-arounds and other group functions. The city has dozens of shops, galleries and boutiques, and it is known for the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, an eight-mile route featuring shops that sell locally made arts and crafts. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and the aerial tram to the top of Ober Gatlinburg are also standout attractions.
The city gets down to business with a variety of facilities. The Gatlinburg Convention Center is the city’s largest venue, with 148,000 square feet of meeting space, and there are also several hotels available for meetings. A few include Park Vista Hotel & Convention Center, Edgewater Hotel & Conference Center and River Terrace Resort & Convention Center. The city also recently welcomed the meetings-friendly Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg.
Tri-Cities Region
In the northeastern part of the state sits five communities known for outdoor adventure, historical attractions and well-appointed meeting venues: Kingsport, Johnson City, Jonesborough, Greeneville and Bristol.
Kingsport’s picturesque scenery provides a perfect backdrop for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and golf. The Civic Auditorium hosts group events, and meetings properties include the recently expanded MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center.
Just down the road in Washington County are the towns of Johnson City and Jonesborough. Johnson City sports an eclectic vibe as the home of East Tennessee State University and has plenty of spaces for groups to meet. A few include the Freedom Hall Civic Center, Carnegie Hotel & Spa and the Best Western Hotel & Conference Center.
Famous for being Tennessee’s oldest town, Jonesborough brings in visitors each October with the National Storytelling Festival.
Located in Greene County, the town of Greeneville charms visitors with its quaint streets, antique shops, historic churches and unique restaurants. As the hometown of former U.S. President Andrew Johnson, the city is centered on Johnson’s homestead, tailor shop and museum.
Meetings properties include the General Morgan Inn & Conference Center and the Comfort Inn. Off-site venues include the Dickson-Williams Mansion and the James-Ben Studio & Gallery Art Center.
Rounding out the eastern part of the state is the town of Bristol. Well known as the home of Bristol Motor Speedway (a popular off-site meeting option), the city regularly entertains groups of between 200 and 500 people in its host of hotels and meeting venues.
A few options include Viking Hall Civic Center, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bristol Conference Center and Courtyard Bristol.
Kimberly Leonard, marketing sales director for the Bristol Tennessee/Virginia Chamber of Commerce, says attendees and their families can always find things to do in Bristol.
"There are a variety of things to do not only for the group traveler, but also for the extended family," she says, adding that visiting The Paramount Center for the Arts and heading outdoors for a bike ride or a relaxing hike are a few popular options.
