Join Us On A Downtown Walking Tour!

Want to learn more about downtown Chattanooga? As a part of our Destination Chattanooga training program, we are adding downtown walking tours in partnership with Maury Nicely, author of the Chattanooga Walking Tour and Historic Guide. Tours will be offered in May, Aug. and Oct. Sign up for updates here to be notified when registration opens.

Hospitality Survey For Post-Covid Recovery

Our partners at River City Company are creating a post-COVID recovery plan to support the restaurants, retailers and others in the hospitality industry. Your feedback will help develop the plan and how they can provide resources to your business. Take the survey now.

Who Needs A Chattanooga
Campfire Mug?

Check out our featured Chattanooga Store item for April – a Campfire Mug! This 16-ounce lightweight carbon steel cup is the perfect companion for the trails. You can even use it at the office when you're dreaming of hiking. Fill it with coffee, water from a cold mountain stream or hot chocolate around the campfire at night. Order your own now.

Be Featured on Heritage Map + Watch New CHA Spotlight

We are working on a new Experience Heritage map that will feature the history of downtown Chattanooga and we want to partner with you! Contact Michelle Lawson for more information. 

Check out the latest monthly Culture Heritage and Arts Spotlight featuring Moccasin Bend Archaeological District. Contact Donna Elle Harrison for info and submissions.

Welcome New CTC Partners!

We are excited the following businesses are now partnering with the Chattanooga Tourism Co. Help us welcome them!

Accommodations: The Kinley  |  McLemore/Lookout Mountain  |  Aloft Chattanooga/Hamilton Place (opens June 2021)
Culture, Heritage & Arts: Chattanooga School of Language  |  Keeody Gallery  |  Stoveworks
Dining: Lil Mama’s  |  Mad Priest Coffee Roasters/Southside  |  The Creag at McLemore
Outdoors: Whitewater Express Ocoee
Retail: Good Fortune Soap

 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM YESTERDAY'S MONTHLY TOURISM DISCUSSION

April 2021 Tourism Research Highlights:

• According to Destination Analytics (tracks travel data), 87% of households intend to travel in the next 6 months. This is back to pre-pandemic levels. 67% intend to travel in just the next 3 months. 
• Using our vendor, Arrivalist, that provides vehicle and cell phone tracking data, we can see that Chattanooga arrivals by car have been getting closer to 2019 levels since the year began and actually passed 2019 levels for the last week of March and first week of April.
• We can also see that arrivals into Chattanooga are outpacing Tennessee slightly and the Nation significantly these past 5 weeks.
• Finally, concern over catching COVID dropped from January to early March, but has been on the rise since cases started to rise once again. A variety of data from Destination Analytics shows the majority of travelers continuing to gravitate towards destinations that have strong safety measures in place including mask mandates.

 TOURISM & COMMUNITY UPDATES

• Top @VisitChatt social media posts for March: Facebook/Waterfalls, Instagram/Georgia Ave. Renovation, & Twitter/Georgia Ave. Renovation
• Read the top performing blog for March: 16 Unique Places to Stay in Chattanooga
• Hamilton County mayor extends mask mandate through April 28
• Restaurant Revitalization Fund Overview
• Apply for the U.S. Small Business Administration Shuttered Venue Operators Grant
• SURVEY: Bike Chattanooga is looking for insight on bike share usage, customer experience and more
• SURVEY: River City Company + event organizers on the future of events and programming downtown
• SURVEY: ONE Riverfront Chattanooga requesting feedback on improving the Riverfront District
• VOTE: Chattanooga Market was nominated for USA Today’s 10Best Farmers Market, vote daily now-April 12
• Returning partner events: 4 Bridges Arts Festival/April 16-18 + Nightfall music series/June 8 + Chattanooga Zoo’s Spirits in the Wild/May 15
• New pedestrian corridor on First Street features The Scramble, a walkable and climbable sculpture
• Chris Bakery opens in Chattanooga and serves traditional Latino bakery favorites
• Volkswagen official expects to break production records at Chattanooga plant, hire more workers
• Chattanooga Zoo opens Hellbender Research and Education Facility
• Special screenings of “Ancient Caves 3D” at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX April 23, 24, & 25
• Tennessee Aquarium’s adorable penguins coming back on exhibit for nesting season
• Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Seeking Communications Intern for Summer
• Chatt En Route RFQ: Transit Stop Community Design Challenge
• Women restaurant executives impact profitability, efficiency, culture (National Restaurant Association)
• Hospitality TN Industry Update & Weekly View From The Hill
• U.S. Travel Association Latest News
• American Hotel & Lodging Association Newsroom
• National Restaurant Association Newsroom

 CHATTANOOGA TOURISM CO. UPCOMING EVENTS

April 23, 12-1:30 pm   Destination Chattanooga: Intro to Chattanooga Training (Zoom)

May 12, 9-10:30 am   Destination Chattanooga: Intro to Chattanooga Training (Zoom)

May 13, 11-11:30 am   Chattanooga Tourism Discussion

June 3, 3:30-5 pm   Destination Chattanooga: Intro to Chattanooga Training (Zoom)

June 10, 11-11:30 am   Chattanooga Tourism Discussion

June 23, 12-1:30 pm   Destination Chattanooga: Intro to Chattanooga Training (Zoom)

July 8, 11-11:30 am   Chattanooga Tourism Discussion

July 16, 9-10:30 am   Destination Chattanooga: Intro to Chattanooga Training (Zoom)

Aug. 2, 12-1:30 pm   Destination Chattanooga: Intro to Chattanooga Training (Zoom)

Thanks for reading the Chattanooga Tourism Co. Tourism Update featuring the latest news from the tourism industry and our community. Read past issues, submit updates or sign up for your own copy.

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736 Market St., 18th Floor, Chattanooga, TN 37402
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