Overton County visitor spending increased by 8.4 percent last year, a growth rate that more than tripled the statewide average for Tennessee.
Director of Tourism Morgan White said the revitalization of the Livingston Square has played a critical role in the 59 percent growth in visitor spending recorded since 2018. White said the combination of boutique shops, antique stores, and local restaurants creates a destination atmosphere that complements the county’s outdoor recreation assets.
“I truly believe that that is a result of visitors choosing to explore locally,” White said, “And maybe also consider, you know, affordable vacations or even nostalgic vacations, visiting places that they went when they were children and then taking their families.”
White said the county has seen a significant rise in overnight stays due to an expanded inventory of short-term rentals, including cabins and RV options. White said every available lodging unit in the county is currently utilized nearly every weekend, even as major camping facilities at Standing Stone State Park remain under construction.
White said the $506,000 in local tax revenue generated by tourism last year directly supports the community by offsetting the cost of living for residents. White said these funds allow the county to improve the local quality of life using money brought in from outside the community rather than from the pockets of local taxpayers.
“Those people come and they visit here, they made the money elsewhere and they’re putting it into our economy and then they’re leaving,” White said. “And so tourism is one of the main ways that we can kind of offset some of the cost of living that is not require anything to come out of our own pockets.”
White said the county is currently working to secure a marketing grant from the Tennessee State Department of Tourist Development to fund new photography and videography. White said these professional assets will be used to showcase historical locations and local businesses on a new tourism website that features a calendar of events and vacation planning tools.
“We want to make sure that the people that are coming which we know is a lot, that when they’re coming to the lake they’re also coming into town, they’re coming to the square to eat and to shop, they’re coming to stay the night in one of our beautiful lodging options and they’re exploring the county as a whole,” White said. “So our biggest goal is to, you know, like I said attract visitors that respect what we have going on here and are interested in learning more about Livingston and Overton County.”
White said the ultimate indicator of continued success would be the development of a mid-sized hotel to capture visitors who are currently forced to stay in neighboring counties. White said a 65-room hotel would significantly boost secondary spending on gas and meals within Overton County.
“I think the biggest thing is just loving where you live, there’s a reason that we all live here and there are things that we love and I wouldn’t hesitate to share those things with family, you know, make sure your family know that, Overton County is a good place to visit and you can be their personal tour guide,” White said. “I think the biggest thing is all of us telling the story and sharing what we have to offer.”
