Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with nearly 4,000 residents, relies on tourism for its economy, much like communities in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Name recognition, history, customer service, and intensive advertising efforts are critical to the town's survival, said Tourism Manager Walter Yeldell. Gatlinburg promoters say a trolley system and a new program pushing "green" business efforts are helping the bottom line and offsetting the impact of the recession.

For Gatlinburg, advertising has three elements.

"Some of it is research, some of it is historic data, and some of it is gut feeling," Mr. Yeldell said.

What Stirs Traveler Interest?

Promoters in Gatlinburg use several methods to determine which forms of advertising bring results.

The Internet has proven to be an invaluable tool for research into the effectiveness of any advertisement. After advertising on television, Mr. Yeldell said, the impact of the ad can be monitored by viewing the number of hits the town's Web site receives. A strong spike in visits to the Web site can indicate that the ad was successful in stirring viewer interest.

Internet browser cookies, strings of text that are stored on the user's computer, provide a wealth of information that Gatlinburg's advertisers can use. Cookies tell how long a visitor stayed on the Gatlinburg Web site, what pages were accessed, and how long the stay was on each page. The information gleaned can show businsses the most popular information with travelers, and they can tailor future ads accordingly.

While the number of hits on the site demonstrates interest, there is no direct way to tell if the visitors to the site actually make a trip to Gatlinburg, Mr. Yeldell said. That is left more to "gut feeling," he said.

Surveying hotels yields information about where travelers are coming from. Nearly 40,000 people visit Gatlinburg throughout the year. By checking lodgings, the tourism department can determine where the majority of visitors are coming from and focus their advertising efforts in those areas. Emerging markets can also be gleaned from this.

The top 20 areas that show an interest in Gatlinburg are identified with this information, and from that list, the top seven become advertising targets, Mr. Yeldell said. Most of the people who visit Gatlinburg are from Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. An increasing number of visitors have been traveling from Michigan, as well.

Of the attractions Gatlinburg offers, the Smokey Mountains is one of the major draws, said Jim Davis. Mr. Davis is the town's public relations coordinator. The sights offered on the mountains during autumn, the national park, and educational programs by the rangers are among the attractions offered. Fishing, bird watching, and annual festivals and parades are other events advertised. The Gatlinburg Web site provides a short video clip of events in past years.

Good Service

Brings Them Back

Gatlinburg's success is based on return business, Mr. Davis said. Superior customer service will bring most customers back, a responsibility that falls largely on the business owners.

Karen Berry of Laurel Springs Lodge Bed and Breakfast said her business is heavily based on repeat customers. Many people stay at the bed and breakfast because it is not a traditional hotel, she said, and it has a more personal feel. Flexibility and making accommodations for customers is what draws them back.

Some bed and breakfasts have a specific time when breakfast is served, she said, but the lodge attempts to serve whenever the customer is ready. Three menu choices are available. Employees help the guests plan their day at Gatlinburg, making suggestions on what attractions to visit and where to eat.

More subtle touches are employed to make visitors feel comfortable. If the day is rainy the lodge provides customers with ponchos, and cans of bug spray are left by the door for patrons to spray themselves when they are going for a hike.

Researching other bed and breakfasts is the key to improving the lodge's customer service, Mrs. Berry said. Understanding what she would like to have while staying at a business helps her develop other services to suit her guests. Opinion books are also left in the lodge's rooms to identify what they are doing well and what areas can be improved upon.

"The Days of Complacent

Thinking Are Long Gone"

Reaching out to new customers is also crucial for Gatlinburg.

"The days of complacent thinking like 'build it and they will come' are long gone," Mr. Yeldell said.

Traditional advertisements focus on Gatlinburg as a familyfriendly destination, as well as being the South's wedding capital.

For attracting customers online, the goal is to use search engine marketing so the Gatlinburg Web site will appear near the top of search results.

Broadcasting Gatlinburg's entertainment and attractions has not been the department's sole focus. Messages push the effort to make the town a more ecofriendly environment. Improvements made to its wastewater treatment plant and the conversion to LED lights in its Winter Magic display are touted.

The Gatlinburg trolley system is described as one of the most ecologically responsible ways to move about the city. Twenty trollies transport visitors to more than 100 locations in a 50-mile radius throughout the city and the surrounding areas. Seven routes are offered and round trips cost $1 to $2. Free maps of the routes are offered at the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce.

Trips to the Smokey Mountains are heavily emphasized as a "green" way to vacation. Hiking and fishing camping are touted as fun attractions that have little negative impact on the environment.

An environmental effort called "Gatlinburg Goes Green!" is being pushed by the chamber of commerce, said Events Coordinator Erin Moran. Businesses can join the program, which was established in 2008, and pledge to make their businesses more environmentally friendly.

Checklists are provided to participants to help them identify how environmentally sound their business is. Points are awarded based on the number of ecologically safe practices used. The checklist can be resubmitted in the future when changes have been made. New points are assigned, and different levels of achievement are awarded based on point total. The levels extend from "new member" to "gold level." Certificates can be prominently displayed in the business to let visitors know of the owners' efforts, she said.

More than 180 businesses have joined the program. The chamber hopes to have 75% of the 600 chamber members registered by this fall.

The economy has had a significant impact on the way the tourism department advertises and functions. Advertising slogans have been adapted as times have become more lean, Mr. Yeldell said.

Gatlinburg has been promoted as a "day's drive," he said, to entice gas-price-minded visitors near the area into visiting.

Changes have been made to the department, as well. Jobs in the department have been cut and wages have been frozen to lessen the impact of the struggling economy.

Profits have decreased roughly 10%, but Mr. Yeldell is confident the changes made to the department and revised ad efforts will weaken the impact.

"We feel like we're faring fairly well compared to others," Mr. Yeldell said.