Sean Phipps, marketing director of the Chattanooga Tourism Co., can’t help the wordplay when discussing new opportunities to promote the Tennessee mountain town after it was recognized as North America’s first National Park City.
“It’s a great evergreen campaign,” he says.
Chattanooga earned the distinction from National Park City Foundation, an international nonprofit organization, in April. Truth be told, the city and its residents are still trying to figure out what it means.
Ultimately, the honor is a reflection of what the Scenic City has been doing for a half-century in reclaiming its natural beauty after pollution tarnished its reputation and quality-of-life in the 1960s and 1970s.
A plethora of revitalization projects have given new life to Chattanooga in the form of a vibrant riverfront, top-tier kayaking and rock climbing, and miles of trails for biking and hiking. It’s not a coincidence it has hosted multiple Ironman triathlon competitions, including the 70.3 World Championship in 2016.
“It really fits in with what we've been doing, but we just didn't have a designation or a name to be able to promote it,” says Phipps. “This gives us a really great opportunity to talk about this access to nature.”
Chattanooga and the surrounding Hamilton County drive much of Tennessee’s tourism revenue, leading the state in hotel room sales growth and generating $1.7 billion in visitor spending in 2023. Recreation alone contributed to $190.1 million in visitor spending, and can easily be tied to food and beverage ($574.4 million), accommodations ($390.2 million), and retail ($178.6 million).
Tourism is already engrained into the region’s outdoors attractions, including Ruby Falls, Rock City, and Lookout Mountain, site of Civil War battles. Even one of the city’s top indoor venues, the Tennessee Aquarium, is intrinsically tied to nature.
The First National Park City initiative was originally designed as a marketing campaign, but viewed by the Mayor’s office as a benchmark with aspirational opportunities. More than 5,600 residents, community leaders, businesses, and nonprofit partners signed a charter crafted in 2023 to achieve the designation.
The National Park City Foundation toured the city with a set of 29 benchmarks, with criteria including potential for future green development, legacy building, and access to parks and outdoor spaces. Chattanooga scored 28 out of 29 to become the first U.S. city and third internationally, trailing London and Adelaide, Australia.
Despite the name, the honor has no connection to the U.S. National Park System. Chattanooga is only a 2.5-hour drive to the Great Smoky Mountains, the country’s most visited national park. But the recognition has as much to do with being a city as it does the parks.
Hospitality amenities are part of the destination’s significant charm. And while nature is prevalent, Chattanooga is also known as “Gig City” due to its high-speed internet infrastructure.
That combination is a dream for Phipps, who will pitch visitors on enjoying the great outdoors without sleeping in them.
Photo Credit: Chattanooga Tourism Co.