KNOXVILLE, TENN.—The Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit, designed to kick off and honor the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, recently brought together more than 500 community leaders and tourism professionals for two days of “green” discussions.
Governor Phil Bredesen provided key remarks during the opening session, which included the participation of Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Tennessee Congressman John Duncan, North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler, Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam.
“Across the state, we have made land conservation a priority,” Bredesen said. “We are blessed with some of the most beautiful and fruitful land on Earth, and we are committed to preserving more of our natural resources.”
The Summit was organized by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, under the leadership of Commissioner Susan Whitaker.
An Inspirational Event
“The Summit was essential to the future vision of tourism,” Whitaker said. “The caliber of speakers who participated, and the information disseminated, catapulted our conference into a world-class league. It was an invaluable experience that motivated and inspired us all to continue sustainable practices throughout our communities.”
The inaugural event featured influential leaders from across the country who presented principles and best practices in sustainability meant to inspire action. Keynote speakers included United States Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, and Patrice Frey, director of sustainability for the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“The Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit went above and beyond in providing practical solutions to help us keep our visitors happy while decreasing their impact, and our own, on the environment,” said Amanda Maples Marr, Sevierville Chamber of Commerce.
Kimpton’s Initiative Highlighted
Nationally recognized leaders in green initiatives participated, discussing a range of topics, from Kimpton Hotels’ EarthCare program to Sevierville’s waste management system.
“We’ve been asked to speak at many sustainability conferences to discuss our experiences, challenges, and successes with Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants’ national EarthCare environmental program,” said Jeff Slye, whose firm, Business Evolution Consulting, is a strategic advisor to Kimpton’s EarthCare program. “I was blown away by the attendance and participation by significant decision makers such as the Governor and Secretary of the Interior. Last week we participated at San Francisco’s 7th annual EcoCity event and I can say the Great Smoky Mountains Summit was a huge success, and it is unbelievable to me this was the inaugural event.”
Additional key partners in the Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit included the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development, National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations, The University of Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
