Rotary learns about Town Tourism
Tindal gives visitor statistics
The Town of Farragut welcomed 200,000 guests to its community in 2022, according to Karen Tindal, the Town’s Tourism manager told Rotary Club of Farragut during its regular noon-time Wednesday meeting in Farragut Community Center June 21.
There were 191,059 rooms sold by the nine hotel properties in Town, and average daily rate was $101.50 per night, she added. That accounted for $19 million in revenue and $550,000 to the Town from its 3 percent Hotel/Motel Tax.
Tindal said in the beds of the 725 hotel rooms, more than 190,000 people slept in 2022. On weekends in 2022, the hotels had 75 percent occupancy.
The department’s primary task is to market the Town’s nine hotels, its restaurants and attractions, such as Topgolf.
“You may be thinking Farragut and tourism … what are we going to be talking about?” she asked. “You may think the definition of tourist is someone who wears bright-colored clothing, maybe socks with their sandals, or they forgot their sunscreen.
“But in the industry, the definition of a tourist includes a person that lives outside a 35- to 50-mile radius of a destination that comes to a destination for goods or services,” Tindal added. “That describes a lot of visitors we see in Town.
“Another common definition is a person who stays overnight in a destination.”
The mission of the program “is to market and promote our high-quality community by supporting the sales tax-producing businesses within the Town of Farragut to our visitors and residents,” Tindal said.
To accomoplish that task, the Tourism team uses its “Mobile Visitor Center” vehicle to travel around and outside Town limits.
“We create maps, brochures, calendars of events, our website,” she said. “All of that collateral highlights the area and all the amenities and businesses in Farragut.
“We actively work with business owners and employees to capture photo and video contests that highlight that particular business’ offerings,” Tindal added.
Those photos and videos then are captured in advertising, such as at McGhee-Tyson Airport, in several of the state welcome centers, the Tennessee State Visitors Guide, Visit Knoxville Visitors Guide and at more than 100 hotels and attractions throughout East Tennessee.
“If you are traveling through McGhee-Tyson Airport, at least once a minute there’s some kind of Farragut message,” she said.
As the Town’s destination marketing entity, Tindel oversees the Visit Farragut program. Previously a fitness instructor, she has been with the Town since 2018, when she began as part-time Tourism coordinator.
Tindal was promoted to her current position in 2022. Her staff includes Hallie Riddle, Tourism program manager, and Kristi Vining, tourism assistant.
