The Harlan County cities of Lynch, Benham, and Cumberland are the newest additions to the Trail town program. The state run initiative aims to bolster local economies through increased adventure tourism traffic.
Kentucky Adventure Tourism Assistant Director Seth Wheat says efforts are made to count the number of out of town visitors, but he admits it can be challenging.
“You know you can’t say ticket sales increased a hundred percent for the Pine Mountain Trail because, thankfully, you just go and get on the Pine Mountain Trail,” said Wheat. “So, often times, these types of visitors are difficult ones to catch and track.”
Wheat says a better way to gauge visitor activity is through volunteer counters at trail heads along with surveys at restaurants and hotels.
These southeast Kentucky cities, like many sections of Appalachia, have seen a decline in coal mining. Wheat says although it’s far from replacing lost revenue from coal, a trail town designation can boost local economies. “Much the same reason there’s coal mining in eastern Kentucky, those natural resources, the beautiful mountains, and the streams and the lakes, all these things we have to offer are already there," he said.
The Trail Town program is designed for towns situated near recreational tourism activities including hiking-biking trails, state parks, or paddle friendly waterways. The Trail Town designation can also help direct visitors to food, lodging, museums, and other forms of entertainment. ?
