Here's What Happened in March

March proved to be a momentum-building month for the South Central Tennessee Tourism Association and our entire region, with progress on multiple fronts that continue to shape our long-term tourism strategy.

One of the most encouraging developments has been the continued investment in community branding across the region. Recently, we've had the opportunity to support and celebrate new brand rollouts in several counties--Perry County with Tennessee's Buffalo River Country, Franklin County with Visit Tims Ford, and Bedford County with Walking Horse Country.

Both Franklin and Bedford counties present unique branding environments, with multiple municipalities and strong individual identities. Aligning those voices under a unified brand can be challenging, but when approached collaboratively, the results are impactful. These efforts represent meaningful steps toward clearer regional storytelling and stronger visitor recognition.

March also marked the beginning of festival and event season. Daffodil Day in Bell Buckle once again delivered a successful kickoff, and the Blooming Arts Festival in Linden continues to grow in both attendance and reputation as one of the region’s signature spring events.

On the development front, Tennessee State Parks made significant headlines. Following the announcement of the new lodge at Henry Horton State Park, the state also celebrated the grand opening of Devil’s Backbone State Park along the Natchez Trace Parkway near Hohenwald. Looking ahead, we anticipate additional announcements in 2026, including Dry Branch State Park and Buffalo River State Park.

These new parks will have a multi-county impact:

• Buffalo River State Park will serve both Wayne and Perry counties, marking Wayne County’s first state park.

• Dry Branch State Park will benefit Lewis, Perry, and Hickman counties, giving Hickman County its closest state park access outside of Montgomery Bell.

Another highlight this month was the launch of a new mentorship opportunity with the Tennessee Welcome Center system. I’m honored to be working with Welcome Center managers across the Southeast region, including Ardmore, Nickajack, and two locations in Chattanooga. Strengthening these relationships creates a powerful opportunity to enhance the visitor experience at some of the most important first points of contact for travelers entering our state.

We were also proud to unveil a new Tennessee Music Pathways marker in Winchester honoring Dinah Shore. This addition gives Winchester two markers on the statewide trail, further reinforcing its place in Tennessee’s rich musical heritage. In the coming months, we look forward to announcing an exciting Music Pathways activation, which will bring another artistic element to trail.

As we close out March and look ahead to April, I want to sincerely thank our partners across the region for their continued focus and commitment. The work being done through branding, storytelling, and collaboration is helping define a clear and compelling identity for South Central Tennessee. With sustained investment and data-driven strategies guiding our efforts, we are beginning to see our region establish a true competitive difference.

Looking ahead, I encourage everyone to join us on April 14th for our first Regional Check-In of the year. These sessions will mirror our monthly DMO check-ins, focusing on upcoming opportunities, regional strategies, and a return to the fundamentals:

• Are we consistently submitting blogs?

• Are we sharing leads for state opportunities and media pitches?

• Are we aligned in how we’re telling our regional story?

The progress we’re seeing is the result of intentional collaboration, shared vision, and a commitment to growing tourism the right way. And we’re just getting started.

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