BUILDING A TOURISM-READY TENNESSEE
Tourism Ready is a business and staff education program from the South Central Tennessee Tourism Association (SCTTA), designed to help local restaurants, lodging properties, retailers, attractions, and other tourism businesses better understand, and benefit from, the local tourism economy. The program works hand in hand with local Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), who lay the groundwork in each community.
The program gives business owners and frontline staff practical tools, up-to-date information, and the basics of tourism education, so they know:
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How visitors find our communities
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What makes them decide where to go
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How their business fits into the bigger visitor experience
When a guest asks, “Where should we eat tonight?” or “Is there anything fun to do nearby?”, Tourism Ready businesses have the answer. Staff stay in the loop on local attractions, events, and resources, so a quick conversation at the counter can turn into a longer stay in town.
Our goal is one more burger, one more shopping bag, one more night. Every recommendation can stretch a visit a little longer, send business to a neighbor down the street, and grow tourism’s impact on the whole community. Businesses that complete the program earn a Tourism-Ready Three-Star Certification. It shows your commitment to tourism in our region and opens the door to funding for continuing education, training, and conferences.
THE PROGRAM
Businesses take three simple steps:
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Complete the Business Profile: This free form keeps your information accurate across local, regional, and state tourism platforms so welcome centers, DMOs, and guest experience teams can recommend you with confidence.
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Equip Your Team: Display the VBR Poster, which gives staff scannable access to Experience Tennessee’s digital guides, and provide the Community Rack Card so staff can answer where to go, eat, and stay with local recommendations.
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Stay Engaged: Subscribe to the monthly newsletter, attend at least one economic impact workshop each year, and join quarterly Tourism-Ready Socials to connect with peers and industry partners.
Participating businesses receive a strong tourism web presence:
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TNVacation.com: Listing card
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ExperienceTN.com: Partner page and Featured Place recognition
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ExploreTRV.org: Geotourism listing
They also receive the Tourism Ready Tool Kit:
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Annual Tourism Ready Workshop
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Monthly blog submissions, with writing assistance and publication on ExperienceTN.com
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Monthly Tourism Ready newsletter
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Monthly editorial pitch submissions
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Quarterly partner networking invites
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Community Assets Rack Card
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VBR Poster
Additional partnership benefits include:
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A visit from SCTTA’s ambassadors, Hey Y’all
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Placement as a community recommendation in the Experience Tennessee Travel Guide
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Discounts on ad buys and co-op advertising
Every business also receives a Tourism Ready Media Kit. Built from your Business Profile, the kit is used by SCTTA for media pitches, social media posts, blog posts, and itineraries, and it’s yours to use for your own promotion too. Each kit includes:
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Credited and labeled photos
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Business details, including locations, links, and key information
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Your business story, written as a blog piece
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Key contacts and important figures
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A one-page PDF linking to everything for easy access