Tennessee’s Statewide Investment in Rural Tourism

“Our partnership with the State of Tennessee is about more than logos or marketing; it’s about empowering communities,” said Steve Chandler, Brand Strategist.

Chandlerthinks is proud to partner again this year with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development on the continuation of an initiative that’s making a real difference for rural and distressed counties across the state. Together, we’re helping communities compete in today’s crowded tourism landscape through the Destination Branding Starter Kit.

This partnership reflects a deep understanding of tourism as an economic driver and a long-term investment in Tennessee’s communities. Under the leadership of Commissioner Mark Ezell, the state has shown a commitment to providing practical, scalable support that helps rural communities build their tourism foundation and understand how to move forward quickly and efficiently.

These projects allow local stakeholders to better understand who is visiting, how they move through the destination, and what makes the place distinctive. From there, our team delivered core brand assets and an action plan to help the destination activate immediately.

“Our partnership with the State of Tennessee is about more than logos or marketing; it’s about empowering communities,” said Steve Chandler, Brand Strategist and Owner of Chandlerthinks.

“Our state is helping rural destinations understand their story and their visitor, and by doing so we are setting those communities up for sustainable success all across the state,” according to Silas Stoddart, Rural Program Manager at the TN Department of Tourist Development.

To date, our Destination Branding Starter Kit has been completed for 12 rural communities throughout Tennessee. Check out our work from recent projects in Brownsville and Rogersville!

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