FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
Jeff Muir
Blount Partnership
(865) 983.2241
JMuir@blountpartnership.com
Jennifer Wiggins
AkinsCrisp Public Strategies
(865) 680.1457 jwiggins@akinscrisp.com
BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. – With the scenic natural beauty and the many adventures the Great Smoky
Mountains have to offer, there’s no stopping at a long slide show presentation or monotonous discussion at your next business meeting or conference. After your meetings are complete, step out and see what this Appalachian area has to offer. Include a group hike up the mountains, a visit to one of Blount County’s many attractions or even a team-building exercise uniting everyone in business
AND pleasure.
“It is important that business-related meetings or conferences remain professional, but it never hurts to add a little fun to the event,” said Tami Vater, director of Tourism for the Smoky Mountain Tourism
Development Authority. “Exciting opportunities are numerous in our area for you to let loose and enjoy Appalachia at its finest. And that’s what makes Blount County an ideal destination to host such a gathering.”
Blount County is home to many attractions and opportunities unique to Appalachia and East
Tennessee. From high-energy, outdoor sports to relaxing by a glistening creek or stone fireplace, there are both exciting and peaceful activities to experience.
With more than 800 miles of trails in the Smokies, a group hike is an ideal way to relax after sitting through an all-day meeting or conference. Meeting attendees would have the opportunity to take in the wonder of the mountain scenery and enjoy breathing in the crisp mountain air during a stroll up a winding mountain trail. A hike would give visitors a chance to see wildlife native to the area and to enjoy a nature exploration together.
“Having the opportunity to enjoy a unique activity with colleagues or, like hiking a mountain trail in the Smokies, is definitely a bonding experience.” said Vater. “Any work-related stress is lifted when enjoying a fun, interesting outing with business associates; and in turn, business relationships grow, and productive work increase.”

If you are looking for the group to experience high-energy activities during their stay in Blount County,
Maryville College’s Mountain Challenge is just the ticket. The Mountain Challenge is not only available to Maryville College students but to the public as well. The Challenge consists of high quality, safe outdoor experiences, including ropes courses, canoe trips, hiking, caving, the Alpine
Tower, rafting, rock climbing, bicycle trips and more. These types of challenging activities allows for individuals in the group to think and act creatively together when faced with difficult tasks. They are able to build closer relationships and have a positive, enjoyable time during their stay.
Horseback riding – a popular pastime in the Smokies – is another unique activity to enjoy while visiting the area for a business meeting or conference. Whether the group consists of experience riders, first-timers or a mix of the two, many riding stables in the area, such as Cades Cove Stables, provide anyone with the opportunity. Riding up a mountain trail on horseback, enjoying the mountain air and breathtaking scenery, is a fun and relaxing break from the seriousness of a business meeting. If the group prefers to sit back and relax, the Stables also offer mule-drawn hayrides throughout the Cove. This will give the group a chance to sit, enjoy each others’ company and take in all the views the Smokies have to offer.
The group can enjoy the splendour of Cades Cove and East Tennessee nature by scheduling a unique tour experience with Cades Cove Heritage Tours. Regular 3 to 4 hour tours are available from April 15 to November 15, but special group tours with a minimum of 10 people are available year round upon request. The Heritage Tours provide a look into the history, personal stories and ecology that make
Cades Cove so unique, and all can enjoy the scenery without having to worry about traffic.
With a high number of attractions in the area, many offer special group rates, making an enjoyable outing for the entire group convenient and economically-appealing.
For more group activities and experiences to make your next meeting in the Smokies a success, visit www.MeetingsandMountains.com
.
About Blount County, Tennessee
Blount County, Tennessee is located just south of Knoxville at the foothills of the Great Smoky
Mountains. The communities that make up Blount County—Townsend, Maryville, Alcoa, Friendsville,
Louisville and Rockford – provide visitors with an abundance of outdoor activities, attractions and regular celebrations of the region’s rich Appalachian heritage and culture. Blount County is also home to the nation’s most visited national park—the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
For more information about Blount County, please contact the Smoky Mountain Tourism
Development Authority at (800) 525.6834 or visit www.SmokyMountains.org
. Follow the Smoky

Mountain Tourism Development Authority at www.Facebook.com/PeacefulSide and
Twitter.com/PeacefulSmokies .
If you are in the area, please stop in to the Smoky Mountain Visitors Center at Townsend, located at
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, or the Smoky Mountain Visitors Center at Maryville, located at 201
South Washington Street, for more information. (January 2013)
-END-