News Release
NPS
Subscribe
 |
What is RSS
|
Contact: Josh Clemons
Contact: Jody Mays, 606-248-2817
Over 800,00 visitors to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park spent a whopping $57.8 million in surrounding areas in 2021. No wonder the park was just awarded the Bill McGaffee Memorial Region Strong Award for community and tourism development!“I am honored to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the park” said Acting Superintendent Josh Clemons. "We are proud to be part of this community and help draw visitors from around the world to enjoy the amazing culture, history, and resources of the Cumberland Gap Region." The award was presented by the Cumberland Gap Region Tourism Association, a non-profit 501(c)6 coalition of local, county, city, state, and regional entities and leaders who promote tourism across the Cumberland Gap Region, which includes ten counties in three states.
The National Park Service Visitor Spending Effects Report found that money spent by visitors to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in 2021 supported 775 jobs, $26.1 million in labor income, $43.7 million in value added, and $78.3 million in economic output in local gateway economies.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park preserves the historic Cumberland Gap, a key point for crossing the Appalachians that became known as the First Gateway to the West. Located where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, the park’s 24,000 acres includes 85 miles of hiking trails, front and backcountry camping, a historic Appalachian settlement, cave and rock formations, and 14,000 acres of managed wilderness. The visitor center in Middlesboro, Kentucky, is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. Entrance is free. For more information visit visit our website or Facebook page.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: May 17, 2023