Strategic initiatives targeting accessibility and international travelers drove a 4 percent increase in visitor spending for Putnam County during 2025.
Executive Director of Tourism for Putnam County Shan Stout said the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development provided grant funding for transformational projects. Stout said the county used those resources to market five of the most accessible waterfalls in the state through a program called Waterfalls for All.
“It’s just taken away all the barriers so that anyone in your family, regardless of whatever issues they might have going on, they can see a waterfall,” Stout said. “And we’ve really spent 2025 marketing that heavily.”
Stout said the county has also seen a rise in international visitors who stay for up to a month with extended families of nearly 20 people. These travelers are reached through partnerships with international tour operators that began in 2023 to create specific itineraries.
“We’re not just trying to bring in the masses, we’re trying to bring in people that are going to take care of our natural assets, take care of our downtown and our businesses, and also spend more money while they’re here,” Stout said. “So that sales and lodging tax number we’re starting to see that increase as well, and we’ve moved from number 18 in the state of Tennessee to number 17.”
Stout said the county is also leveraging its position as a sports tourism destination by hosting softball, soccer, and pickleball tournaments. The upcoming Expo Center is expected to expand this footprint by accommodating indoor events such as national cheer, wrestling, and volleyball competitions.
“Our hotel capacities are maxed out oftentimes Thursday through Sunday and that starts March 15th every year until Halloween,” Stout said. “So that is a very long sports season for us.”
Stout said the current convention center already draws up to 3,000 people on an average weekend, and the facility booked 108 events during its first year of operation. Many of these conferences had never visited Cookeville before, drawn by lower lodging costs compared to surrounding major cities.
“We are geo-fencing the area during these events and see how the visitors are impacted and the growth year over year,” Stout said.
Stout said there has been a shift in domestic travel patterns, with more visitors from East and West Tennessee choosing to vacation in the middle of the state to save on fuel. The county also produced a televised documentary on its accessibility initiatives that aired on PBS stations to further distinguish itself from other regions.
“We were thrilled to know that these efforts were in the right direction and the fruits of our labors were evident in the data,” Stout said.
Stout said the new 68,000-square-foot Expo Center will allow the county to host conventions with up to 10,000 attendees. To manage this growth, the visitors bureau plans to hire a full-time sports tourism director by 2028 to coordinate with Tennessee Tech and utilize existing county assets.
“Tourism is a great opportunity to also create things that make Putnam County a better place to live by the things that we’re offering visitors, the residents can take advantage of these things as well,” Stout said.
Stout said visitor spending currently provides tax relief to local residents, saving them $569 annually on property taxes.