That's what i've heard, due to the crappy economy. I noticed motels seemed relatively cheap this year anyway. We're leaving saturday and staying in the area until friday(NC/TN). Just wondering if anyone has been there lately. Maybe i won't have as many gawking tourists to dodge.

 

Me and 3 friends are going for the week after the 4th of July. When I called several motels They all said they had plenty of rooms available . I ended up getting 2 rooms for 60$ a night each in Robinsville.

 

I visited with a friend of mine that lives just outside of Pigeon Forge last week. Tourism is generally down. Weekends are still busy. People aren't making reservations like prior years. They are showing up looking for last minute walk up deals.

 

Leaving this afternoon. Hoping to get some hotel deals as well.

 

I was there during the middle of the week the week before last. I've gone about the same time in years past. It seem about the same to me as far as tourists goes. In the middle of the week, there are always a good number of people, but the place is far from packed. I go several times a year and always during the middle of the week. Nearly any time of the year, I can easily find a room for around 50 bucks a night.

 

I think that would be a good thing for you. Less idiots out and about.
Personally I could care less about tourism being down.
Who cares, unless your a shop keeper?

 

While I have not traveled the whole of the country, the regions that I have been through are suffering considerably. Hotel/motel rates have fallen in some areas but I have noticed that with the beginning of the summer traveling season some are trying to jack up their rates even in a bad economy. The one place in particular that I am thinking of jacked rates up $20.00 per night from what they were back in April. The manager told me "it is customary" to raise rates in the summer. When she told me that I glanced out the lobby window and noted that her parking lot was "customarily pretty empty" too. Ah, yes she sighed.
We have traveled through the northeast and both coasts within the last 6 months and everywhere we have been they are feeling the pain. Even in our homestate of Texas, we are seeing signs of a slowing economy now. Many thought Texas was going to escape the deep recession but alas it now appears we are taking on water too, just later than most.

 

I doubt there are many places where tourism isn't down. We went up to Maggie last Saturday for lunch and I noticed most motels had vacancies. On a normal June Saturday they'd be filled.

I'm not a shopkeeper, but I do care for the wellbeing of my friends and neighbors. This economy has put a lot of people in harder times than they were in. I think most people are not spending any more than they have to, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

Unless you live there won't you also be a gawking tourist?

 

Well yeah i guess, but i gawk at a considerably higher speed than most 4 wheel tourists. In other words i don't succumb to mass hysteria whenever i see a bear. Don't take me long to look at a mountain either. I have noticed wherever i've traveled this year that a lot of motel parking lots are mostly empty during the week. Some of them i really don't understand why they were built anyway.