Chattanooga Tourism Company

What Chattanooga Tourism Company does

Chattanooga Tourism Co. is a private non-profit 501(c)(4) destination marketing organization (DMO), founded in 1940 and headquartered at 215 W Aquarium Way in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with an affiliated 501(c)(3) foundation. It functions as the official marketing body for Hamilton County, tasked with promoting the city as a leisure, meetings, and sports destination and driving economic activity through visitor spending. The organization employs 11-50 staff and is led by Interim CEO Susan Harris following the departure of former CEO Barry White.

The company's primary product is the VisitChattanooga.com destination platform, a content-rich website built on SimpleView's CRM and CMS infrastructure that aggregates attractions, hotels, restaurants, events, itineraries, vacation packages, and deals, and serves as the digital front door for the destination. Supporting products include the annual Chattanooga Travel Inspiration Magazine, a Shopify-based branded merchandise storefront, dedicated Meetings and Chattanooga Sports service lines, a Travel Trade program, a Careers platform, and a physical Visitor Information Center co-located near the Tennessee Aquarium. Marketing and distribution operate through the website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter), email, PR/media outreach, partner referrals, and event hosting.

Revenue does not come from visitor fees; the organization is funded primarily through redirected hotel-motel tax revenue allocated by Hamilton County, supplemented by funding from the City of Chattanooga and partnership contributions. The model is effectively a government-funded marketing services utility, with measurable outputs expressed in regional economic impact (11.1M visitors, $1.8B visitor spending, 30,000+ hospitality jobs, $186M in local/state tax revenue per Tourism Economics 2024 data) rather than top-line company revenue. In 2026 the organization lost a $480,000 funding slice when Hamilton County commissioners redirected that portion of hotel-motel tax to the newly created Sports and Events Corporation (TSEC), citing concerns over salary growth versus advertising cuts and limited cooperation with the sports commission.

Name

Chattanooga Tourism Company

Legal name

Chattanooga Tourism Co.

Website

https://visitchattanooga.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chattanooga Tourism Co. is a non-profit destination marketing organization that promotes Hamilton County as a leisure, meetings, and sports destination through VisitChattanooga.com, partner networks, and event hosting, funded by hotel-motel tax revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Tourism promotion platform
• Visitor information services
• Sports tourism hosting
• Meetings conventions marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hotel-Motel Tax Revenue: Primary funding from redirected hotel-motel tax revenue allocated by Hamilton County. The organization receives funding based on tourist activity to market and promote Chattanooga as a travel destination.
2. Government Funding: Funding from Hamilton County and City of Chattanooga partnerships to promote and develop visitor experiences for economic and social prosperity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Chattanooga Tourism Co. is the official destination marketing organization for Hamilton County, operating the VisitChattanooga.com platform to promote Chattanooga as a leisure, meetings, and sports tourism destination. It provides visitor information, vacation packages, event hosting coordination, media relations, and partner support services to drive visitation to the region. The organization does not charge visitors for its services; funding comes from hotel-motel tax revenue allocated by Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga.

Product overview

Chattanooga Tourism Co. is a destination marketing organization (DMO) operating primarily through its VisitChattanooga.com website and supporting digital and physical services. The core offering consists of the main destination website providing comprehensive visitor information, complemented by specialized sub-products including the Chattanooga Travel Inspiration Magazine, the Chattanooga Store e-commerce platform, and Vacation Packages offering bundled hotel and attraction deals. Additional services include a Visitor Information Center, Media Kit and Press Resources for journalists, Tourism Careers Platform for job seekers, and specialized divisions for Meetings, Sports tourism, and Travel Trade. The portfolio is unified under the VisitChattanooga brand, with SimpleView CRM platform serving as the underlying technology infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VisitChattanooga.com Destination Platform Official destination marketing website for Hamilton County, providing comprehensive visitor information including attractions, hotels, restaurants, events, itineraries, vacation packages, deals and coupons, and trip planning tools for Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• Chattanooga Travel Inspiration Magazine Print and digital publication featuring travel inspiration, expert tips from locals covering dining, outdoor pursuits, and lifestyle experiences about Chattanooga. Available digitally and via physical copy request.
• Chattanooga Store E-commerce platform selling Chattanooga-themed merchandise including T-shirts, hats, water bottles, candles, and notecards.
• Vacation Packages Curated travel package offerings combining hotel stays with attraction tickets, including Romantic Getaway, Family Fun, and Holiday Accommodation & Attraction packages.
• Chattanooga Coupons and Deals Discounts and savings offerings at local attractions, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses in Chattanooga.
• Visitor Information Center Physical visitor center at 215 W Aquarium Way providing maps, personalized recommendations, and insider tips for visitors to Chattanooga.
• Meetings and Conventions Services Destination marketing services for meeting planners and convention organizers, promoting Chattanooga as a venue for corporate events and conferences, including venue coordination and partner hotel referral.
• Chattanooga Sports Sports tourism division responsible for attracting and hosting athletic events including IRONMAN, Chattanooga Marathon, NCAA tournaments, and other sports competitions in Hamilton County.
• Travel Trade Services Services for tour operators and travel trade professionals, providing destination training, sales support, FAM trip coordination, and resources for selling Chattanooga as a destination to their clients.
• Media Kit and Press Resources Press room providing story ideas, news releases, media itineraries, digital assets, and media assistance request forms for journalists covering Chattanooga. Communications Manager Dawn Kimberlin handles media relations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11.1 million visitors annually generating $1.8 billion in economic impact
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Hamilton CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government funding partner providing hotel-motel tax revenue and ongoing investment to support tourism marketing and development for the community's economic and social prosperity.
• City of ChattanoogacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing funding and support for tourism development initiatives to promote the city as a premier destination for meetings, conventions, sporting events, and leisure travel.
• SimpleView Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology platform provider powering VisitChattanooga.com website and CRM systems for content management, event listings, visitor services, and partner coordination.
• Sports and Events Corporation (TSEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional sports commission created to coordinate sports tourism efforts in Hamilton County. Hamilton County commissioners redirected funding from Chattanooga Tourism Co. to TSEC in 2026.
• Tennessee Department of Tourist DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState tourism agency providing data support, cooperative marketing opportunities, and partnership on major events including IBMA World of Bluegrass kickoff.
• DeFoor Hospitality GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel ownership and management company operating Hotel Indigo Chattanooga Downtown, Hotel Bo, The Westin Chattanooga, and Chattanooga Marriott Downtown.
• Vision Hospitality GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel management company operating The Edwin Hotel, Aloft Chattanooga Hamilton Place, Home2Suites by Hilton Hamilton Place, Hampton Inn & Suites Chattanooga, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, TRU by Hilton Shallowford, The Kinley Southside, and additional area hotels.
• Rock City EnterprisesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAttraction management company operating Rock City, Incline Railway, Creative Discovery Museum, Grandview Conference Center, Starbucks on Lookout Mountain, and Chanticleer Inn on Lookout Mountain.
• Tennessee AquariummajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor attraction partner promoting aquarium visits through vacation packages and destination marketing on VisitChattanooga.com.
• Ruby FallsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor attraction partner featuring underground waterfall tours at Lookout Mountain, included in vacation packages and promoted on the official tourism website.
• Tennessee Valley Railroad MuseummajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistoric railroad attraction partner hosting special events including Evening Ridge Runner train excursions.
• Hunter Museum of American ArtmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural attraction partner with exhibitions featured in vacation packages and destination marketing.
• Chattanooga ZoomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily attraction partner included in events like Pirates, Parrots & Princesses and promoted through the tourism platform.
• Creative Discovery MuseummajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChildren's museum and family attraction featured in Spring Break Safari events and family vacation marketing.
• Chattanooga Information CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCareer partner listing on the Chattanooga Tourism Co. careers page for visitor information services employment.
• Chattanooga MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal market and events venue partner featured in career opportunities listings.
• International Towing and Recovery MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHeritage attraction partner featured in CHA Spotlight video series highlighting Chattanooga's unique museums.
• EPB Fiber OpticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal technology company listed as Tourism Champion Partner for the 2024 Chattanooga Tourism Summit.
• First Horizon BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial institution listed as Tourism Champion Partner for the 2024 Chattanooga Tourism Summit and sponsor of the IRONMAN Chattanooga triathlon.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Visit Nashville (Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp): Tennessee destination marketing organization operating under a similar visitor-based tax funding model and promoting a comparable mid-size U.S. city. Directly comparable in structure, GTM, and vertical mix (leisure, meetings, sports).
• Visit Charlotte: Mid-sized Southeastern U.S. city DMO with comparable verticals (leisure, sports, meetings) and visitor-based tax funding. Operates at slightly larger scale but shares structure and stakeholder dynamics.
• Visit Raleigh: DMO for a mid-size Southeastern U.S. capital city with a similar funding model and emphasis on sports, conventions, and leisure. Comparable in organizational scope and event-hosting focus.
• Visit Savannah: Destination marketing organization of comparable scale promoting a Southern U.S. city with strong leisure, culinary, and events programming. Direct peer in funding structure and multi-vertical strategy.
• Explore Asheville: DMO for a comparable outdoor/nature-anchored Southeastern U.S. city with a similar mix of leisure, outdoor recreation, and culinary positioning. Direct peer in mission, funding model, and emphasis on outdoor assets.
• Visit Knoxville: Tennessee-based DMO serving an adjacent East Tennessee market with similar mix of outdoor recreation, meetings, and sports tourism. Closest geographic peer with directly overlapping visitor catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: National destination marketing organization for the United States. Comparable as a destination marketing entity, though operating at a national rather than municipal level and serving a fundamentally different mandate.
• Visit Atlanta: Larger regional DMO in the same Southeast corridor, operating at significantly greater scale with broader portfolio. Broader incumbent whose scope and budget substantially exceed Chattanooga Tourism Co.
• Visit Denver: Destination marketing organization of substantially larger scale for a major Western U.S. city with a strong outdoor profile similar to Chattanooga's. Comparable in vertical mix and outdoor positioning but with materially larger budget.

Others

• Destinations International: Industry trade association that accredits destination marketing organizations (including Chattanooga Tourism Co.'s DMAP designation). Not a competitor but a structural peer and ecosystem player governing DMO standards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/visitchatt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/visitchattanooga
• Facebookfacebook.com/VisitChatt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chattanooga-tourism-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitchatt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chattanooga Tourism Company