Skip to main content


Appalachian Regional Commission

          
CLOSE
        Appalachian Region
              Data Overview of the Appalachian Region
                      Appalachian States
                      Appalachian Counties Served by ARC
                      County Economic Status and Distressed Areas in Appalachia
                      Tribal Communities in the Appalachian Region
                      Congressional Districts in Appalachia
                      Local Development Districts in Appalachia
      Investment Priorities
              Building Businesses
                      Workforce Ecosystems
                              Addressing Substance Use Disorder
                      Community Infrastructure
                              Transportation in Appalachia
                      Regional Culture and Tourism
                      Community Leaders and Capacity
                              READY Appalachia
                      Investments in Action
      Grants and Opportunities
              About ARC Grants
                              Match Requirements for ARC Grants
                      Funding Opportunities
                              Area Development ProgramOpen
                                      ARISE InitiativeOpen
                                      INSPIRE Initiative
                                      POWER InitiativeOpen
                                      WORC InitiativeOpen
                      Capacity Building Opportunities
                              Academies and Institutes
                                      READY Appalachia
                      Additional Opportunities
                              Access to Capital Program
                                      Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative
                                      J-1 Visa Waiver Program
                                      Local Access Road Program
                      Contract Opportunities
                      Applicant Resources
                      Grantee Resources
                      Approved ARC Projects
      Research and Data
              Research Reports
                      Evaluations
                      Maps
                      Data Report Tool
                      Fact Sheets and Infographics
      Academies and Institutes
              Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative
                      Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy
                      Appalachian Leadership Institute
                      Appalachian STEM Academy
      About ARC
              History and Work
                      Structure and Leadership
                              ARC Offices & Staff
                                      State Partners
                                      Local Development Districts
                                      Office of Inspector General
                      Budget, Performance, and Policy
                      Newsroom
                      Careers at ARC
                      Internships at ARC
      SearchSearch
    Search

              Events
      Newsroom
      Get ARC Updates
      Inspector GeneralFacebook
      Twitter
      Youtube
      LinkedIn You are here
    HomeInvestments in ActionThe Kentucky Wildlands: Building a Recreation Destination

      	
	
The Kentucky Wildlands: Building a Recreation Destination
	
			Tourism DevelopmentKentuckyInvestments in Action
	
				
	
	
	In Southeastern Kentucky, The Kentucky Wildlands is driving economic development and regional tourism across 14,000-square-miles of “largely untamed wilderness.” The initiative, launched by Eastern Kentucky PRIDE, currently offers maps, itineraries, educational materials, and more to communities and visitors. Now, with a$1.2 million ARC POWER grant awarded in March 2022, Kentucky Wildlands will expand this branding initiative to 41 counties.

This tourism support is great news for coal-impacted communities that are revitalizing and diversifying their economies. Though progress has been made by ARC state partners and grantees, all but three counties in Appalachian Kentucky are economically distressed or at-risk. The distress, however, is far outweighed by the opportunity in Kentucky Wildland communities. By marketing itself as a regional recreation destination, Southeastern Kentucky can attract more visitors to both its outdoor sites and main streets, which can in turn spur small business growth and downtown revitalization.

Kentucky Wildlands will use POWER support to develop a robust regionalized tourism marketing plan, conduct hospitality workforce trainings in communities, expand its digital presence, catalog National Historic Properties throughout Appalachian Kentucky, and more. By the end of the two-year project period, Kentucky Wildlands expects to serve 118 communities and create 100 jobs.



Kentucky Wildlands is one of many **ARC POWER grantees** that are **building culture, outdoor recreation, and tourism******to transform coal-impacted communities. We’re proud to support their efforts to bring communities together through a common vision that creates opportunities for each of them.





	



Related Content    
    
    Investment Priority      
      Building Regional Culture and Tourism

      Canoeing on the river in Unicoi, Tennessee
																				
																	

  Page      
      Kentucky

      Kentucky horseback riders near Appalachian mountains
																				
																	

  Investment in Action      
      Northern and Central Appalachia: Expanding Tourism Through Outdoor Recreation Appalachian Regional Commission

          About ARC Grants
      Grants and Opportunities
      Newsroom
      Contract Opportunities
      Contact ARC
      Careers

  Get ARC News and Updates
    
    
                
  Sign Up Here
    Web and Privacy Policy