By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
Alicia Phelps is the Northeast Tennessee Tourism executive director of the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association where she recently marked her 10th year with the organization. The Business Journal of Tri-Cities enjoyed sitting down with Phelps this summer to learn more about her industry and career.
Business Journal: Why did you choose tourism as your career, and was being in your current role an original goal of yours?
Alicia Phelps: I somehow landed in a career that I never knew existed, and I really wish I had known about it earlier! I knew since middle school that I wanted to be a television news reporter, and eventually an anchor.
When I was at Emory & Henry, I followed that path with major influence from Dr. Teresa Keller as a trusted mentor. When I was a senior, Public Relations quickly got my attention after taking a few courses and learning more about government affairs and communications. After graduation, my grandma saw a job listing and encouraged me to apply. I landed the job and started my career in the Public Relations Office at Emory & Henry, where I was guided by another trusted mentor (and Business Journal contributing writer), Dirk Moore, as my supervisor.
After three years, I saw a job listing for the Town of Jonesborough’s Director of Tourism and Marketing. The position had a lot of public relations and marketing requirements, so I thought I would give it a shot. Knowing nothing about tourism and no connections to that industry or to Jonesborough, I was offered the position a few months later. I was told I wasn’t the first choice for the role but quickly knew I had entered an industry and community that was very special.
After six years in Jonesborough, I was ready to take the next leap. Serving as the Executive Director of the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association was certainly not an original goal of mine; I guess I thought I’d be on a national network sharing today’s top news stories by now. However, overseeing regional tourism efforts and working with urban and rural communities to create strong economies, all in an area that I am a native? That’s not a goal; that’s a dream!
BJ: Thinking of original goals, what were some priorities once you began in the current position, and what accomplishments are worth noting since then?
AP: When I first began, I felt challenged and intimidated, yet full of imagination. Several tourism offices in the area had directors who had been around for many years. They all seemed so close. I was new, but they welcomed me with guidance and open arms in Jonesborough, as well as when I transitioned to Northeast Tennessee Tourism.
My main goal was to grow the organization’s reputation and membership base. The Association had been around since 1977 and had one employee. I knew I needed to get to know every partner, member and municipality that had faith in the organization to represent such a special place. The previous director, Claudia Moody, had been with the organization for 28 years and was among the first to take me under her wing, serving as yet another impactful mentor to me in my career. To take on the organization and rise to the standards she had implemented was almost overwhelming at times.
Since I first began with Northeast Tennessee Tourism, our organization has become a model across the state for leadership through regional tourism development and cooperation. We’ve endured a pandemic, unimaginable disasters, created education programs to strengthen the local workforce through a Hospitality & Tourism Certification with ETSU, a short-term rental workshop series that was adopted by Tennessee Tourism to continue in rural communities across the state and a remote work recruitment program in Johnson City that received national recognition.
The Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association was named “Destination Marketing Organization of the Year” in 2019 and 2023. We’ve become major advocates and resources for the tourism industry locally and statewide. Staff has grown from one to three passionate individuals, and our office space has expanded into the Tri-Cities Airport.
Those are some pretty big notables, but what I think is most important is that visitor spending continues to increase in Northeast Tennessee each year. So much so that we’re expected to surpass $1 billion very soon. That’s because our local tourism offices, Main Street programs, and businesses are out there hustling every day, working hard at what they love, always thinking about what’s next, and how we can improve to create a better experience for our visitors and guests.
All of this is supported by our local municipalities who value tourism, creating a return of $18 for every $1 invested. We’ve crafted a message about the importance of tourism, but more importantly, how we can work together to elevate one another across city and county lines.
BJ: What advice do you give to women, or anyone, considering starting their careers in your field — either in Appalachia or elsewhere? Have there been specific challenges and any lessons learned?
AP: Setting a goal and creating a clear path to get there is always important. But it is also vital that you remain flexible to where life, jobs and connections lead you. The decisions I have made (both good and bad), and the people I met many years ago, have taught me invaluable lessons. My tip is that first impressions are everything, pay attention and surround yourself with people you admire and want to be like. Some people will gladly mentor you; others will identify you as the competition and work against you.
I make a conscious effort to ensure new folks feel supported. I was once that person, and I know what that felt like. I’ve had some amazing mentors and still do. Their advice is timeless, and I know how invaluable that can be. It is important to give folks a reason to trust you and to treat others with respect. If they don’t, then they don’t deserve your time or energy.
BJ: Looking ahead, what’s interesting on the horizon for you and the organization, particularly this fall or winter?
AP: Northeast Tennessee Tourism has grown over the last couple of years in the way we work with county governments. Because of that, we’ve been able to take part in some really amazing and rewarding projects that help communities by generating sales tax dollars and sustainable tourism economies. This brings new marketing campaigns, partnerships, and events to our task list, paired with some wild and crazy ideas. Working alongside the local tourism entities, as well as with Sarah and Kerry from our office, brings something new and exciting each day. We love being part of it all!
BJ: What else should we know about you or your job?
AP: I am deeply passionate about Appalachia, and I’m proud to be the sixth generation of my family to choose Northeast Tennessee as home. Having faced the stereotypes and a poke of fun at my strong Southern accent, I treat my work in tourism as a personal mission. To me, leadership is about advocacy. It’s about leveraging tourism as a vital economic driver that tells our story in the brightest light possible — inspiring visitors to experience the warmth, beauty and unmatched spirit of our people, culture and mountains for themselves.
