March 27, 2024 • 31 mins
Julia is joined by Kim Bumpas, the president of Visit Knoxville, to discuss the transformation of Knoxville into a must-visit destination. They explore Kim’s journey in the tourism industry, the revitalization of iconic landmarks like the Sunsphere, and the initiatives that have put Knoxville on the map. Their conversation also touches on future projects, the impact of tourism on the local economy, and how to attract and retain young talent in the city. Tune in for the vision and passion driving Knoxville's growth as a vibrant, welcoming community!
(01:14) - Kim Bumpas shares her journey and introduction to tourism
(05:58) - Sunsphere's revitalization and its importance to Knoxville
(09:55) - How Visit Knoxville put the city on the map as a premier destination
(14:00) - Starter pack recommendations for families visiting Knoxville
(18:25) - Changes in Knoxville's tourism over the last 20 years
(23:22) - Upcoming events and initiatives from Visit Knoxville
(26:15) - Strategies to retain young talent in Knoxville and the role of Visit Knoxville
(29:40) - Where to find internships, volunteer opportunities, and Visit Knoxville resources
(30:23) - The best place to start planning your Knoxville vacation
(31:10) - Closing remarks
Links Referenced:
- Visit Knoxville Website: https://www.visitknoxville.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Julia Hurley (00:05):
Hello, everybody,
and welcome to another
episode of Connect the Knox.
I'm your host, Julia Hurley,
connecting Knoxville to the nation.
Today's guest is one of my all time
favorite people in the city of Knoxville
as a whole, Miss Kim Bumpus, or Mrs.
Kim Bumpus, who runs Visit Knoxville.
(00:26):
And when I met Kim, we were in regional
leadership together, and if your state
or area doesn't have a leadership, Each
one of our counties in our area has
their own county leadership and you must
have graduated to move on to regional.
So, class of 2015, best class ever!
And she was in that class with me.
I learned a lot about Knoxville.
(00:46):
And as I have grown to know Kim,
she has grown Visit Knoxville
into one of the best places to go.
Most sought after visit, uh, visit name
city in the country and we actually have
one of the most prolific training systems
for that across the country and Knoxville
was part of that starting growth.
(01:06):
So Kim, say hello to the nation and
tell us a little bit about Knoxville,
Visit Knoxville, how you ended up here.
Kim Bumpas (01:14):
Definitely.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited.
Yes.
So I am a West Tennessee
native, crazy enough.
And I came to Knoxville to go
to the University of Tennessee.
And back when I was in school, we didn't
have like a hospitality and tourism major.
So I majored in marketing
(01:34):
with a minor in psychology.
And lucky enough, my parents said, you
know what, you got to start paying your
own bills this senior year of college.
So I started working at the Holiday
Inn Cedar Bluff here in Knoxville,
Tennessee, my senior year of college.
And that's what introduced me to tourism.
(01:55):
And.
You know, I just fell in love
with it and I learned really fast.
If you worked hard, you could move up.
And by the time I graduated from
college, I was the front desk manager
at the Holiday Inn Cedar Bluff.
And so then I thought, you know
what, what's the next steps for me?
And I interviewed and got a
(02:16):
director of sales position
at the Holiday Inn downtown.
This is pre convention center.
So, we're dating back.
I'm dating myself now.
We're like 30 years ago.
So, crazy enough.
And, You know, I worked there
for a couple of years and then we
had a Hyatt Regency that set up
on the hill that was beautiful.
(02:36):
Triangle Hotel.
Yep.
Is that?
Yep.
Okay.
Triangle Congress Hotel
that is no longer a hotel.
So I went to Hyatt, worked there right
under four years and then transitioned
to the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
So back in 2001, this organization
was called the Knoxville
(02:56):
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Right after I started there, and
the reason I went there is because I
love Knoxville, and Hyatt was leaving
Knoxville, so they wanted me to leave with
them, and This was my home, and I was,
you know, dating my now husband at that
time, and I thought, you know what, what
better thing than to sell my, to my city,
(03:18):
you know, my destination to the world.
And so, I was with the CVB for
about 11 months before there was a
takeover by the sports corporation.
And they kind of merged the two entities,
got rid of a lot of people, but luckily
I was there to stay, and so we became the
Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation.
(03:39):
While we were KTSC, I moved up the
ranks to, you know, Director of Sales,
because I started as a sales manager.
And so then I was Director of
Sales, and I was Director of Sales
and Marketing, then I was VP.
And, you know, as the
world turns, so to speak.
And during that 10 years, I really, really
engaged in what made Knoxville so special.
(04:02):
And so when 2011 2012, uh, came about
and there was an opportunity that someone
needed to step up and change the vision,
change the voice of how you tell the
story of why you should visit Knoxville.
Um, I was ready to do that and in
2012, uh, I took the organization
(04:22):
through an RFI to an RFP.
To everything you could imagine to
rebirth it as Visit Knoxville and tell
the story differently, bring on an agency.
And now we're one of the
most robust standalone 501c3
nonprofits in the tourism space.
And so it's been a wild ride.
(04:43):
Uh, last year we just signed
on for another 10 years with
the city and the county.
So we're, uh, we're doing all right.
If that was kind of my intro
of, uh, How I came to be.
Julia Hurley (04:54):
Yeah, just, just a
short time span of 20 of two decades.
Short time span.
Kim Bumpas (05:00):
Dating myself just a little.
Julia Hurley (05:01):
Well, I don't even know if
people in Knoxville know that that used
to be a completely separate department.
I have, I remember the debate about
bringing the convention center in but I
was in college when that was happening
and I went to Maryville college.
So it was, It was a study for us
because, you know, Ruby Tuesdays was
on our campus, so we got to study that
(05:24):
side of the industry and the tourism
department that was going on in Knoxville.
Do you want a convention center?
Don't you want a convention center?
What's happening here?
We studied that, but we
didn't really experience it.
And so even I did not know that
that was part of the convention
center at the beginning.
So that is something to No, and you've
(05:44):
been, so this entire time, not only have
you had that, but you've had the Sunsphere
in your backyard for every job you have.
Yeah, so tell us about the Sunsphere
projects that you've had over
those, over that time, because it's
changed a lot with Visit Knoxville.
Kim Bumpas (05:58):
Definitely.
So the Sun Sphere, you know,
last year celebrated its 40th
anniversary because it was the 40th
anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair.
And a lot of people maybe don't
realize this, and I'm always
surprised that they don't, but the Sun
Sphere is Knoxville's Eiffel Tower.
It is Knoxville, Seattle, Space Needle.
(06:19):
Both of those are structures
that were built for World's Fairs
just like the Sun Sphere was.
So we, as Visit Knoxville, the CBB, the
city, the county, we've been telling
the story of the Sun Sphere for a long
time, but in a really different way.
And what I mean by that is since the
Sun Sphere was built back in 1982,
(06:40):
it was basically open for free.
It didn't really tell you a whole
bunch when you got up there, but
you could go up there, right?
And walk around in a circle and
kind of see out the windows.
Well, as VisitKnoxville, about 10 years
ago, we kind of renovated the observation
deck, but still let it run for free.
So I'm really excited to say
(07:01):
fast forward to right now.
We reopened the observation deck after
COVID on February 22nd of 2022, and we did
it where you would have to pay a nominal
fee of five dollars per adult to get up to
the SunSphere observation deck, and that
would go into a restricted SunSphere fund.
Well, since we've did that,
(07:23):
we've now welcomed over 79,
000 visitors representing all
50 states and 50 countries.
And we literally just announced, I mean
like, hot off the press, that we are
going to be painting the structure back
to its original blue Pantone color in
October before the end of the year and
(07:45):
then we are opening a visitor center at
the base of the Sun Sphere next year.
So really exciting stuff and as Visit
Knoxville, I'm Really, really happy and
pleased that we've finally gotten here.
This has been a labor of love that I've
been working on for about 10 years and
really had momentum to probably do this
(08:06):
in 2019, 2020, and then COVID happened.
And we ended up shutting
the whole structure down for
quite a bit of period of time.
And then, you know, our mayor's changed.
He kind of had to start the
whole conversation over again.
And now we're here.
And I'm just, I'm really
happy that it's happening.
(08:27):
It's, it's a big deal.
And, um, As someone who's a Knoxvillian,
even if I don't work at Visit Knoxville,
I'll be happy to say I played a
role in, in making this part happen.
Julia Hurley (08:40):
I lived in the Old City
in 2003, so I've watched downtown
Knoxville catapult and then fail,
and then catapult and then fail,
and then catapult and then fail.
And I feel like over just the last
10 years, it's been on a a correct
slow movement trajectory, not this
(09:01):
oh my god, we have to pour a ton of
money into it and then it just fails.
We have, you all have, and I mean
that, I don't say we as Knoxville,
your organization in the last decade
has very methodically moved Knoxville
in a different direction than we have.
Slowly as it should be and we are finally
starting to see the growth and the
(09:22):
attractiveness and what Knoxville, we all
knew because we were all from here, what
Knoxville had to offer this whole time.
How can you look, how are you looking back
on that and saying, okay, so over the last
decade we, we, we doing, we're doing it.
We're pushing that boulder up the hill.
We've still got a little
bit of a mountain to climb.
I mean, Knoxville is really and truly,
in my opinion, from the real estate side.
(09:42):
Just now booming, so we've got another
decade to pull up that hill before we can
safely say we've reached the pinnacle.
Where do you see that going, uh,
for Visit Knoxville and the Sports
Authority in the next decade?
Kim Bumpas (09:55):
Oh, I think the
sky's the limit right now.
I mean, I have watched us grow up
over the last 20 years, and as Visit
Knoxville, in the last 10, we have
finally put Knoxville on the map
as a premier getaway destination.
You know, we We're out there competing
for that leisure traveler that used to
just go to Asheville for the weekend.
(10:16):
Well, now they're coming to
Knoxville for the weekend because
we have all of the experiences that
now deliver on that expectation.
And a gift of COVID maybe, not that
I would ever say COVID, COVID was a
terrible thing, but There were a few
things that spun out of it that were
good for business in this, in the
(10:38):
relation of tourism because everyone
got shut down, but Knoxville, we have
so many outdoor friendly activities that
you can engage in that when everything
opened back up and it was safe to travel
again, Knoxville was top of mind because
we never went to Silent during COVID.
(10:58):
We always were telling the
story of why you should visit
Knoxville when the time was right.
And what happened is our
hotels were able to regroup.
And when we started to open back
up, we started driving right.
And, you know, I know people
say, Oh, I wish that was free.
And I wish we could do this for free.
But you know, a lot of time
(11:19):
visitors and think about yourself
as a visitor when you travel.
Sometimes people don't really value free.
They think, you know, where's the catch?
Or maybe that's not the
experience that I want.
I'd rather go do something where I had
to invest this level of monetary value
so that I receive that type of, you know,
(11:41):
reward back to me when I'm done with it.
That's really where Knoxville is.
We're driving right, the
hotels are delivering on that
expectation, the restaurants.
I mean, we have a phenomenal
amount of restaurants and James
Beard winning chefs in Knoxville,
Tennessee, that people don't realize.
(12:01):
Our attractions, they're bringing it.
I mean, we have the family food.
Friendly with Navitat to
the Hall of Fame to the zoo.
But then you also have all of
these historic homes that tell
the rich history that Knoxville,
Tennessee carries for everyone.
We have that opera.
We have a symphony.
We have so many things and that's
kind of like the secret, you know,
(12:24):
everyone's Knoxville's one big thing?
Well, Knoxville's one big thing.
Because we have a little bit of
everything that really, really
engages that leisure traveler.
And then you take that and you put
it on top of the base we already had
with conventions and sporting events.
Well, you just have a well
oiled machine now and everyone's
(12:45):
delivering on the experience.
So one of the big things we see
right now is repeat visitation.
Because if you come here for
that two to four night stay,
you can't get it all done.
So you're booking a second trip
because we're also a very, you know,
uh, economical value trip as well.
Even though we're driving right and,
(13:06):
you know, you can't come to Knoxville
anymore for that 80 bucks a night.
That's not gonna happen.
You know, we're pushing 150 on a weekday.
We're over 300 on the weekends.
But you know what?
You're getting a great
value for your investment.
And that's the story we're telling and
it's, it's a great place to be, but
we've worked really hard to get here.
Julia Hurley (13:26):
We all know that real
estate is location, location, location.
Our team at Just Homes Group,
Realty Executives, has the true
expertise, pairing buyers and
sellers with the right opportunities.
Whether you're looking to buy or sell a
home right here in Knoxville, Lenore City.
Clinton or Farragut.
(13:48):
We have the expertise throughout
every Knoxville surrounding area.
Call Just Homes Group
Realty Executives today.
So, I mean, just personally.
I mean my family, my first
family's of Tennessee.
My family founded the state.
We've been here forever and ever and ever.
And as, as I travel, I travel all
over the country coaching real
(14:08):
estate and coaching scripting and all
the things that I do on top of the
sales just in the Knoxville market.
I can't keep up with the growth.
I am having a hard time like, oh my
god, I missed that ribbon cutting.
Oh, that's new.
We've got to go there.
And now I've got a running list of got
to go here, got to try that, got it.
I have to now know in the know and visit
the, visit Knoxville's website every week
(14:30):
and be like, oh, I missed these openings.
This is new.
This is coming up.
How are How, what is the conversation like
for, let's say somebody who's not from
here, who doesn't know what's going on,
what would be your biggest recommendation
of a starter p of the Starter Pack?
, this is your starter.
Knoxville, say Mom,
dad, two kids and a dog.
Kim Bumpas (14:49):
Dog is a big deal.
That's a whole nother thing that,
uh, came out of Covid is people
wanna travel with their animals now.
And so one thing you'll be seeing
US launch very soon is a dog
documentary and it's gonna tell.
It's going to tell the story of
why you should visit Knoxville
through a dog's point of view.
(15:10):
And it's going to be, it's
going to be quite fantastic.
If you're a dog lover,
you're going to love it.
And we're not just all dogs.
So, I mean, we'll can, we'll welcome other
animals too, but, um, it is a big deal.
And, you know, to kind
of do that starter pack.
We really have something to offer in
every area of town, but what I think
(15:31):
does appeal to visitors a lot of times is
that downtown setting and the fact that
you can drive into Knoxville, Tennessee,
you can get into your hotel room, and
then you literally might never touch
your car again, because we have so many
dog friendly patios for your dining and
all of those experiences, nightlife.
(15:52):
Still has dog friendly.
We have all of these dog parks throughout
the entire county, but you know what?
You can drive in.
Get in your hotel.
Then you can walk down to the riverfront.
You can rent a stand up paddleboard
if you've left your dog.
I've seen some people take
their dogs on the paddleboards.
You never know.
It's my dog, not a candidate.
(16:14):
Not a candidate.
But if you've got that well trained dog
that can jump up on the paddleboard,
then you can paddle down to Iams, get
out there, you can rent a mountain
bike, go mountain biking, come back
to your paddleboard, come back to
downtown, Go out to eat, go out to
nightlife, check out a few attractions,
(16:34):
all without ever touching your car.
And that is a big deal to
a lot of visitors, but then
we also have the outskirts.
You know, you can drive into West
Knoxville, you can go to the Farrakhan
Folklife Museum, there's all kinds
of activities in that part of town.
South is growing with all Baker Creek,
Devil's Racetrack, you know, North has
(16:57):
amazing, uh, concepts too, and now with
the new multi purpose stadium, East
Knoxville is booming, so That's a little
bit more than just your starter pack, but
I definitely want to hit all the areas
because really it's up to the visitor.
What drives them?
What is the activity that they want?
And then they can build everything
(17:19):
around that at visitknoxville.
com.
It's uh, there's just so much to do.
Julia Hurley (17:23):
There's so few places
that I have visited and we, I
mean, we visited everywhere that
has the word visit in front of it.
Visit Seattle, visit Houston, visit,
we do, we did then visit Asheville.
We try to go and.
As a group, as a family, sometimes it's
just Joe and I, sometimes we take the
kids, sometimes we take the dog, and
kind of see what other areas have to
offer on the coaching trips that I have.
(17:43):
And Visit Knoxville, still hands
down, and I am, I am trying hard
not to be biased when I compare it.
But still, Visit Knoxville, hands down,
has the most diverse ability to offer
all things regardless of the trip.
And I think that's something that
a lot of people in the nation don't
understand when they, when they come
(18:05):
here to visit to make that package deal.
How close we are to Dollywood and
the Great Smoky Mountains, and you
don't even have to do those things.
Like you said, you can stay in Knoxville
and do all the outdoor activities.
events, uh, and, and the
affordability of everything.
How has that changed in the last
20 years and where is it going?
Kim Bumpas (18:25):
Oh, it's, uh, it's night and
day from the last 20 years, you know, I
mean, We've had record tourism numbers.
You know, 2019 was a great year for
Knoxville, Tennessee, and I think 2020
was going to be awesome, but then COVID
happened and ever since we've come out
of COVID, I mean, 21 was a great rebound
(18:46):
from 19, but then 22 was record highs,
like the highest numbers in tourism in the
history of Knoxville and 23 is beating 22.
So, you know, there's no point in my.
The way I look at things, I
don't ever really look back.
Like, we're destroying the past,
but our destination's grown, and
we have so much more to offer.
(19:07):
So, I always look forward,
and where is that taking us?
And like I said, the sky
truly is the limit right now.
Like, we don't even know, What we don't
know until we know it and that is truly
happening because let's think about this.
We have a multi purpose stadium with what
will now be called the Knoxville Smokies
(19:28):
and the One Knox Soccer Club converging
in 2025, which is going to bring all
kinds of new development around that
space and that's going to be exciting.
We have new hotels that are still
popping up downtown as I said.
And South Knoxville, we have just
scratched the surface on what the urban
(19:48):
wilderness is truly going to grow into.
It has a great base, but
it's not even close to done.
And so I think as you, you just take all
of that and then like the excitement's
just getting ahead of me, but if you
take all of that and you put it with
the messaging and how Visit Knoxville is
marketing this destination and telling the
story of why you should visit Knoxville,
(20:10):
It's just going to mean increased tourism
numbers, which when tourists come to your
destination, you need to celebrate that,
especially in a sales tax driven state
like the state of Tennessee, because
all of those people are visiting us from
all over the world, they're spending
their money and they're going back home.
So all of that money can go into,
(20:31):
you know, enhancing the resources
for all of us that live here.
And that is a big deal.
And that's why tourism is the number two.
You know, industry in the state
of Tennessee and Knoxville is
holding its own as a county.
You know, we are the fourth driving
county in this state, only behind
Memphis and Nashville and Sevier.
(20:51):
So, it's a big deal and telling the
story of East Tennessee, I truly believe.
means telling the story of the state
because the way we market the state is the
soundtrack of America made in Tennessee.
Well, that soundtrack has music,
scenic beauty, and history.
Well, where do you find
all three of those?
(21:12):
And the one caveat there is scenic
beauty, and obviously music was implied.
So, you know, I think That's why East
Tennessee helps drive that message.
And as was in Knoxville, in Knoxville,
you know, I have a passion, um,
competitive to a fault and, you
know, I want us to be the best and.
(21:34):
There's so many more things that we'll
be announcing in the coming months,
but you know, the Sun Sphere truly
shows you how we're collecting the
data and how we're telling that story.
Julia Hurley (21:43):
I can't believe that.
I mean, I can believe it, but
I can't believe what he said
that many people had visited.
I was like, what?
Really?
I say that with surprise.
Because whenever we go downtown,
it's still, I mean, it used to
be a 15 minute drive, but in all
fairness, it's a 30 minute drive.
It's a 30 minute drive from where
we are, one county over, and I'm,
(22:04):
I'm like, way over in one county.
It's a 30 minute drive, I still
don't feel overwhelmed, I can still
get into a restaurant with a 15
minute wait on a Saturday night.
And we have, we have so many
people visiting that it still seems
so intimate and accessible and
affordable and conversational and
local.
I still run into people that
(22:26):
I went to college with, I won't say
how long, 25 years ago, 25 years ago,
and we still see each other at the
tailgates, we still see each other at
Calhoun's, Everywhere you go, you see
someone local that you've met previously
before or knew, and yet we have a
million people visiting basically a
month and saying, hey, Knoxville's my
place, and I still feel like I can go
(22:46):
anywhere that I need to go quickly.
And that is the gift, I think, that
Knoxville brings to the table and
the associations where you don't
feel like you're at Disney, I guess.
You're just packed in for an experience.
It's still an open experience
because there's so much to
have that it's spread out.
It's a big, small town.
So, this episode will probably
(23:09):
air in about three months, right?
So, we have about six We've done and
I'm going to say that to say this.
Is there anything that you
can tell us might be coming?
Kim Bumpas (23:22):
I can't tell all the secrets.
Um, but you know, I mean
we are launching a new.
Film Festival in November.
Yeah, Film Fest Knox will be,
uh, November 9th through the
12th, and that will be exciting.
I don't know, I may be talking
about this a little bit after we've
already done it, but it is something
(23:43):
that's going to be an annual event.
We're partnered with Regal Riviera
downtown, so it's a great way to think
about why you should visit Knoxville.
I mean, as Visit Knoxville, the
organization, you know, we have The
Sports Commission under our umbrella, the
Film Office under our umbrella, we have
a housing agency, we have four tractor
trailers with all of the premier sport
(24:05):
court, basketball, and volleyball systems
in the Southeast, so we're very robust,
but the Film Festival, Film Fest Knox,
is a way we're going to help tell that
story to producers on why you should
use Knoxville as your next location, and
Uh, we'll have a new and revised Tour
Delights in December, which will also
(24:27):
be fun, which is a lighted bike ride,
and that really helps continue to tell
the message of how bike friendly we are.
We did say farewell to USA Cycling
in 2023, and they'll be gone
for about five years, but we'll
hopefully have them back one day.
We had them for seven, which was a
great one, but we've already announced.
(24:49):
And we're excited that we'll
be hosting USA Diving Olympic
Trials next June in Knoxville.
So, that is, I'm excited because
that's an inside event in June versus
running USA cycling in the heat.
So, I'm excited for that reprieve and You
know, we just have so many more things.
(25:10):
And like I said, there'll be more
information coming next year about the
visitor center build out at the Sun
Sphere, but there's so many reasons why
you should visit Knoxville and, you know,
just keep checking out visit knoxville.
com and our event calendar is the
most robust in the, in the town.
So, uh, that's a great way to
(25:30):
learn about all the new things.
Julia Hurley (25:32):
How do you feel that
Knoxville has grown, and how can
it grow more in retaining younger
talent to stay when they graduate?
We have, what, 48, 43 to 48 thousand
young people that graduate every
year, or are on campus every year.
And they usually leave and
(25:53):
they mostly always come back.
They go, well, Knoxville was
the best place I'll come back.
How do we keep 'em here?
What are we doing to build out things
to retain them as employee employees?
And what are we doing in the future?
Because visit Knoxville from where
we are looking on the outside in is
one of the most future and forward
thinking organizations and more younger.
People coming in with their
(26:14):
big ideas that we embrace and
we're like, that sounds great.
Let's go.
So what can we do and what are we
doing to embrace younger people to
stay and build their futures here?
Kim Bumpas (26:23):
I think as I can answer that
as Visit Knoxville, you know, and I think
The big ways that we entice a lot of
people to stay is through our internships
and through showing them how to volunteer
and get connected with the community.
I think a lot of people that leave
Knoxville when they're young, it's truly
because they didn't know how to get the
(26:43):
information that inspires them to stay.
And because we have everything
that they're looking for.
They just don't know how to get
to that information, and they're
misinformed sometimes, because
we are in the age of information
overload, especially for our youth.
So, they're like, oh, well, Atlanta
(27:05):
has everything, but it's only because
they didn't look for that in Knoxville.
It's here.
It just might not be as forward facing
sometimes because we do have so much
going on and I do think one of the big
things that we focused on through some
of our concert, uh, partnerships is
just enhancing that variety of who we're
(27:26):
recruiting and what does that look like
and trying to partner up and tell the
story so that an artist didn't come and
go from Knoxville and some people didn't
know about it, you know what I mean?
I truly think it's just getting
that information out there.
As far as jobs in the tourism
sector, there's plenty of them.
But whether that's what, you know, people
(27:48):
coming out of college want or not, you
know, now we have a whole hospitality
and tourism major, so that's exciting.
People are really, Majoring and
wanting to learn how to work
in a hotel or a restaurant or
anything that's hospitality driven.
But for me personally, you know, I
have a lot of, you know, mentees,
(28:08):
so to speak, and leadership,
Knoxville and some other things,
and I just try to show them the fun.
People want to live where they
consider it fun, and whether you
like it, or you don't like it, or you
agree with it, or you don't, people
take their own backyard for granted.
They take where they grew up
for granted, and they take where
(28:29):
they went to college for granted.
And the reason they do that is because the
grass is always greener on the other side.
And then we see they jump over there and
then they're always jumping right back.
It wasn't greener over there.
And so I just try to go ahead and open
their eyes to that and say, you know what?
(28:49):
Sometimes you do have to experience
for yourself to understand, but if you
don't want to do it the hard way, then
just go right here and look and engage
and go to Volunteer East Tennessee.
Volunteer for these events and you'll see.
what Knoxville has to offer and you
will see how awesome Knoxville truly is.
I mean, that's the gift of my job.
(29:11):
I get to be reminded how awesome Knoxville
is every single day because I look at
Knoxville from the eyes of a visitor and
from the eyes of the visitor, Knoxville
has everything that you need right here.
So, the folks that are here right now,
you need to hunker down and stay because,
you know, one day somebody's going to
bounce and want to bounce back and there's
(29:31):
nothing there for them to get into.
So, You know, if you're at UT right
now, there's a reason to stay.
There truly is.
Julia Hurley (29:40):
Where can people
find information on internships
and volunteer opportunities?
Kim Bumpas (29:44):
Go 100 percent to VisitNoxel.
com, go to About Us, and then you'll
figure out everything you need to know.
How to volunteer, how to engage, if
VisitNoxel has any job openings, and
then I'll also give you other resources.
I also think, You know, checking
out what the Knoxville Chamber has
to offer is also a good resource.
(30:05):
And then, you know, if you're in school
and you're listening to this, engage
with your advisors and your teachers.
They know how to find us.
You know, I'm pretty sure all you
have to do is Google my name and
you can get my email and cell phone
number quite easily, so feel free.
Julia Hurley (30:21):
And everybody in the
nation that's listening, where's
the best place for them to start
looking at Knoxville for vacations?
Kim Bumpas (30:27):
Visit Knoxville.
com.
100%.
You can even build your
itinerary right there.
Julia Hurley (30:33):
Well, that's exciting.
I'm gonna fake do that and
just see what it tells me to
do that I haven't already done.
I
mean, the best place for me to go to.
We've actually hit our time
limit and we didn't even get
to the fire round.
We'll have to do another episode
and just base it on you and
everything else that's going on.
Kim, thank you for taking your time today.
Thank you for teaching us
(30:53):
all about Visit Knoxville.
Everybody in the nation, if
you have not visited Knoxville,
Tennessee, you are missing out
because it's the only 10 you'll
see every time.
Crack myself up with that joke.
Kim, I
appreciate you so much.
Thank you very much.
Everybody, thank you so much for visiting.
You've listened to another
(31:14):
episode of Connect the Knox.
I'm your host, Julia Hurley, and today's
guest was Kim Bumpus of Visit Knoxville.
Thank you.
Kim Bumpas (31:22):
Thanks, appreciate it.
Julia Hurley (31:23):
Thank you
for tuning into the show.
Make sure to like and subscribe.
Leave a five star review on
your podcast player of choice.
And if you would like
information on moving
to Knoxville, send me a private message.
As always, this is Julia
Hurley, Connecting Knoxville.
To the nation.
Hello, everybody,
and welcome to another
episode of Connect the Knox.
I'm your host, Julia Hurley,
connecting Knoxville to the nation.
Today's guest is one of my all time
favorite people in the city of Knoxville
as a whole, Miss Kim Bumpus, or Mrs.
Kim Bumpus, who runs Visit Knoxville.
(00:26):
And when I met Kim, we were in regional
leadership together, and if your state
or area doesn't have a leadership, Each
one of our counties in our area has
their own county leadership and you must
have graduated to move on to regional.
So, class of 2015, best class ever!
And she was in that class with me.
I learned a lot about Knoxville.
(00:46):
And as I have grown to know Kim,
she has grown Visit Knoxville
into one of the best places to go.
Most sought after visit, uh, visit name
city in the country and we actually have
one of the most prolific training systems
for that across the country and Knoxville
was part of that starting growth.
(01:06):
So Kim, say hello to the nation and
tell us a little bit about Knoxville,
Visit Knoxville, how you ended up here.
Kim Bumpas (01:14):
Definitely.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited.
Yes.
So I am a West Tennessee
native, crazy enough.
And I came to Knoxville to go
to the University of Tennessee.
And back when I was in school, we didn't
have like a hospitality and tourism major.
So I majored in marketing
(01:34):
with a minor in psychology.
And lucky enough, my parents said, you
know what, you got to start paying your
own bills this senior year of college.
So I started working at the Holiday
Inn Cedar Bluff here in Knoxville,
Tennessee, my senior year of college.
And that's what introduced me to tourism.
(01:55):
And.
You know, I just fell in love
with it and I learned really fast.
If you worked hard, you could move up.
And by the time I graduated from
college, I was the front desk manager
at the Holiday Inn Cedar Bluff.
And so then I thought, you know
what, what's the next steps for me?
And I interviewed and got a
(02:16):
director of sales position
at the Holiday Inn downtown.
This is pre convention center.
So, we're dating back.
I'm dating myself now.
We're like 30 years ago.
So, crazy enough.
And, You know, I worked there
for a couple of years and then we
had a Hyatt Regency that set up
on the hill that was beautiful.
(02:36):
Triangle Hotel.
Yep.
Is that?
Yep.
Okay.
Triangle Congress Hotel
that is no longer a hotel.
So I went to Hyatt, worked there right
under four years and then transitioned
to the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
So back in 2001, this organization
was called the Knoxville
(02:56):
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Right after I started there, and
the reason I went there is because I
love Knoxville, and Hyatt was leaving
Knoxville, so they wanted me to leave with
them, and This was my home, and I was,
you know, dating my now husband at that
time, and I thought, you know what, what
better thing than to sell my, to my city,
(03:18):
you know, my destination to the world.
And so, I was with the CVB for
about 11 months before there was a
takeover by the sports corporation.
And they kind of merged the two entities,
got rid of a lot of people, but luckily
I was there to stay, and so we became the
Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation.
(03:39):
While we were KTSC, I moved up the
ranks to, you know, Director of Sales,
because I started as a sales manager.
And so then I was Director of
Sales, and I was Director of Sales
and Marketing, then I was VP.
And, you know, as the
world turns, so to speak.
And during that 10 years, I really, really
engaged in what made Knoxville so special.
(04:02):
And so when 2011 2012, uh, came about
and there was an opportunity that someone
needed to step up and change the vision,
change the voice of how you tell the
story of why you should visit Knoxville.
Um, I was ready to do that and in
2012, uh, I took the organization
(04:22):
through an RFI to an RFP.
To everything you could imagine to
rebirth it as Visit Knoxville and tell
the story differently, bring on an agency.
And now we're one of the
most robust standalone 501c3
nonprofits in the tourism space.
And so it's been a wild ride.
(04:43):
Uh, last year we just signed
on for another 10 years with
the city and the county.
So we're, uh, we're doing all right.
If that was kind of my intro
of, uh, How I came to be.
Julia Hurley (04:54):
Yeah, just, just a
short time span of 20 of two decades.
Short time span.
Kim Bumpas (05:00):
Dating myself just a little.
Julia Hurley (05:01):
Well, I don't even know if
people in Knoxville know that that used
to be a completely separate department.
I have, I remember the debate about
bringing the convention center in but I
was in college when that was happening
and I went to Maryville college.
So it was, It was a study for us
because, you know, Ruby Tuesdays was
on our campus, so we got to study that
(05:24):
side of the industry and the tourism
department that was going on in Knoxville.
Do you want a convention center?
Don't you want a convention center?
What's happening here?
We studied that, but we
didn't really experience it.
And so even I did not know that
that was part of the convention
center at the beginning.
So that is something to No, and you've
(05:44):
been, so this entire time, not only have
you had that, but you've had the Sunsphere
in your backyard for every job you have.
Yeah, so tell us about the Sunsphere
projects that you've had over
those, over that time, because it's
changed a lot with Visit Knoxville.
Kim Bumpas (05:58):
Definitely.
So the Sun Sphere, you know,
last year celebrated its 40th
anniversary because it was the 40th
anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair.
And a lot of people maybe don't
realize this, and I'm always
surprised that they don't, but the Sun
Sphere is Knoxville's Eiffel Tower.
It is Knoxville, Seattle, Space Needle.
(06:19):
Both of those are structures
that were built for World's Fairs
just like the Sun Sphere was.
So we, as Visit Knoxville, the CBB, the
city, the county, we've been telling
the story of the Sun Sphere for a long
time, but in a really different way.
And what I mean by that is since the
Sun Sphere was built back in 1982,
(06:40):
it was basically open for free.
It didn't really tell you a whole
bunch when you got up there, but
you could go up there, right?
And walk around in a circle and
kind of see out the windows.
Well, as VisitKnoxville, about 10 years
ago, we kind of renovated the observation
deck, but still let it run for free.
So I'm really excited to say
(07:01):
fast forward to right now.
We reopened the observation deck after
COVID on February 22nd of 2022, and we did
it where you would have to pay a nominal
fee of five dollars per adult to get up to
the SunSphere observation deck, and that
would go into a restricted SunSphere fund.
Well, since we've did that,
(07:23):
we've now welcomed over 79,
000 visitors representing all
50 states and 50 countries.
And we literally just announced, I mean
like, hot off the press, that we are
going to be painting the structure back
to its original blue Pantone color in
October before the end of the year and
(07:45):
then we are opening a visitor center at
the base of the Sun Sphere next year.
So really exciting stuff and as Visit
Knoxville, I'm Really, really happy and
pleased that we've finally gotten here.
This has been a labor of love that I've
been working on for about 10 years and
really had momentum to probably do this
(08:06):
in 2019, 2020, and then COVID happened.
And we ended up shutting
the whole structure down for
quite a bit of period of time.
And then, you know, our mayor's changed.
He kind of had to start the
whole conversation over again.
And now we're here.
And I'm just, I'm really
happy that it's happening.
(08:27):
It's, it's a big deal.
And, um, As someone who's a Knoxvillian,
even if I don't work at Visit Knoxville,
I'll be happy to say I played a
role in, in making this part happen.
Julia Hurley (08:40):
I lived in the Old City
in 2003, so I've watched downtown
Knoxville catapult and then fail,
and then catapult and then fail,
and then catapult and then fail.
And I feel like over just the last
10 years, it's been on a a correct
slow movement trajectory, not this
(09:01):
oh my god, we have to pour a ton of
money into it and then it just fails.
We have, you all have, and I mean
that, I don't say we as Knoxville,
your organization in the last decade
has very methodically moved Knoxville
in a different direction than we have.
Slowly as it should be and we are finally
starting to see the growth and the
(09:22):
attractiveness and what Knoxville, we all
knew because we were all from here, what
Knoxville had to offer this whole time.
How can you look, how are you looking back
on that and saying, okay, so over the last
decade we, we, we doing, we're doing it.
We're pushing that boulder up the hill.
We've still got a little
bit of a mountain to climb.
I mean, Knoxville is really and truly,
in my opinion, from the real estate side.
(09:42):
Just now booming, so we've got another
decade to pull up that hill before we can
safely say we've reached the pinnacle.
Where do you see that going, uh,
for Visit Knoxville and the Sports
Authority in the next decade?
Kim Bumpas (09:55):
Oh, I think the
sky's the limit right now.
I mean, I have watched us grow up
over the last 20 years, and as Visit
Knoxville, in the last 10, we have
finally put Knoxville on the map
as a premier getaway destination.
You know, we We're out there competing
for that leisure traveler that used to
just go to Asheville for the weekend.
(10:16):
Well, now they're coming to
Knoxville for the weekend because
we have all of the experiences that
now deliver on that expectation.
And a gift of COVID maybe, not that
I would ever say COVID, COVID was a
terrible thing, but There were a few
things that spun out of it that were
good for business in this, in the
(10:38):
relation of tourism because everyone
got shut down, but Knoxville, we have
so many outdoor friendly activities that
you can engage in that when everything
opened back up and it was safe to travel
again, Knoxville was top of mind because
we never went to Silent during COVID.
(10:58):
We always were telling the
story of why you should visit
Knoxville when the time was right.
And what happened is our
hotels were able to regroup.
And when we started to open back
up, we started driving right.
And, you know, I know people
say, Oh, I wish that was free.
And I wish we could do this for free.
But you know, a lot of time
(11:19):
visitors and think about yourself
as a visitor when you travel.
Sometimes people don't really value free.
They think, you know, where's the catch?
Or maybe that's not the
experience that I want.
I'd rather go do something where I had
to invest this level of monetary value
so that I receive that type of, you know,
(11:41):
reward back to me when I'm done with it.
That's really where Knoxville is.
We're driving right, the
hotels are delivering on that
expectation, the restaurants.
I mean, we have a phenomenal
amount of restaurants and James
Beard winning chefs in Knoxville,
Tennessee, that people don't realize.
(12:01):
Our attractions, they're bringing it.
I mean, we have the family food.
Friendly with Navitat to
the Hall of Fame to the zoo.
But then you also have all of
these historic homes that tell
the rich history that Knoxville,
Tennessee carries for everyone.
We have that opera.
We have a symphony.
We have so many things and that's
kind of like the secret, you know,
(12:24):
everyone's Knoxville's one big thing?
Well, Knoxville's one big thing.
Because we have a little bit of
everything that really, really
engages that leisure traveler.
And then you take that and you put
it on top of the base we already had
with conventions and sporting events.
Well, you just have a well
oiled machine now and everyone's
(12:45):
delivering on the experience.
So one of the big things we see
right now is repeat visitation.
Because if you come here for
that two to four night stay,
you can't get it all done.
So you're booking a second trip
because we're also a very, you know,
uh, economical value trip as well.
Even though we're driving right and,
(13:06):
you know, you can't come to Knoxville
anymore for that 80 bucks a night.
That's not gonna happen.
You know, we're pushing 150 on a weekday.
We're over 300 on the weekends.
But you know what?
You're getting a great
value for your investment.
And that's the story we're telling and
it's, it's a great place to be, but
we've worked really hard to get here.
Julia Hurley (13:26):
We all know that real
estate is location, location, location.
Our team at Just Homes Group,
Realty Executives, has the true
expertise, pairing buyers and
sellers with the right opportunities.
Whether you're looking to buy or sell a
home right here in Knoxville, Lenore City.
Clinton or Farragut.
(13:48):
We have the expertise throughout
every Knoxville surrounding area.
Call Just Homes Group
Realty Executives today.
So, I mean, just personally.
I mean my family, my first
family's of Tennessee.
My family founded the state.
We've been here forever and ever and ever.
And as, as I travel, I travel all
over the country coaching real
(14:08):
estate and coaching scripting and all
the things that I do on top of the
sales just in the Knoxville market.
I can't keep up with the growth.
I am having a hard time like, oh my
god, I missed that ribbon cutting.
Oh, that's new.
We've got to go there.
And now I've got a running list of got
to go here, got to try that, got it.
I have to now know in the know and visit
the, visit Knoxville's website every week
(14:30):
and be like, oh, I missed these openings.
This is new.
This is coming up.
How are How, what is the conversation like
for, let's say somebody who's not from
here, who doesn't know what's going on,
what would be your biggest recommendation
of a starter p of the Starter Pack?
, this is your starter.
Knoxville, say Mom,
dad, two kids and a dog.
Kim Bumpas (14:49):
Dog is a big deal.
That's a whole nother thing that,
uh, came out of Covid is people
wanna travel with their animals now.
And so one thing you'll be seeing
US launch very soon is a dog
documentary and it's gonna tell.
It's going to tell the story of
why you should visit Knoxville
through a dog's point of view.
(15:10):
And it's going to be, it's
going to be quite fantastic.
If you're a dog lover,
you're going to love it.
And we're not just all dogs.
So, I mean, we'll can, we'll welcome other
animals too, but, um, it is a big deal.
And, you know, to kind
of do that starter pack.
We really have something to offer in
every area of town, but what I think
(15:31):
does appeal to visitors a lot of times is
that downtown setting and the fact that
you can drive into Knoxville, Tennessee,
you can get into your hotel room, and
then you literally might never touch
your car again, because we have so many
dog friendly patios for your dining and
all of those experiences, nightlife.
(15:52):
Still has dog friendly.
We have all of these dog parks throughout
the entire county, but you know what?
You can drive in.
Get in your hotel.
Then you can walk down to the riverfront.
You can rent a stand up paddleboard
if you've left your dog.
I've seen some people take
their dogs on the paddleboards.
You never know.
It's my dog, not a candidate.
(16:14):
Not a candidate.
But if you've got that well trained dog
that can jump up on the paddleboard,
then you can paddle down to Iams, get
out there, you can rent a mountain
bike, go mountain biking, come back
to your paddleboard, come back to
downtown, Go out to eat, go out to
nightlife, check out a few attractions,
(16:34):
all without ever touching your car.
And that is a big deal to
a lot of visitors, but then
we also have the outskirts.
You know, you can drive into West
Knoxville, you can go to the Farrakhan
Folklife Museum, there's all kinds
of activities in that part of town.
South is growing with all Baker Creek,
Devil's Racetrack, you know, North has
(16:57):
amazing, uh, concepts too, and now with
the new multi purpose stadium, East
Knoxville is booming, so That's a little
bit more than just your starter pack, but
I definitely want to hit all the areas
because really it's up to the visitor.
What drives them?
What is the activity that they want?
And then they can build everything
(17:19):
around that at visitknoxville.
com.
It's uh, there's just so much to do.
Julia Hurley (17:23):
There's so few places
that I have visited and we, I
mean, we visited everywhere that
has the word visit in front of it.
Visit Seattle, visit Houston, visit,
we do, we did then visit Asheville.
We try to go and.
As a group, as a family, sometimes it's
just Joe and I, sometimes we take the
kids, sometimes we take the dog, and
kind of see what other areas have to
offer on the coaching trips that I have.
(17:43):
And Visit Knoxville, still hands
down, and I am, I am trying hard
not to be biased when I compare it.
But still, Visit Knoxville, hands down,
has the most diverse ability to offer
all things regardless of the trip.
And I think that's something that
a lot of people in the nation don't
understand when they, when they come
(18:05):
here to visit to make that package deal.
How close we are to Dollywood and
the Great Smoky Mountains, and you
don't even have to do those things.
Like you said, you can stay in Knoxville
and do all the outdoor activities.
events, uh, and, and the
affordability of everything.
How has that changed in the last
20 years and where is it going?
Kim Bumpas (18:25):
Oh, it's, uh, it's night and
day from the last 20 years, you know, I
mean, We've had record tourism numbers.
You know, 2019 was a great year for
Knoxville, Tennessee, and I think 2020
was going to be awesome, but then COVID
happened and ever since we've come out
of COVID, I mean, 21 was a great rebound
(18:46):
from 19, but then 22 was record highs,
like the highest numbers in tourism in the
history of Knoxville and 23 is beating 22.
So, you know, there's no point in my.
The way I look at things, I
don't ever really look back.
Like, we're destroying the past,
but our destination's grown, and
we have so much more to offer.
(19:07):
So, I always look forward,
and where is that taking us?
And like I said, the sky
truly is the limit right now.
Like, we don't even know, What we don't
know until we know it and that is truly
happening because let's think about this.
We have a multi purpose stadium with what
will now be called the Knoxville Smokies
(19:28):
and the One Knox Soccer Club converging
in 2025, which is going to bring all
kinds of new development around that
space and that's going to be exciting.
We have new hotels that are still
popping up downtown as I said.
And South Knoxville, we have just
scratched the surface on what the urban
(19:48):
wilderness is truly going to grow into.
It has a great base, but
it's not even close to done.
And so I think as you, you just take all
of that and then like the excitement's
just getting ahead of me, but if you
take all of that and you put it with
the messaging and how Visit Knoxville is
marketing this destination and telling the
story of why you should visit Knoxville,
(20:10):
It's just going to mean increased tourism
numbers, which when tourists come to your
destination, you need to celebrate that,
especially in a sales tax driven state
like the state of Tennessee, because
all of those people are visiting us from
all over the world, they're spending
their money and they're going back home.
So all of that money can go into,
(20:31):
you know, enhancing the resources
for all of us that live here.
And that is a big deal.
And that's why tourism is the number two.
You know, industry in the state
of Tennessee and Knoxville is
holding its own as a county.
You know, we are the fourth driving
county in this state, only behind
Memphis and Nashville and Sevier.
(20:51):
So, it's a big deal and telling the
story of East Tennessee, I truly believe.
means telling the story of the state
because the way we market the state is the
soundtrack of America made in Tennessee.
Well, that soundtrack has music,
scenic beauty, and history.
Well, where do you find
all three of those?
(21:12):
And the one caveat there is scenic
beauty, and obviously music was implied.
So, you know, I think That's why East
Tennessee helps drive that message.
And as was in Knoxville, in Knoxville,
you know, I have a passion, um,
competitive to a fault and, you
know, I want us to be the best and.
(21:34):
There's so many more things that we'll
be announcing in the coming months,
but you know, the Sun Sphere truly
shows you how we're collecting the
data and how we're telling that story.
Julia Hurley (21:43):
I can't believe that.
I mean, I can believe it, but
I can't believe what he said
that many people had visited.
I was like, what?
Really?
I say that with surprise.
Because whenever we go downtown,
it's still, I mean, it used to
be a 15 minute drive, but in all
fairness, it's a 30 minute drive.
It's a 30 minute drive from where
we are, one county over, and I'm,
(22:04):
I'm like, way over in one county.
It's a 30 minute drive, I still
don't feel overwhelmed, I can still
get into a restaurant with a 15
minute wait on a Saturday night.
And we have, we have so many
people visiting that it still seems
so intimate and accessible and
affordable and conversational and
local.
I still run into people that
(22:26):
I went to college with, I won't say
how long, 25 years ago, 25 years ago,
and we still see each other at the
tailgates, we still see each other at
Calhoun's, Everywhere you go, you see
someone local that you've met previously
before or knew, and yet we have a
million people visiting basically a
month and saying, hey, Knoxville's my
place, and I still feel like I can go
(22:46):
anywhere that I need to go quickly.
And that is the gift, I think, that
Knoxville brings to the table and
the associations where you don't
feel like you're at Disney, I guess.
You're just packed in for an experience.
It's still an open experience
because there's so much to
have that it's spread out.
It's a big, small town.
So, this episode will probably
(23:09):
air in about three months, right?
So, we have about six We've done and
I'm going to say that to say this.
Is there anything that you
can tell us might be coming?
Kim Bumpas (23:22):
I can't tell all the secrets.
Um, but you know, I mean
we are launching a new.
Film Festival in November.
Yeah, Film Fest Knox will be,
uh, November 9th through the
12th, and that will be exciting.
I don't know, I may be talking
about this a little bit after we've
already done it, but it is something
(23:43):
that's going to be an annual event.
We're partnered with Regal Riviera
downtown, so it's a great way to think
about why you should visit Knoxville.
I mean, as Visit Knoxville, the
organization, you know, we have The
Sports Commission under our umbrella, the
Film Office under our umbrella, we have
a housing agency, we have four tractor
trailers with all of the premier sport
(24:05):
court, basketball, and volleyball systems
in the Southeast, so we're very robust,
but the Film Festival, Film Fest Knox,
is a way we're going to help tell that
story to producers on why you should
use Knoxville as your next location, and
Uh, we'll have a new and revised Tour
Delights in December, which will also
(24:27):
be fun, which is a lighted bike ride,
and that really helps continue to tell
the message of how bike friendly we are.
We did say farewell to USA Cycling
in 2023, and they'll be gone
for about five years, but we'll
hopefully have them back one day.
We had them for seven, which was a
great one, but we've already announced.
(24:49):
And we're excited that we'll
be hosting USA Diving Olympic
Trials next June in Knoxville.
So, that is, I'm excited because
that's an inside event in June versus
running USA cycling in the heat.
So, I'm excited for that reprieve and You
know, we just have so many more things.
(25:10):
And like I said, there'll be more
information coming next year about the
visitor center build out at the Sun
Sphere, but there's so many reasons why
you should visit Knoxville and, you know,
just keep checking out visit knoxville.
com and our event calendar is the
most robust in the, in the town.
So, uh, that's a great way to
(25:30):
learn about all the new things.
Julia Hurley (25:32):
How do you feel that
Knoxville has grown, and how can
it grow more in retaining younger
talent to stay when they graduate?
We have, what, 48, 43 to 48 thousand
young people that graduate every
year, or are on campus every year.
And they usually leave and
(25:53):
they mostly always come back.
They go, well, Knoxville was
the best place I'll come back.
How do we keep 'em here?
What are we doing to build out things
to retain them as employee employees?
And what are we doing in the future?
Because visit Knoxville from where
we are looking on the outside in is
one of the most future and forward
thinking organizations and more younger.
People coming in with their
(26:14):
big ideas that we embrace and
we're like, that sounds great.
Let's go.
So what can we do and what are we
doing to embrace younger people to
stay and build their futures here?
Kim Bumpas (26:23):
I think as I can answer that
as Visit Knoxville, you know, and I think
The big ways that we entice a lot of
people to stay is through our internships
and through showing them how to volunteer
and get connected with the community.
I think a lot of people that leave
Knoxville when they're young, it's truly
because they didn't know how to get the
(26:43):
information that inspires them to stay.
And because we have everything
that they're looking for.
They just don't know how to get
to that information, and they're
misinformed sometimes, because
we are in the age of information
overload, especially for our youth.
So, they're like, oh, well, Atlanta
(27:05):
has everything, but it's only because
they didn't look for that in Knoxville.
It's here.
It just might not be as forward facing
sometimes because we do have so much
going on and I do think one of the big
things that we focused on through some
of our concert, uh, partnerships is
just enhancing that variety of who we're
(27:26):
recruiting and what does that look like
and trying to partner up and tell the
story so that an artist didn't come and
go from Knoxville and some people didn't
know about it, you know what I mean?
I truly think it's just getting
that information out there.
As far as jobs in the tourism
sector, there's plenty of them.
But whether that's what, you know, people
(27:48):
coming out of college want or not, you
know, now we have a whole hospitality
and tourism major, so that's exciting.
People are really, Majoring and
wanting to learn how to work
in a hotel or a restaurant or
anything that's hospitality driven.
But for me personally, you know, I
have a lot of, you know, mentees,
(28:08):
so to speak, and leadership,
Knoxville and some other things,
and I just try to show them the fun.
People want to live where they
consider it fun, and whether you
like it, or you don't like it, or you
agree with it, or you don't, people
take their own backyard for granted.
They take where they grew up
for granted, and they take where
(28:29):
they went to college for granted.
And the reason they do that is because the
grass is always greener on the other side.
And then we see they jump over there and
then they're always jumping right back.
It wasn't greener over there.
And so I just try to go ahead and open
their eyes to that and say, you know what?
(28:49):
Sometimes you do have to experience
for yourself to understand, but if you
don't want to do it the hard way, then
just go right here and look and engage
and go to Volunteer East Tennessee.
Volunteer for these events and you'll see.
what Knoxville has to offer and you
will see how awesome Knoxville truly is.
I mean, that's the gift of my job.
(29:11):
I get to be reminded how awesome Knoxville
is every single day because I look at
Knoxville from the eyes of a visitor and
from the eyes of the visitor, Knoxville
has everything that you need right here.
So, the folks that are here right now,
you need to hunker down and stay because,
you know, one day somebody's going to
bounce and want to bounce back and there's
(29:31):
nothing there for them to get into.
So, You know, if you're at UT right
now, there's a reason to stay.
There truly is.
Julia Hurley (29:40):
Where can people
find information on internships
and volunteer opportunities?
Kim Bumpas (29:44):
Go 100 percent to VisitNoxel.
com, go to About Us, and then you'll
figure out everything you need to know.
How to volunteer, how to engage, if
VisitNoxel has any job openings, and
then I'll also give you other resources.
I also think, You know, checking
out what the Knoxville Chamber has
to offer is also a good resource.
(30:05):
And then, you know, if you're in school
and you're listening to this, engage
with your advisors and your teachers.
They know how to find us.
You know, I'm pretty sure all you
have to do is Google my name and
you can get my email and cell phone
number quite easily, so feel free.
Julia Hurley (30:21):
And everybody in the
nation that's listening, where's
the best place for them to start
looking at Knoxville for vacations?
Kim Bumpas (30:27):
Visit Knoxville.
com.
100%.
You can even build your
itinerary right there.
Julia Hurley (30:33):
Well, that's exciting.
I'm gonna fake do that and
just see what it tells me to
do that I haven't already done.
I
mean, the best place for me to go to.
We've actually hit our time
limit and we didn't even get
to the fire round.
We'll have to do another episode
and just base it on you and
everything else that's going on.
Kim, thank you for taking your time today.
Thank you for teaching us
(30:53):
all about Visit Knoxville.
Everybody in the nation, if
you have not visited Knoxville,
Tennessee, you are missing out
because it's the only 10 you'll
see every time.
Crack myself up with that joke.
Kim, I
appreciate you so much.
Thank you very much.
Everybody, thank you so much for visiting.
You've listened to another
(31:14):
episode of Connect the Knox.
I'm your host, Julia Hurley, and today's
guest was Kim Bumpus of Visit Knoxville.
Thank you.
Kim Bumpas (31:22):
Thanks, appreciate it.
Julia Hurley (31:23):
Thank you
for tuning into the show.
Make sure to like and subscribe.
Leave a five star review on
your podcast player of choice.
And if you would like
information on moving
to Knoxville, send me a private message.
As always, this is Julia
Hurley, Connecting Knoxville.
To the nation.
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