In 2016, the Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIFund) partnered with the Hatfield McCoy Trail Authority and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Southern) to drive recreational tourism development in the coalfields of southern West Virginia. Through ARC POWER funding, the partners launched a revolving loan…

Extending our Welcome uses qualitative and quantitative research to assess the history of tourism in Appalachia and make recommendations for communities looking to employ it as an economic strategy. The report also provides 12 community and establishment profiles from eight Appalachian states as a source of best practices. Though…

Eastern Kentucky’s Red River Gorge spans four counties and is known locally for its natural beauty, biologic diversity, and fantastic rock climbing, hiking, and camping. An estimated 7,500 climbers visit the gorge annually, which generates a $3.6 million impact on the regional economy. However, the park is undercapitalized, and there…