More than 50,000 votes poured into the 8th Annual Top Adventure Towns Contest over a six week period. The Blue Ridge Outdoors team chose Johnson City as one of 55 adventure hubs across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic to participate in the contest. The contenders spanned small towns to large cities. Readers, followers and residents voted for the Top Adventure Town narrowing it down to winners in three categories – small, medium and large destinations. Johnson City won Top Adventure Town in the medium-sized town category. “We sometimes take for granted all the outdoor opportunities we have right in our backyard,” said Chamber of Commerce Chairman Andy Dietrich, “it’s nice to see our region recognized on this level for all our assets.”
Brenda Whitson, the Executive Director for the Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she’s excited to see what this recognition will do for tourism in Johnson City. “We’re seeing more and more visitors coming to take advantage of our outdoor adventures and this article will continue to boost those numbers,” Whitson said, “Whether it’s a day trip or a weekend away, folks are using the Tweetsie Trail, hiking Buffalo Mountain or nearby Roan and Unaka, biking on our trails and using our lakes and rivers to fish and raft. It’s exciting to see our community showcased as the Top Adventure Town we know it is!”The Top Adventure Town article featuring Johnson City will be published in the October issue of Blue Ridge Outdoors. For 23 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors has been the authoritative guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Distributed every month from Baltimore to Atlanta with a readership of more than 358,000 and total circulation of 110,000.