GATLINBURG, Tenn. — Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Chad Netherland said tourism is down about 4% this year in Gatlinburg.

"Most of it's economic related. A lot of people took cruises and things that they knew that they could get the most for their money for," Netherland said.

It's led business owners like Karen Bentz of Annakeesta to find different ways to bring people to the area.

"Right now we're doing a Bavarian event, so we've kind of coined the term Bavarian, but we've turned it into BEAR," Bentz said. "You know nature at the top of the mountain and and then we've combined that again with the food tasting experience."

During Thursday's annual monthly meeting with the visitors bureau, Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty stopped by. He's the first-ever U.S. Senator to

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