The Powell County Tourism Commission (PCTC) had an extremely busy and successful 2025, so we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of what we’ve been up to. We welcomed almost 55,000 visitors inside the Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade! For reference, that number is up from 35,000 in 2024. Also for reference, our visitor numbers inside our Visitor Center are almost as much as the downtown Louisville visitor center. We try to get as many of our tourists through our doors so that we can provide them with maps and area information to help them enjoy their experience here in Powell County and the RRG region.
PCTC also hosted its first ever Kentucky Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (KACVB) conference here in Powell County at Natural Bridge State Resort Park in June. This was the first time this conference has ever been held in Powell County, and we were very proud of that. It was also the highest attended KACVB for the year, and the conference with the highest direct economic impact of more than $22,000 for the 3-day meeting.
PCTC Executive Director Pete Fingerson was also asked by the Kentucky Department of Tourism to join them in New York City for a media mission in September. In NYC they hosted and met with numerous media and journalism people to discuss all things Powell Co, Red River Gorge, and Kentucky. Pete was also interviewed 9 other times from various media outlets on a variety of topics. He was also on the panel for the first ever Powell County Legislative Update in July. Pete also traveled to Frankfort with Powell County Judge Executive Eddie Barnes to testify in front of the Tourism, Small Business, and IT Joint Interim Subcommittee. This was also a major milestone given the fact that it was the first time in over 60 years that Powell County was on the agenda and able to testify in front of the General Assembly. Pete and Judge Barnes were giving a tourism update and seeking funding for various infrastructure needs throughout Powell County.
Through the PCTC grants and sponsorships budget, they were able to grant more than $50,000 to over 30 different local organizations. These grants help support local events that drive economic impact and overnight visitation in the county. Jack Tolson also graciously donated walking sticks throughout the year and PCTC was able to collect more than $4,300 in donations for the Friends of Powell County Pets and the Powell County Animal Shelter.
The Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade also saw a lot of change. First being the name change from the Slade Welcome Center to the RRG Visitor Center at Slade. PCTC also had a lot of concrete work done including a new walking path from the rest area parking lot to our sidewalk, an extended trash can pad, and a new pad for a storage outbuilding. The entire building also got pressure washed and stained by local Powell Countian Mike Sparks and crew. PCTC also worked with Mountain Association and local Wolfe County based solar company Appalachian EnergyWorks to get a 22.5kw solar panel system and 2 level 2 EV chargers installed. This made PCTC the first and only tourism commission in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to become net zero in terms of energy consumption. While the EV Chargers are free to use, donations are accepted for the Powell County Search and Rescue Team (more than $200 in donations have been collected so far.)
As you can see, the PCTC has been busy! Hopefully you are seeing our new logo around as well. While our website is still GOPOCO.ORG (short for GO POwell COunty), we thought a new and updated logo would help us revamp things. We appreciate the community support and can’t wait to see what 2026 unfolds! If you’ve never been inside the RRG Visitor Center at Slade, come say hi and see what we’re up to!
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