Tennessee’s Pigeon Forge Tourism Department Laughs At Gas Prices, Tickles Guests With ‘Great Gas Giveaway, The Sequel’

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (June 2007) -As North America’s gas prices continue to aggravate leisure travelers, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is having fun with the situation for the second summer in a row.

The resort town’s Great Gas Giveaway, The Sequel, is underway, putting members of the Pigeon Forge Gas Patrol on the streets giving away $30 gasoline gift certificates on a totally random basis.

“Prices have moderated in recent weeks, but gas remains an issue. We can’t change the price at the pump, but we can reward some of our guests with gas for the trip home and a good story to tell when they get there,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

In addition to $30 of free gas, winners also receive bonus gifts from several local businesses. Examples are theater tickets, admission to go-kart tracks, rounds of miniature golf and the opportunity to try indoor skydiving at an attraction called Flyaway.

“Pigeon Forge is a place for family fun, especially in summer, and we’re doing our best to give guests a special treat,” Downey said.

Bright red T-shirts are the uniform for members of the Gas Patrol, and they can pop up anyplace in this little town of 5,400 permanent residents and 11 million guests per year.

The breakfast rooms of the city’s many hotels are popular haunts for Gas Patrol members, as are the city’s six outlet malls and the numerous attractions dotted along the Parkway, a five-mile-long route that cuts through the middle of town.

The official Pigeon Forge Welcome Center is the only guaranteed distribution location. Random times are picked every morning, and winners are determined by whoever enters the building at the appointed times.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Welcome Center information specialist Ken Martin. “It’s like winning the lottery without buying a ticket.”

Even more gas gift certificates are given away through an online game at the city’s information Web site, www.MyPigeonForge.com

Last year’s Pigeon Forge Great Gas Giveaway had winners from more than half of the states in the nation, plus international winners from Canada and the United Kingdom.

Pigeon Forge’s primary visitor markets are mostly within 350 miles, but winners came from as far away at California, Minnesota and New York.

“This is so random that there’s no telling from where all we’ll have winners by the end of the summer. It’s a load of fun,” Downey said.

Even if you don’t win a gas certificate, the tourism department publishes a list of ways to economize while in town.

Among the tips are a way to get two days at the Dollywood theme park for the price of one, information about combination discounts for theater tickets and the suggestion of parking your car and using the city’s trolley system for in-town transportation. Fifty cents per trolley ride is a bargain considering current gas prices.

Complete visitor information is available online at www.MyPigeonForge.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-251-9100.

June 30, 2007   Posted in: United States South