Sticker Targets Timeshare Sales

Upon request, visitors will receive "Thank you, I've already been asked" stickers from businesses which are members of the Chamber of Commerce.

According to Vickie Simms, executive director of the chamber, visitors frequently complain to the chamber about the "repetitiveness and behavior" of timeshare sales people who solicit on the streets.

"This is an attempt to alert the acquisition agents of the visitors' lack of interest in the offer which they are making. The purpose of this sticker is not to discourage the visitors from electing to tour a timeshare company but to prevent the same visitor from being bombarded by offerings as they walk down the street," said Simms.

Simms stated that Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce realizes that timeshares offer an affordable vacation alternative for many, and that they "continue to contribute to the growth of Gatlinburg, but the continual offering of these promotions by off-premise contacts on the streets of Gatlinburg can often lead to a bad experience for our visitors."

The hope, said Simms, is that the program will alleviate the complaints and provide visitors to this area the awareness that the city of Gatlinburg and the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce are working diligently to resolve this issue.

"It is the hope of the chamber that those soliciting on the streets of Gatlinburg will acknowledge the visitors' wish to enjoy the streets of the city by avoiding those who wear the sticker. As the tourism industry is the lifeline of the business community, it is the chamber's goal to provide our visitors with the most gratifying and memorable experience possible," said Simms.