About the Project

LEDC will lead the development of an Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tourism Initiative that is focused on cultural heritage tourism and the Underground Railroad in partnership with tourism boards/convention & visitors bureaus, community groups like a local NAACP chapter, historic Black churches, institutions of higher education, local Black history museums, and other committed entities.

The Initiative has four components:

1. OUR CULTURAL AND HERITAGE ASSETS: Promote the targeted region as a destination for historical tourism via the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
2. OUR WORKFORCE: Enhance the hospitality sector workforce
3. OUR ENTREPRENEURS: Encourage new business development to create new opportunities and employment, with programming by the ECDI Women’s Business Center of Central Appalachia.
4. OUR REGIONAL PRESENCE & ANALYTICS: Create and deploy a common digital presence to analyze virtual and physical visitor traffic and promote regional tourism assets