GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — When you go on vacation, one way to make your money go further is to stay somewhere near a major city, but not in it. Perhaps a smaller town, a few miles away, and now there's an effort to do just that in Gallatin.
"Thank you for calling the Sleep Inn and Suites in Gallatin. How may I help you?" asked Viral Patel, manager of the Sleep Inn and Suites and Quality Inn in Gallatin.
It's a question he's asked many times from childhood to the present.
"I grew up in the hotel industry, I would say it's in my blood," Patel said. His family has owned several hotels in Nashville and around middle Tennessee.
Depending on traffic, his hotels are around 30 to 40 minutes from downtown Nashville, but many of his customers make the drive on their visit to the mid-state.
"45, 50, maybe 60 percent of guests that do stay here in Gallatin and any of the hotels, the majority of them are here to visit Nashville,” Patel said.
While room prices can fluctuate depending on many factors, Patel said rates in Gallatin are usually much lower than in downtown Nashville. City reps are making the push for more travelers to make Gallatin their home base after a visit to the area.
“Why don't you spend the day in Nashville, hang out, and then come back to Gallatin and stay with us, maybe get dinner,” said Jenna Landstrom, the City of Gallatin's Tourism and Marketing Director.
According to Landstrom, communities like Gallatin are in a unique position, being so close to Music City. "We really do have Nashville to thank for a lot of the visitors coming into our city,” Landstrom said.
Although more visitors could make Gallatin busier, Landstrom said tourism dollars add to their tax base and save local households around $300 per year.
The slightly slower pace and quaint features in Gallatin could appeal to some travelers. “We have a beautiful, adorable, historic town square,” Landstrom said.
Staying in the suburbs may not be for everyone, but both Landstrom and Patel think it has plenty of appeal.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
If you have young athlete in the house, make sure they watch this story from Steve Layman. Maya Johnson didn't just overcome an obstacle -- she kicked it in the teeth and sent it packing! What a great example of perseverance and fighting for what you love.
- Carrie Sharp
