The Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails (KAHT) Project, launched last year at EKU, is expanding to include 12 additional counties in Southeastern Kentucky.

The pilot project, developed and maintained by the Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CEDET) at EKU, spotlights cultural heritage tourism opportunities in Madison, Estill, Jackson and Rockcastle counties. A $183,362 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) plus matching funds from EKU, the Kentucky Craft Marketing Programs and private sources, will add Bell, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Knox, Letcher, Laurel, Leslie, Perry, Pike and Owsley counties.

Eleven of the 12 counties are classified by the ARC as "economically distressed," but there are several promising projects related to cultural heritage tourism, including the new Kentucky Appalachian Artisan Center and Kentucky College of Craft in Hindman, the US 23 Country Music Highway project, community development efforts in Harlan County focusing on the area's mining heritage, and the "Get Ready, Company's Coming" tourism promotion in eastern and southern Kentucky.

Three informational meetings are scheduled throughout the region in November to explain the project to interested businesses and individuals:

* Pikeville, Thursday, Nov. 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Pikeville College Community Technology Center.

* Corbin, Monday, Nov. 11, 6-8 p.m., Corbin High School.

* Hazard, Monday, Nov. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center, located in the new Hal Rogers Center adjacent to Hazard High School.

"Participants will learn more about cultural-heritage tourists and how regional clusters can create appeal and draw tourists into the area," said Cheryl Moorhead Stone, director of CEDET. "We'll also discuss program requirements."

The project web site, www.kaht.net, is designed to attract visitors, enhance community and economic development and create jobs by showcasing via interactive online maps and web pages the area's natural scenery; craft shops; galleries and artists' studios, historic sites, homes and businesses; bed and breakfast operations; antique shops; regional restaurants; festivals and community celebrations; and other potential tourist attractions.

"Cultural heritage tourists are interested in shorter trips within a day's drive and in experiencing authentic culture," Stone said. "We're giving people the ability to self-select the types of attractions they'd like to visit in Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky.

"We think this one-stop shop approach to cultural heritage tourism will result in increases
in customers and sales and, ultimately, create new jobs."

Most of the businesses that will participate in the project do not currently have a Web presence. "That's very important," Stone said, "because the future of business is linked to the Internet, whether we're talking about developing a customized driving tour or marketing."

Stone expects the additional counties to be online by the end of 2003, "but our ultimate goal is to have all of Eastern Kentucky represented and eventually the entire Commonwealth."

The design of the web site allows users to group participating businesses by product line and location. Each participant in the project will be featured on its own basic web site based on a provided template, and can link to an existing, more detailed site. Despite minimal advertising, the KAHT site is averaging about 300 "hits" a month.

Inclusion on the KAHT web site is free; the only cost to participants is a small sign that must be displayed for identification purposes and a business home page using a provided template.

Cultural tourism in the region will receive an additional boost when the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea opens next year. The facility, under construction off Interstate 75 at Exit 77, is expected to open in July 2003.

"The Artisan Center will be both a destination and a gateway," Stone said. "Its mission includes promoting an interest in the public in traveling into this and other regions of the state to experience our culture."

A KAHT kiosk is housed in the Berea Welcome Center in the city's old train depot.
Businesses and individuals interested in learning more about the project may call 859-622-2334.