NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- With the unemployment rate up to 10 percent in Tennessee and nationwide, many are wondering when the economy will start to turn around.

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Nashville's tourism industry has taken a hit during the recession, but that might be changing.

While tourism numbers were down the first couple months of the new fiscal year about 10-12 percent from the year before, things are starting to turn around.

"The city's been running on all cylinders the past four weeks solid," said Butch Spyridon of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

According to September statistics compiled by Smith Travel Research, Nashville was the best-performing city in the top 25 markets.

"October looks like some hotels are up. Some are down slightly. We're beginning to see that movement where there's a more solid base of business," said Spyridon.

There is constant work trying to bring people and their money to town, including a special new event at the end of the year.

"We will create a new New Year's Eve event that's a free street concert. Details to be coming, but we're going to give the city one more event, sell more rooms, create more activity and more awareness," said Spyridon. "We expect business to be better, and it's going to be."

Convention and Visitors Bureau officials are also headed to Chicago next month to recruit 120 businesses and groups to visit Nashville.