Traffic in Pigeon Forge is already bumper to bumper for the 4th of July week. (Source: Kyle Grainger)

SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT)-- Businesses in Sevier County have added staff and told others they'll have longer shifts this week to meet demand for visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains. Several hotels in the area report 100% occupancy and others expect to be full this weekend.

In Gatlinburg, tourism leaders there say they're on target to have the 8th straight month for improvements in tourism lodging revenue. Vicki Simms, Interim Executive Director of the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, says they expect 100,000 people to pack the streets on Tuesday for the country's first 4th of July Parade, at midnight.

"It's been going on since 1976 and we're really excited about it, people will come out 5, 6 o'clock in the morning and start putting out their chairs along the parkway, people get excited," Simms said.

In Sevierville, positive news in lodging revenue for the month of May. Records show an 18% increase in revenue over last may, with a year to date improvement of more than 20%.