TUNKHANNOCK — To promote tourism, Gov. Tom Corbett launched a three-day kayaking trip Wednesday from the gateway to northeast Pennsylvania’s “Endless Mountains” region, where conflicts between tourists looking for relaxation and energy companies drilling for natural gas are increasingly common.

Corbett, accompanied by a kayak-paddling entourage of people from several state agencies, planned to meet with regional tourism officials in Tunkhannock over lunch. Later in the day, they were to join Corbett for a tour of the 96-year-old Tunkhannock Viaduct — the world’s largest poured-concrete railroad bridge.

Although a spokeswoman said Corbett had no plans to focus on natural-gas drilling issues on his trip, the subject appeared likely to come up.

It’s “a hot topic,” said Jean Gasper, executive director of the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau, who planned to attend the meeting with Corbett along with the bureau’s board members.

Gasper said one of her top concerns is the steady decline in state funding for tourism promotion. She said her own agency is receiving no state money this year.

“It’s unfortunate that we can’t promote Pennsylvania as a destination as a state,” she said.

Gasper acknowledged that the boom in gas drilling in the region has created problems. An influx of workers hired during the construction phase has made hotel rooms harder to find, drilling company trucks have clogged traffic in many areas and the construction of the wells and pipelines have left unsightly gaps in the forest.

On the other hand, five new hotels have been or are in the process of being built, and existing hotels are being improved and expanded. Restaurants and stores are staying open longer.

As for the construction areas, “in a year, that’s going to be all green again,” Gasper said.

The companies also have improved some local roads and contribute to community organizations, she said. “It’s helping the whole area.”

The Endless Mountains region takes in four counties — Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming.