The Bourbon Trail and adventure tourism are being credited with boosting Kentucky’s tourism numbers over the past year.
Figures released by the state show a two-point-six percent increase in tourism dollars over the last year, bringing the total economic impact to 12-and-a-half billion dollars.
Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Bob Stewart also says the number of industry conventions and business meetings are also on the rise.
“That mirrors what’s going on nationally as well. Meetings and conventions, which had really fallen off after 2008 and the economic downturn that everyone experienced, I think we’re coming out of that and we’ve seen a bit of an uptick in meetings and conventions around the state,” said Stewart.
Stewart adds that the number of jobs dependent on visitors is actually a lot more than expected.
“We think about the front-line folks, but there are lots of other jobs. People who are involved in marketing, people who are involved in management of business and attractions and so-forth. It really does ripple through the economy,” adds Stewart.
Stewart says building and maintaining top-notch convention centers is important because they are often the first impression people have of Kentucky.
