More than 80 Kentucky counties to benefit from $2M in tourism funding
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday that tourism organizations in over 80 Kentucky counties will benefit from $2 million in funding.
The funds are available thanks to the Regional Marketing and Matching Funds Program, officials say. The program provides local tourism organizations with financial assistance to support marketing.
“Kentucky’s $13.8 billion tourism industry is essential to our economic success, helping create vibrant communities that people love to visit and call home,” Beshear said. “This program helps tourism organizations by providing the marketing resources needed to showcase our commonwealth’s unique experiences and rich heritage, which will bring even more visitors to our New Kentucky Home.”
The breakdown of funding by region is as follows:
- $574,956 – Louisville Lincoln Region
- $361,123 – Bluegrass Region
- $257,969 – Western Waterland Region
- $233,048 – Northern Kentucky Tourism Region
- $197,775 – Cave Region
- $104,341 – Eastern Highlands South Region
- $98,094 – Green River Region
- $96,675 – Southern Kentucky Region
- $76,019 – Eastern Kentucky North Region
“The Kentucky Department of Tourism’s Matching Funds Program has helped further our access to new visitor markets and keep up with emerging trends in our industry. We are able to entice more visitation to our region, thereby increasing local economic impact from tourists,” said Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Sherry Murphy. “From small business-owners to restaurant entrepreneurs, the more visitors we can bring into our area, the more support is given to these important, community-building businesses. Tourism in Kentucky has become a positive and necessary building block for our state and region development.”
This funding can help organizations like the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to attract travelers and show attractions across Kentucky.
