 |
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
COVER STORY - April 2002 by Claude Hammond
As commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Travel, Bob Stewart is convinced he has the best job in the world. “I represent the seventh generation of my family in this state,” Stewart explained, “and love to brag about the abundance of natural and cultural wealth in our Commonwealth.” The commissioner also isn’t shy about the abundance of financial wealth that tourism creates in Kentucky.
More than most other industries, the attacks of 9/11 affected tourism dramatically, Stewart noted. “Usually, we’re an industry that’s taken for granted. It’s terrible that it took a catastrophe like that to show tourism’s importance. Fortunately Kentucky didn’t suffer as much as other destinations, but tourism was down in 2001.” Despite setbacks resulting from last year’s economic downturn and terrorist attacks, Stewart said the outlook for Kentucky tourism this year is optimistic. “Research suggests that people are traveling again, but are staying closer to home and traveling by car when they do travel. That’s good for Kentucky, because we’re primarily a ‘drive state.’” The new marketing campaign utilized by the state’s Department of Travel uses the phrase, “Kentucky – It’s that Friendly,” in conjunction with catchy graphics and photos illustrating the state’s welcoming nature. “We did focus groups of out-of-state visitors and asked them what attracted them to our state,” Stewart said. “Over and over again, they told us that it is the warm friendliness and hospitality of our people.” “It’s a really great branding and positioning that everybody feels good about,” Stewart stated. “We want this trademark phrase to be up there with ‘I Love NY’ and ‘Virginia is for Lovers.’ Those are the two best-known ad phrases in this industry.”
The Department of Travel’s first major in-state promotion was the distribution of tens of thousands of packets of tourist information, called “Kentucky Host Kits” in partnership with the Kroger retail grocery chain. The kits contained information on top Kentucky destinations, along with a coupon book that amounted to $1500 in savings for travelers. The Kentucky Host Kits are already creating a response. “I’ve heard from a pretty good source that Shaker Village already had people showing up with their Kroger plus card and coupons in their hands – we’re starting to hear anecdotal stories of some good results,” Stewart said. The Department of Travel has a long experience with success in promoting travel in Kentucky. “For every dollar we’re spending in advertising, more than $30 is returned to state businesses,” Stewart said. “The Internet has been the big reason for this impressive figure. People are getting more information from the Internet than ever and we’re distributing booklets in a different way as a result.” Along with traditional attractions, such as Land Between the Lakes and Mammoth Cave National Park (the first and second top tourist draws in Kentucky), new developments are bringing in hundreds of thousands of new visitors to the Commonwealth. A decade ago, few would have envisioned Northern Kentucky as a tourist destination. But entrepreneurs and foresighted businesspeople have helped the area shake its reputation as a suburb of Cincinnati.
“Kentucky Speedway is putting our state on the NASCAR circuit in a way we’ve never been before,” said Stewart. “Every summer, there are more racing events there, helping to draw a whole new niche of visitor.” According to Mark Cassis, vice president of Kentucky Speedway, the area’s response to his company’s state-of-the-art facility has been incredible. “Last June we sold out at 77,338 racing fans,” he said. “And that was a Greater Cincinnati sports attendance record.” Having 66,000 seats, Kentucky Speedway has sold out its corporate boxes and trackside billboard advertising. The track has one immediate goal: to host an annual NASCAR Winston Cup racing event. “We’re ready for Winston Cup right now,” Cassis said. “We can handle it.” When Kentucky Speedway lands its Winston Cup race, expect things to expand in order to handle the larger crowds. “The next step would be to increase our seating up to somewhere between 82,000 to 90,000 and increase the number of corporate boxes from 50 to around 90 or 100.” According to Cassis, a Winston Cup event could bring $100 million to the area for a single weekend event. “We know that a single Busch race generates between $35 and $40 million in a week for this region,” he said. Along with racing, Kentucky Speedway uses its facility to host concerts. A Metallica concert held there in 2000 drew 53,000 spectators and generated $3.5 million for the area, Cassis reported. Another approach to draw tourists being used by the Department of Tourism is to appeal to country music fans by showing them the home places of numerous important artists. “The Kentucky Music Museum and Hall of Fame at Renfro Valley attract thousands of fans,” Commissioner Stewart said. “And the International Bluegrass Music Museum is reopening in Owensboro on April 11. We know bluegrass music has fans worldwide and this museum will be a must-see for them. Renfro Valley and Owensboro are going to be the gateway to the whole country music experience we’ve been promoting.”
Along with the Country Music Highway, the Department of Travel also promotes other trails catered to the interest of the traveler. This includes the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, where travelers visit the state’s exceptional distilleries. There are also plans in the works for touring areas where Kentucky’s finest artisans create both traditional and trend-setting crafts. “The new craft trails will be tied to the Kentucky Artisans Center being built just outside of Berea,” Stewart said. “It will help visitors find the craftspeople that actually do the work and provide much more than just a retail experience. A visiting potter might want to go to Bybee and talk to a potter, for example.” Working in partnership with the Department of Travel, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture has begun the Agri-tourism Working Group. An example of agri-tourism includes the Harvest Trail held each fall near Georgetown in Scott County. Area farms provide pumpkins, apple cider and other fall harvest items in addition to tractor rides, petting zoos and food to more than 60,000 visitors each year. There is also a growing number of farm wineries in Kentucky, most with tasting rooms and retail items like corkscrews and picnic baskets. Among Kentucky’s tourism riches are its state parks. “Arguably, they’re still the nation’s best,” Stewart said. State parks, especially the resort parks, which have lodges and better-developed amenities such as golf courses and swimming pools, can serve to significantly boost the areas in which they are located. One of the oldest state parks, but the newest state resort park is Blue Licks Battlefield in Robertson County. “We have had a lot of good community support,” said Park Manager Doug Price. “Our first year’s budget was for dining room sales of $270,000, but we ended up with sales of $670,000. Being that we’re the newest state resort , we’re building those relationships with families that have reunions, church groups and other people.” Because of Blue Licks’ proximity to Lexington and other Bluegrass areas, it has become a popular destination for those seeking to escape the city for a quiet place of respite. “We had Dr. C.D. Akins, a minister from Lexington, who needed to finish a book he was writing,” Price said. “He spent several weeks here and really enjoyed his stay. He said that it was both quiet and easy to get to and from Lexington. We really hope that word gets out. “The Department of Parks did a study and one of the things most travelers said they were looking for was a destination and not a stop along the way. A lot tourists are looking for a place with the kind of activities where you don’t venture out from it to visit other places. At Blue Licks, we have hiking and other activities, but can cater to the other kind of tourist as well – those that want to use this as their base as they go to explore historic Carlisle, or the covered bridges of Fleming County, or Old Washington, for example. However you want to approach travel, we can help you out. “Here in Kentucky, we
have an abundance of things to enjoy and a genuine tradition of hospitality.
It’s nice to see that the Department’s done a good job getting
the word out.” |
|
|
|
Copyright 1996-2002, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content
is copyright 2002, Lane Communications Group The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
“Tourism
is still our third largest industry and second largest employer,”
Stewart said. “It generates $9 billion annually and there’s
a lot of competition out there. Tourism is one of the top three industries
in more than half the states. In Kentucky, we’re talking about
850,000 jobs that have been created by the tourism industry, though
not all of those are what we would call ‘front line jobs.’”
Marketing
Kentucky as a travel destination is often a matter of enlightening people
who live within driving distance of the state’s many destinations.
“A lot of times, people only know a few things about Kentucky,”
Stewart said. “But when we first start talking about our 50 state
park properties and four national park properties, it makes their heads
turn.”
The
city of Newport has created a major draw with the creation of the state’s
largest aquarium, which combines with the Peace Bell and other development
on the banks of the Ohio River to make the city one of the top 10 Kentucky
tourist destinations. Quickly moving up the ranks on the list of top
tourist destinations is the Kentucky Speedway, located in Gallatin County.
The Speedway completed its first full season last year, but is already
20th on the list of top Kentucky tourist attractions.
The
Department also promotes U.S. 23, a north-south route through the East
Kentucky mountains, as “the Country Music Highway.” Signs
along the road alert travelers to the home places and hometowns of some
of country music’s best-known performers such as Naomi and Wynonna
Judd, Dwight Yoakum, Patty Loveless and Loretta Lynn.