FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 29, 2012) — Since there is only one state with two basketball teams in the NCAA Final Four, interest in all things Kentucky continues to grow. The Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism is taking advantage of this increased interest.
“Every time you turn on the TV or radio or look at the newspaper this week, you see news about Kentucky,” says Hank Phillips, deputy commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism. “And we are excited to be able to ‘ride that wave’ of publicity. We’re working to take advantage of these opportunities to showcase Kentucky to those who don’t know about the unique offerings we feature. People have heard about our basketball, horses and bourbon. Now they’re learning about some of the other exciting and varied attractions they can experience only in Kentucky, and we’re happy to provide that information.”
The state’s new marketing campaign, “There’s Only One,” features the attractions, places and events that can be experienced only in Kentucky, including the Kentucky Derby, bourbon country and Horse Capital of the World. While some attractions are known worldwide, others may not have gained the attention of out-of-state visitors, even though they are well known to Kentuckians. They include the following:
· Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum, where major leaguers and others get their baseball bats and fans learn about the history of America’s pastime
· The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green
· The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville – a cultural attraction and international education center that showcases the accomplishments of “The Greatest”
· Mammoth Cave, the longest recorded cave system in the world
· Cumberland Falls, known as the “Niagara of the South”
· International Barbecue Festival and International Bluegrass Museum, both in Owensboro
- The birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn and Jefferson Davis
“There are many others, of course, including the Kentucky Horse Park and our status as the Saddlebred Capital of the World,” said Phillips, “but we also want to bring national attention to the unusual and unique places, such as Lost River Cave in Bowling Green and the Red River Gorge, a favorite for adventure lovers. Kentucky tourism attracts several million visitors a year, generates $11.3 billion in economic impact and supports 170,000 Kentucky jobs. ”
The entire list of “There’s Only One” attractions is available at www.kentuckytourism.com.
Add Comment