Danville, Boyle County tourism sees record year in 2023
Published Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 3:45 p.m.
The 2023 Great American Brass Band Festival drew a crowd of tourists and locals. Photo provided
Tourists visiting Danville and Boyle County played a major role in what was a record year for tourism in Kentucky in 2023, generating $13.8 billion in economic impact for the state.
Regionally, the economic impact is projected to increase from $75.91 million in 2022 to $79.4 million in 2023, an increase of approximately $3.5 million.
Year-over-year increases in Danville and Boyle counties include an increase in tourism-related jobs from 656 in 2022 to 671 in 2023 and an increase in labor income from $18.03 million in 2022 to $18.9 million in 2023.
“The economic impact figures collected from the tourism economic study provide data that shows what we already know – that tourism plays a major role in the economy of Danville and Boyle County,” said Kendall Clinton, executive director of the Danville-Boyle County Tourism Bureau. “Local hotel occupancy rates are very high, we have several attractions and events that draw people from outside Kentucky, and our 600+ frontline workers provide a great experience for visitors who come to town to enjoy our history, arts, events and more.”
The 2023 economic impact figures were released less than a year after the 2022 figures were released. The 2022 figures also showed notable increases in Danville and Boyle counties compared to 2021. From 2021 to 2022, tourism-related jobs increased from 628 to 656, labor income increased from $16 million to $18.03 million, and total expenditures increased from $71.93 million to $75.91 million.
Statewide, 79.3 million visitors are expected to visit Kentucky in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022. These visitors will spend $9.7 billion during their stay.
“Tourism’s impact on communities across the state is significant and essential,” said Kentucky Tourism Director Mike Manjot. “We look forward to building on this success and are pleased to support tourism initiatives launching this year.”
The annual Tourism Economic Impact Report is compiled by Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics, using a variety of data from several reliable sources, including AirDNA, the U.S. Census Bureau, Smith Travel Research, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Danville-Boyle County Tourism Bureau serves as the lead agency in promoting the local community to potential visitors from around the country and the world through print and digital advertising, social media efforts, the Bureau’s website, direct mail brochures, local visitor centers and a variety of campaigns to reach people who may be interested in what Danville and Boyle County have to offer.
“It’s very fitting for us that these numbers are being released the same weekend as the Great American Brass Band Festival,” Clinton said. “We interact with the people who come to the festival each year and often meet many who have traveled to Danville from other states and overseas. The first family that stopped by our visitor information tent on Thursday evening was from Virginia and were here just to experience the Brass Band Festival. Danville and Boyle County have a lot to offer visitors and we hope to continue to see an upward trend next year when the 2024 economic impact numbers are released.”
The Tourism Bureau supports events such as the Great American Brass Band Festival, Soul of Second Street, Falklands Heritage Festival, and the Bourbon Chase. The Bureau is also involved in various aspects of tourism development for new and expanding businesses and events that impact the visitor experience.
For more information about local tourism, including upcoming events, visit the Danville-Boyle County Tourism website at www.danvillekentucky.com.
