FRANKFORT, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear delivered a Team Kentucky update Thursday at Frankfort’s historic Castle & Key Distillery, joining state tourism industry leaders to speak about the state’s record-breaking tourism revenues for the second consecutive year.
According to a statement from Gov. Andy Beshear’s office, the state is on track to reach $13.8 billion in tourism revenue in 2023. The 2023 record would follow the previous record of $12.9 billion set in 2022.
“Our economy and tourism industry are booming. More and more people want to visit Kentucky for our world-class destinations and events, providing more experiences for families while creating jobs for Kentuckians,” Beshear said. “Kentucky is enjoying the greatest tourism and economic boom of our lifetime, which is a direct result of Team Kentucky’s efforts and investments toward building a vibrant and welcoming tourism industry. Together, we will continue to build on this success, welcoming visitors who want to experience the natural beauty and warm hospitality of our new home state.”
The tourism economics study projects that 79.3 million tourists will visit Kentucky in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022. The state will spend $2.54 billion on food and beverage, $2.28 billion on lodging, $1.86 billion on transportation, $1.82 billion on retail and $1.26 billion on recreation and entertainment, the study said.
“Today’s numbers underscore the importance of tourism to Kentucky’s economy and the impact created by all of our local partners,” said Lindy Casebeer, Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Arts and Heritage.
The tourism industry is reported to add 95,222 jobs to Kentucky in 2023.
