FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — In front of a crowd of dozens at Castle and Key Distillery, Governor Andy Beshear touted the economic impact of a record-breaking year for tourism in the state.
According to a study by tourism economics, tourism brought in $13.8 billion. The report shared that 79.3 million travelers visited Kentucky in 2023, a 4.5% increase from 2022. It marks the second straight record-breaking year.
Those travelers spent a total of $9.7 billion across the state in 2023.
Here’s the breakdown of spending:
$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.
Beshear brought industry leaders from across the state to the podium to deliver remarks about their collective success. They included tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Lindy Casebier, tourism Commissioner Mike Mangeot, Kentucky Travel Industry Association President and CEO Hank Phillips, Castle & Key…
tourism-in-kentucky” target=”_blank”>Read further.
