Glasgow-Barren in top 20 successful tourism counties

By Allyson Dix, Managing Editor / Barren County Progress

Graph photos from Tourism Economics Impact Survey

Barren County placed in the top 20 counties of tourism success seen across the Commonwealth in 2023, according to Governor Andy Beshear, who announced on May 30 that last year was a record year for the state’s economic impact for tourism.

As tourism remains a key piece of the Commonwealth’s economy, Beshear revealed that in Kentucky, tourism’s economic impact was $13.8 billion spent, accounting for 95,222 jobs for Kentucky citizens, surpassing the record-breaking 2022 numbers.

In 2022, the state generated more than $12.9 billion and a total of 91,668 jobs.

Glasgow’s robust history with tourism and the economic impact of the industry in a post-pandemic world continues to be impressive, consistently solidifying Barren County as a premiere Kentucky destination that is here to stay.

Barren County tourism generated 987 jobs, $25.9 million in labor income, $9.7 million in state and local taxes, and $121 million in total visitor spending, which the latter pools into the overall $13.8 billion in total visitor spending across all 120 counties.

Economic impact employment consists of jobs directly and indirectly supported by visitor activity, including part-time and seasonal work, according to the study. One job is defined as one person working at least one hour per week for 50 weeks during the calendar year.

“The collective efforts of Barren County’s hospitality industry are reflected within these numbers,” said MacLean Lessenberry, Executive Director of the Glasgow-Barren County Tourist & Convention Commission. “They are a testament to all of our local partners, from small business owners to investors to front-line workers to marketing partners and more, who are equally as committed as we are to convey to visitors why it’s ‘better in the barrens.’”

Lessenberry also said, “Our vision for the future is ambitious, but our recent history proves what’s attainable and we’re up for the challenge.”

Glasgow-Barren County tourism looks forward to continuing to establish our footprint as a major Kentucky destination within the Kentucky tourism landscape, especially in the outdoor adventure sector, Lessenberry said.

President and CEO of the Kentucky Travel Industry Association Hank Phillips said, “At the core of this success are the multitude of tourism businesses and organizations that do the heavy lifting that has elevated the Commonwealth to premier status as a travel destination and tourism to being a driver of Kentucky’s economy.”

Tourism Economics, a research partner of the Kentucky Department of Tourism, produced the impact survey for the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet.

As the official destination marketing organization for Glasgow and Barren County, the Glasgow-Barren County Tourist & Convention Commission’s mission is to promote tourist and convention activity to generate a strong economic impact by marking and developing the region as a welcoming destination for visitors. A true, unwavering belief in Barren County’s ability to grow and thrive through forward thinking and dedication to the region is at the very core of the commission and its work.

According to the study, 79.3 million travelers visited Kentucky in 2023, a 4.5% increase from 2022. Those travelers spent a total of $9.7 billion across the state.

The breakdown of spending is as follows:

– $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 top twenty counties in order by the largest economic impact in Kentucky are Jefferson, Fayette, Boone, Kenton, Warren, Hardin, McCracken, Daviess, Christian, Madison, Campbell, Scott, Bullitt, Franklin, Boyd, Pulaski, Laurel, Barren, Whitley, and Pike.

For more information on the state’s tourism, visit https://www.kentuckytourism.com/industry.