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71,000,000 Kentucky Visitors
15,000,000 Economic Impact
94,500 Tourism Jobs

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet

Our cabinet is dedicated to making Kentucky a welcoming place for everyone to visit, with a focus on tourism, the arts and sharing the commonwealth's unique heritage. Our mission is to market tourism opportunities, invest in businesses that attract tourists to Kentucky and support our state-owned tourist attractions. Our goal is to grow our tourism industry and contribute to Kentucky's economic success.

Gov. Beshear at a podium at the Ashbrook hotel

Kentucky Tourism Celebrates 2025 as Best Year Ever for Economic Impact

Gov. Andy Beshear announced that 2025 was the best year ever for Kentucky tourism, with $14.6 billion generated in economic impact supporting 96,993 jobs, securing four straight record years for the industry. According to a study by Tourism Economics, 81.1 million travelers visited Kentucky in 2025, an increase of 1.1 million from the previous year. Those travelers spent a total of $10.4 billion across the state, a $300 million increase from 2024.

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Record growth, major investment and strong statewide impact under the Beshear administration.​

Overall Tourism Impact

4consecutive years of tourism growth

$14.6 billionindustry

Nearly 97,000jobs supported

81.1 milliontravelers in 2025

$10.4 billionspent across the commonwealth in 2025

Tourism Development

Since the beginning of the Beshear administration

$1.1 billionestimated investment

37tourism development projects approved

More than 5,000jobs created once operational

Highest tourism investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in Kentucky's history

Kentucky State Parks

$1.1 billionin economic impact

8,600jobs supported

9.3 millionvisitors to Kentucky State Parks in 2024

$591 million​visitors spent in Kentucky and local communities in 2024

State Park Investments

Under the Beshear administration

$71 millionreleased for capital construction projects

$63 millionallocated for state park upgrades

$40 millionfor campground upgrades

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Visit the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea

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Buy a Fishing or Hunting License

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Catch a Performance

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Visit a State Park

parks.ky.gov

Visit a Museum

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Meet a Champion

kyhorsepark.com