Tourism in Kentucky's 'Western Waterlands' is on the rise. The annual Kentucky Tourism Economic Impact report released Tuesday shows a revenue gain in direct expenditures in every county in far western Kentucky, with the largest percentage gains in Todd and Hickman counties.
Expenditures in Calloway County rose 6.54 percent. Direct expenditures totaled $49,575,599 in 2015 compared to $46,532,381.
Murray Convention & Visitors Bureau Director of Marketing & Communications Stephanie Butler says increasing tourism is a collaborative effort. "People who visit, they usually don't just come to Murray or to Paducah, they come to the entire area. So I think it speaks to the regional tourism approach of us working with Marshall County, Kentucky Lake, Paducah," she says.
Butler attributes the increase last year in Calloway County to a Murray State University student orientation directors event in March 2015 and a fishing tournament on Kentucky Lake.
Tourism and travel contributed $13.7 billion dollars to Kentucky's economy in 2015.
The 'Caves, Lakes & Corvettes Region' around Bowling Green generated the largest regional gain for the second consecutive year.
Statewide tourism contributed to more than 186,204 jobs and $3.1 billion dollars in wages.
