KENTUCKY — In the Kentucky General Assembly, matters relating to tourism and travel promotion and development, along with state, interstate and national parks and historic sites and so much more, fall under the jurisdiction of the Tourism and Recreation committee in the House of Representatives.

State Representative Kim King, R-Harrodsburg, is the chairperson of that committee in the state House and she joins this In Focus Kentucky segment to discuss her committee’s work and the economic impact of Kentucky’s tourism industry.

“We still had a little bit of work to do. People are still a little hesitant to get back out, and one of the major components that all of our hospitality industries are reporting to the General Assembly is the need for employment. Just anecdotally, you might think about when you go into a restaurant or into a site, and you may see open tables or a way for you to participate in the opportunity, because there is a small wait time, because they have to wait until they have an employee to take care of your needs. So that is one thing that we’re working on desperately. It really affects this industry because it is so service oriented. You really need a person there to help you get acclimated into the activity or the restaurant experience, the vacation opportunity. So that is one of the main things we’re working on,” said Rep. King.

In 2022, 75.9 million travelers visited Kentucky, spending $8.9 billion across the Commonwealth, according to a study by Tourism Economics.

Over $937 million in state and local taxes were generated, equating to a $536 tax savings for every Kentucky household. Total visitation reached 103% of 2019 volumes, and visitor spending reached 112%.

“These numbers underscore the economic benefits of tourism and the importance of investing in our local communities,” said Lindy Casebier, secretary of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet. “The investments made by Gov. Beshear have paid off and will continue to pay dividends across the commonwealth.”

The 2022 numbers surpassed the previous highest record of $11.8 billion in economic impact in 2019, and 91,668 jobs.

Communities across Kentucky saw historic numbers — including Fayette County, which reached $1.5 billion in total economic impact, generating 11,209 jobs.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.