COVINGTON, Ky. — New wayfinding kiosks are coming to Covington in an effort to boost small businesses and help tourists discover endless entertainment. 

What You Need To Know

  • Covington has introduced two new wayfinding kiosks to help tourists and residents explore the city

  • Businesses like Wenzel Whiskey are taking advantage of the program to help increase foot traffic 

  • According to Kentucky Tourism, nearly 80 million people visited the commonwealth in 2023 

  • The kiosk functions like a large smartphone, showing local attractions, maps and even a selfie camera 

From restaurants to boutiques and bustling local attractions, these kiosks are designed to make exploring Covington easier and more fun.

Tucked away on a back alley of Tobacco Street, two-year-old startup Wenzel Whiskey has worked tirelessly to build its brand. While the distillery has garnered several accolades such as winning gold and silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it has also faced a lack of visibility. 

“It can sometimes be difficult to find where we’re at,” said Bill Whitlow, Wenzel Whiskey brand ambassador. “We’re down a back alley.”

This is where the wayfinding kiosk program comes in. In partnership, meetNKY, the city, Durham Brands, RoveIQ, Southbank Partners and the Covington Business Council, worked to launch digital kiosks paired with convention signage, helping connect tourists to local businesses like Wenzel Whiskey. 

“The kiosks allow folks to search for information based on their need, whether they’re looking for a place to stay, something to do or somewhere to eat,” said Tom West, City of Covington economic development manager. 

According to a Kentucky Tourism study, more than 79 million people visited the commonwealth in 2023, generating a total economic impact of $13.8 billion.

"Tourism aids in city growth because it’s the handshake to economic development," said Josh Quinn, meetNKY product development director. "When folks come to the city of Covington, they’re probably here for business or visiting friends or family. But our job is to give them a great experience to get them where they need to go in the community.”

The city said people are engaging with the new tool. According to data collected by the city, during BLINK 2024 from Oct. 17 through Oct. 20, nearly 23% of all visitors who engaged with the kiosks took a selfie and 62% of those were sent to phones, which is higher than the usual rate of about 50% at other locations with the same kiosks. 

"Between the different destination areas of Covington, people sometimes get confused on how to quickly walk to each one," Whitlow said. "These should be a lot of help for just getting people to their destination and finding other attractions along the way.”

Designed for visitors and residents alike, the kiosks are designed to make exploring Covington as easy and accessible as possible. 

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