Travel Insider
Nov 2, 2009 – Issue 22
1) KTIAC Presents to Record-breaking Crowd - A Good Time By All!
2) KDT Receives Four Awards
3) Branding Energy
4) Funds Advance Kentucky Byways
5) Kentucky Main Street Honorees
6) TRIPinfo.com
7) Free Mammoth Cave Tours for Military Members and Veterans
8) Media Lead - Kwanzaa Celebrants
9) Media Lead - Those Who Give
10) Media Lead - DIY Patios
1) KTIAC Presents to Record-breaking Crowd - A Good Time By All!
A record-breaking number of tourism industry registrants attended the annual Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual Conference in Louisville last week. Held at the Galt House with a 2009 theme of "Company's Coming, Kentucky Welcomes the World," in anticipation of the international crowd coming to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games next year, the energetic crowd convened for some fun, networking and presentations designed to boost marketing all that Kentucky offers travelers and tourists.
Organized by the Kentucky Tourism Council with partners the Kentucky Department of Travel and the Kentucky Hotel and Lodging Association, nearly 400 people were in attendance for the presentation of the Traverse Awards.
Dr. Pierce Lyons, Alltech's founder and recipient of the 2009 Unbridled Spirit Award, urged attendees to "tell your story" as a way to share all that Kentucky offers to visitors and travelers. Later, the yearly Traverse Awards were given out at the evening festivities Tuesday. Keynote speakers included television and newspaper story teller, Byron Crawford, international marketing consultant Roger Brooks and Peggy Noe Stevens, whose Louisville company specializes in brand assessment and strategy.
Commissioner Mike Cooper presented an energetic send off until next year when he presented a retrospective of past state tourism promotions and some predictions of what's in store for Kentucky destinations in the coming years. The department is in the process of working with Aristotle, a leader in Web development, to launch a new state site in spring of 2010.
Next year the KTIAC conference will be held in Northern Kentucky. Watch for information on the Kentucky Department of Travel's industry page (www.KentuckyTravel.com/industry) and Kentucky Tourism Council (www.tourky.com) Web sites. It's sure to be another record breaker in all aspects.
2) KDT Receives Four Awards
The Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism received four awards for its division in the 2009 Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual Conference Traverse Awards for Excellence in Tourism Marketing. The department was awarded:
- First place for its annual visitors guide
- Second place for its “Iconic Kentucky” ad and “Saving Lincolns” television ad
- Honorable mentions for a calendar of events radio ad.
The awards were made at last week’s Traverse Gala at The Galt House Hotel & Suites in Louisville, as part of the 2009 Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual Conference.
3) Branding Energy
With the excellent presentations about the importance of branding to elevate what your community is distinctive for at the Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual Conference, here's a resource you may want to pursue. North Star Destination Strategies has a newsletter that focuses on community branding efforts and successes. To sign up to receive the newsletter, go to www.northstarideas.com.
4) Funds Advance Kentucky Byways
Three Kentucky areas are among 160 projects in 43 states to receive $40.7 million to improve and promote highways designated as scenic byways.
- Mary Ingles Scenic Highway: Development of a corridor management plan - $60,000
- Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway: Wayfinding and interpretation assessment and plan - $144,000
- Discover the Uncommon Wealth of Kentucky's Scenic Byways: Promotion and Interpretation to enhance the visitor experience - $337,000
The projects are managed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
5) Kentucky Main Street Honorees
Seven Kentucky Main Street communities - Bellevue, Elizabethtown, Fort Thomas, Henderson, Murray, Springfield and Winchester - were honored for outstanding building rehabilitation and downtown revitalization projects. The awards ceremony was the highlight of a three-day "best practices" conference and 30th anniversary celebration of the Main Street program. For more information about the winners, go to heritage.ky.gov.
6) TRIPinfo.com
If you are not currently receiving Tripinfo.com's weekly online travel planning eNewsletter, check it out. It contains sections on:
- industry news
- internet specials
- groups & meetings
- "traveler show & tell"
- marketing & research
- events & legislation
- technology bits.
Visit www.TRIPinfo.com/tripmediagroup/index.html for more information.
7) Free Mammoth Cave Tours for Military Members and Veterans
All military personnel, active and retired, and their families get free admittance to certain cave tours on Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veteran's Day. The fee waiver applies to the Historic, Mammoth Passage, New Entrance, and Frozen Niagara cave tours only.
The free tours are at the following times:
- Historic (limit 120 people/tour) - 9:45 a.m. &12:45 p.m.
- Mammoth Passage (limit 40) - 11 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
- New Entrance (limit 114) - 11:30 a.m. & 2:45 p.m.
- Frozen Niagara (limit 39) - 9:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m. & 3:15p.m.
Comfortable walking shoes and a jacket are recommended. For descriptions of the tours, please go to www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/cavetourschedulewinter.htm or call the park at 270-758-2180.
8) Media Lead - Kwanzaa Celebrants
Writer Kathy Witt wants to interview families who celebrate Kwanzaa for a feature article about this celebration for the December 2010 issue of Kentucky Living Magazine. Photos need to be shot this year. Families must reside in counties served by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, www.kaec.org/coops/default.htm. Scheduled photo shoot is December 26 the first day of Kwanzaa. Please contact Kathy Witt,
wittk@fuse.net.
9) Media Lead - Those Who Give
Kentucky Living Magazine is doing a 2010 feature on "Families that Give Rather Than Receive" about families that spend their holiday working in a shelter. Photos will be shot in December 2009. Featured families must reside in a county served by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, www.kaec.org/coops/default.htm. Photos will be shot when the family is working in a shelter for this Christmas holiday. Contact Kathy Witt at wittk@fuse.net.
10) Media Lead - DIY Patios
Looking for DIY-ers who have recently built a new home patio using pavers, brick, creek rock, green recycled materials; such as, concrete or unique mixtures of several composite materials for Kentucky Living Magazine's March Lawn and Garden issue. DIY-er must live in a county served by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, www.kaec.org/coops/default.htm. The photoshoot needs to be scheduled ASAP! Please contact Kathy Witt at wittk@fuse.net.
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The Kentucky Department of Travel is an agency within the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet,which promotes the Commonwealth as a travel destination. Tourism in Kentucky has an economic impact of $11 billion, employs more than 176,000 people and generates $1 billion in taxes.
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(The Travel Insider is a bi-weekly publication of the Kentucky Department of Travel.)
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If you would like to receive the Travel Insider, contact Marge Bateman, marge.bateman@ky.gov.
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Bookmark www.KentuckyTourism.com on your computer.