Christian County Tourism is celebrating a record-breaking amount of visitor spending in 2022, as seen in a report by the Kentucky Department of Tourism.
The report states that economic impact figures show that visitors spent $237.19 million in 2022, which is $25 million more than the $212.9 million record previously set in 2021. Hopkinsville Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Brooke Jung says they’re thrilled with the numbers and that’s a remarkable milestone that shows how tourism impacts the community.
She says it shows that growth is happening locally and those numbers show citizens, businesses and more the trajectory of Christian County.
Those tourism dollars affect the community in numerous ways, from visitors spending money at restaurants and hotels to showcasing what Christian County has to offer.
Jung says people travel here not just from across the nation but also internationally for a variety of reasons, including the bourbon trail, wedding venues, agriculture, regional attractions and more.
Jung says the success was a joint effort between all the tourism agencies in the county, from Oak Grove to Crofton and everything in between. Oak Grove Tourism Commission Executive Director Traci Cunningham says, “Oak Grove has certainly seen record breaking attendance in our Award-Winning festivals which has contributed to the economic impact numbers. Oak Grove Racing and Gaming is also one of the many attractions in our community that has impacted the tourism industry. We hear from visitors from all over what a great experience they have in Oak Grove and how they intend to spread the word. I can’t think of anything that excites me more than the tourism industry and the 2022 economic impact numbers in Christian County.”
Also, a total of 1,791 tourism-related jobs were reported county-wide in the hospitality sector, up from 1,649 in 2021.