Tourism Works!, a compilation of community-level success stories produced by the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) features Paducah’s engagement with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The publication debuted at the STS Congressional Summit on Travel & Tourism in July.
“Paducah contributes a terrific example of how a community leverages its cultural assets to develop its brand and drive tourism,” said Monica Smith, President & CEO of Southeast Tourism Society. “It also provides a remarkable illustration of the impact of creative tourism on a small city with a great story."
The publication cites the travel and tourism sector as an economic powerhouse, injecting $103.6 billion in direct travel spending in the U.S. economy, employing 8.8 million Americans and generating $164.8 billion in tax revenues in 2017. At the local level, tourism is a vital tool for economic development, job creation and community building.
“The Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) works with the community to embrace Paducah’s culture by advocating preservation of built, natural and intangible heritage and promoting these assets to drive visitation,” said Mary Hammond, Executive Director of the Paducah CVB. “Working together to celebrate this rich heritage and creative culture, the very authentic sense of place, results in new partnerships and economic opportunities.”
Paducah’s success story illustrates local tourism-related impacts including the CVB’s efforts to host the 2017 UNESCO Creative Cities of Crafts & Folk Art Annual Meeting and generate substantial earned media coverage to raise the profile of the destination nationally and internationally. Tourism continues to grow in Paducah-McCracken County with increasing international reach and visitation at local attractions and events and an economic impact of $233.9 million in direct expenditures in McCracken County in 2017.
View the Tourism Works! publication here: https://southeasttourism.org/tourism-works/
View the McCracken County Fact Sheet from the “Economic Impact of Kentucky’s Travel & Tourism Industry” report here: https://bit.ly/2nHqetj
About the Paducah CVB:
The Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) of Paducah McCracken County. The CVB exists to create new economic opportunities through destination marketing, management and tourism development. For more information, visit www.Paducah.Travel.
