Tourism, Arts and Heritage

The Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet
Tourism is nearly an $13.1 billion a year industry in Kentucky and has earned recognition at the cabinet level. The arts are an essential part of quality life in the Commonwealth and a major component in everything we do including educating our children. Heritage preserves our traditions and tells our life stories. It includes the history, heritage and humanities groups that this cabinet represents. Kentucky places a high value on tourism, arts and heritage..

Research shows that we have the most widely known state brand – Kentucky Unbridled Spirit - in this part of the country.

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Cabinet Members

Duties and Responsibilities

 * shall encourage  the  development  of  the film industry in Kentucky and shall perform all film promotional functions.
 * shall operate  the  highway  welcome  centers
 * conduct a  hospitality  education  program  for  the  tourism  industry
 * coordinate the provision of mail and telephone information services to visitors
 * generate sales revenue to the tourism industry of the Commonwealth through participation in trade shows and markets.
 * shall be  responsible  for  state  tourism advertising
 * the state matching fund tourism advertising program
 * the development and maintenance  of  a  marketing  and  research  database  on  tourism,  market  survey programs, and special studies related to the tourism industry.

Cool Facts

 * Kentucky has more running water than any state except Alaska.
 * Kentucky is Haunted!
 * The tourism and travel industry adds more than $12 billion to Kentucky’s economy
 * A total of 169,932 jobs in Kentucky resulted from the tourism industry.
 * The tourism-generated jobs provided over $2.6 billion in wages to Kentucky workers.

Kentucky Revised Statute
Creation of Cabinet

Functions of Divisions

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