During National Travel and Tourism Week (May 3–9), MeetNKY and Visit Cincy put the spotlight on the people who power Cincy’s tourism industry, recognizing the frontline workers, small businesses and hospitality professionals who shape the visitor experience every day.
The tourism industry supports more than 67,000 jobs across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and plays a key role in the local economy, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.
“Tourism is a people-first industry,” said Julie Kirkpatrick, interim president and CEO of Visit Cincy and president and CEO of MeetNKY. “Behind every great visitor experience is someone who takes pride in this region and wants people to feel welcome when they’re here. We spent this week celebrating those who make Cincy a destination.”
On Monday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 5, teams from MeetNKY and Visit Cincy visited partners across the region to thank them in person. Staff stopped at hotels, attractions and local businesses to connect with the people who interact with visitors every day.
In Northern Kentucky, MeetNKY staff took to the streets in the new NKY Connector Gest Cart fleet to hand deliver goodie bags to partners such as Hotel Covington, Florence Y’alls, Braxton Brewing, Marriot RiverCenter, New Riff Distilling, Creation Museum, Smoke Justis, Newport Aquarium, B&B Riverboats, Wenzel Whiskey, Turfway Park and more. The visits offered a way to show appreciation and connect on a personal level with the people that work hard each day to ensure visitors have a memorable experience.
Tourism is such an essential asset to the region’s economy and the community’s economic development that Judge Executives Steve Pendery in Campbell County, Kris Knochelmann in Kenton County and Gary Moore in Boone County, issued proclamations recognizing National Travel and Tourism Week to honor the hard work of tourism employees in our region.
In Cincinnati, new visitor guides were handed out while many of the hospitality front-line workers were personally thanked by the team for all their efforts. For many in the industry, the recognition reflects the impact of their daily work.
“We’re often the first impression visitors have,” said Larry Krauter, CEO, Cincinnati/Northern
Kentucky International Airport (CVG) “That’s something I take a lot of pride in. It’s incredibly
rewarding to share what makes this region special – from our food scene and world-class bourbon and breweries to unique destinations like the Newport Aquarium and Cincinnati Zoo to our one-of-a-kind events like Oktoberfest and BLINK – we have something for everyone. We strive to make people feel welcomed and provide resources to those looking to explore our cities. Visitors come in town for many reasons, but they often leave with an appreciation for the character and charm of the region.”
Although the week is coming to a close, regional leaders say the focus on supporting partners and investing in the people behind the industry continues all year.
“Tourism doesn’t happen without the people,” Kirkpatrick said. “This week is about recognizing that.”
