Local tourism back to pre-pandemic levels and then some

Tourism in Whitley County is back to pre-pandemic levels and then some, and few people are happier about that than Corbin Tourism Director Maggy Monhollen.

“We’re blowing it out of the water,” Monhollen said. “I am very pleased. I couldn’t be happier.”

In 2022, tourism supported 783 jobs in Whitley County compared to 741 tourism jobs supported in 2019, which was the last full year before the pandemic. Also, in 2022, tourism in Whitley County generated $19.05 million in labor income and $9.5 million in state and local taxes compared to just $16.35 million in labor income and $7.75 million in state and local taxes in 2019, according to figures that Monhollen supplied to the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission during its Friday meeting.

In addition, tourism had a total economic impact in Whitley County of $113.47 million in 2022 compared to $97 million in 2019.

It isn’t just pre-pandemic vs. post-pandemic numbers that are up.

Monhollen noted that tourists spent $86.41 million in 2022 in Whitley County, which was a 10.2 percent growth rate in visitor spending over the prior year.

Last year, tourism in Whitley County accounted for 1 percent of the state’s share of total tourism spending. By comparison, Pulaski County, which features Lake Cumberland, accounted for 1.2 percent of Kentucky’s visitor spending while Fayette County accounted for 12 percent of the state’s visitor spending.

“Tourism makes a difference. Tourism works,” Monhollen added.

Also, during Friday’s meeting, the tourism commission discussed the status of the Corbin Farmer’s Market Pavilion construction and approved a $5,125 change order for installation of a trenched drain there.

Monhollen said that all of the major construction on the project is complete and only a few little things remain before it is officially finished, which she hopes will be in two to three weeks.

In addition, the tourism commission discussed 2023 Christmas décor options, which will include $40,000 in Christmas decorations.

There will be 80 brand new snow flake decoration designs for poles, which will be placed along Master’s Street, Kentucky Avenue and Cumberland Falls Highway. The new snow flake decorations will be three times larger than last year’s snow flake pole decorations.

The tourism commission will also pay for decorations at the Depot building, Sanders Park, the welcome to Corbin sign, and on both sides of where Kentucky Avenue and Main Street split. There will be a tree shaped decoration made of lights placed in Nibroc Park as part of the Christmas decorations this year.

The Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission is expected to make its final decisions on Christmas decorations during its September meeting.

The Downtown Corbin program is responsible for decorations along Main Street between Eighth Street and Gordon Hill, Monhollen added.