LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Like most cities, tourism in Louisville was knocked down in 2020 and 2021. But with a new year comes a new sense of optimism of what will remain and grow in 2023.
Stacey Yates with Louisville Tourism said the city was a “hot destination” in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, stalling nearly every industry. She said the city is hopeful 2023 is a return to that pace.
“We have no reason to believe that we are not going to be back in that position in 2023 and with a lot of other product and infrastructure we have had in these last two years,” Yates said.
Of the 16 biggest events of 2022, the Kentucky Derby and Oaks topped the list with 250,000 people and an economic boost of more than $360 million.
Other events that drew in a high number of visitors:
- The Mid-America Trucking Show: $28,467,982
- The Equip Exposition: 25,000 people and $21,024,374
- Louder than life and Bourbon & Beyond: 160,000 fans each and $26 million
One big change is the Forecastle Music Festival, which typically brings about 70,000 people to Waterfront Park, won’t return in 2023. It may come back in 2024, but organizers said in November they’d take a “pause” in 2023 in hopes it can “improve for the future.” In 2022, the festival was moved to Memorial Day weekend, giving hospitality in the city a boost to what can be a slow time leading into summer.
“It certainly is not something we wanted to go away,” Yates said. “It was like a feather in our cap. We have become this noted music and festival destination. We still are but we would have liked to have kept it that weekend.”
The top 16 projected events in Louisville in 2023, courtesy of Louisville Tourism.
A predicted recession may have a negative impact on tourism nationwide, not so much with conventions and trade shows but with leisure travel, something Louisville may weather pretty well with the city being within a day drive of 65% of the U.S. population.
“If that shift happens, we’ll shift our marketing dollars a little closer into our feeder market cities and hope for the best,” Yates said.
New events for 2023 include chorale competitions that were the first to cancel due to the pandemic are coming back as are the mainstay conventions.
Tourism officials hope 2023 will be the most profitable one yet as more and more conventions eye the Derby City.
“Those are booked sometimes three to five to six years out, so our sales team is, right now, traveling the country going after that big fish and looking at that long-term outlook,” Yates said.
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