Ky tourism needs COVID relief. Beshear, legislature should allocate federal dollars.

During the last year, we have missed out on many cherished moments — family vacations, shared celebrations at restaurants, hotel stays and visiting with friends near and far. We’ve realized that travel, and that the experiences that come with travel, is an important part of our lives. We’re all anxious to hit the road again.

But in addition to cherished moments, travel is an economic engine that works hard for the commonwealth and employs tens of thousands of Kentuckians, from entry-level workers to entrepreneurs and executives. Our signature industries, bourbon and horses, rely on tourism. In Kentucky, tourism generates $11.2 billion in annual spending, $823 million in state and local tax revenue, and more than 95,000 Kentucky jobs.

But Kentucky’s hospitality industry will not rebound from the pandemic without strategic investments from the latest federal stimulus package, the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which specifically targets travel and tourism for support. The Kentucky General Assembly and Governor should reach an agreement as soon as possible for a special session to jump start an industry that was the first hit and hardest hit by the economic impact of the coronavirus.

Every day that Kentucky isn’t investing in marketing our state to visitors and convention attendees is another day that other states gain competitive advantage. There is significant pent-up demand for travel, and households that have stimulus checks to spend. People are making travel plans right now for the summer and fall.

We know competition for visitors will be fierce, and many southern states already have aggressive strategies in place to win this business. South Carolina is but one example of what we are up against. As early as last spring that state invested tens of millions of additional dollars in tourism marketing. South Carolina’s and other states’ tourism recovery emphasis continues and is expected to accelerate with the infusion of ARP funds.

Pre-COVID, travel and tourism was a premier driver of the Kentucky economy. It achieved record growth in visitor spending, which increased 17 percent from 2015 to 2019.

But now, the industry is hurting. Direct travel jobs accounted for 35 percent of U.S. jobs lost.

In Kentucky, lost revenue on travel spending from January 2020 to January 2021 was $4.5 billion with $148 million in lost state tax revenue, which funds important services such as education, public safety and health care.

Marketing is the No. 1 way to reopen the tourism sector of our economy. It will have the quickest and longest impact on hotels, attractions, restaurants, distilleries and the industry’s many other businesses. The return of visitors through marketing means restoration of jobs and tax revenue.

With financial investment in the industry, we can promote communities to support tourism businesses. Marketing the state must be accompanied by locally driven marketing, including the promotion and support of signature events and festivals.

In addition, this investment would reinvigorate meetings and conventions. These normally powerful Kentucky revenue and jobs generators have suffered the deepest and longest-term COVID-19 damage. Venues will remain responsible and nimble in adapting safety protocols to COVID fluctuations. However, the long-term nature of scheduling, booking and planning requires investments now to rebuild from the damage and to recover lost jobs.

Kentucky is well-positioned to regain visitors. Most American travelers are changing their travel plans because of the coronavirus pandemic. They want a destination that is drivable, safe and less densely populated than major cities. Small group experiences and outdoor opportunities such as horse farm tours, distillery tours, kayaking excursions or hikes will be well-positioned to attract visitor dollars – if we can reach them with our message.

The time is now to reinvest in an economic engine that works for all of Kentucky.

Mary Quinn Ramer is president of VisitLEX, a destination sales, marketing, and service organization charged with promoting Lexington’s Bluegrass Region for the purpose of attracting visitors and growing the economy. For more information: www.visitlex.com.