Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that Kentucky tourism notched another record last year — the fourth year straight that it's done so.
"I'm excited to announce that 2025 is officially our best year ever for Kentucky tourism," he said during an event in Frankfort.
The economic impact of state tourism was about $14.6 billion, with nearly 97,000 jobs connected to the industry.
The year-over-year record-setting numbers come despite headwinds. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, four million fewer foreign visitors came to the U.S. in 2025 compared to 2024, in what's considered the worst single-year drop in two decades — apart from the 2020 pandemic.
State tourism commissioner Mike Mangeot said Kentucky has managed to grow its numbers by altering its strategy.
"In 2025, we faced several tourism challenges, in particular when you look at international inbound travel," he said. "So we had to make some strategic adjustments and we are pleased to have been able to successfully pivot and drive more domestic visitation throughout the year."
The governor's office points to the bourbon industry, horse racing, state parks, downtown districts, and other attractions as the main factors drawing in visitors.
In all, just over 81 million people visited Kentucky in 2025, besting the previous record by 1.1 million.