Wednesday January 25th, 2012
Gearing up...
This time of year is especially hectic for any tourism office. It's the end of one year and the beginning of another. Whether it's planning upcoming events, or closing the book on the past ones, there's always something to be done. Thanks to the public response to some of the events that I have created, we are building up tourism in Greenup County. It takes time for these events to get off the ground and gain support. My number one goal is to help people to understand how much impact that tourism could potentially have on our great county. Ive said it before, we have so many natural resources that we can turn into tourism destinations. We are truly fortunate.
One trick is finding ways to promote and market our area with the budget that we have. Some offices can spend upwards of $300,000 on advertising during the course of a year. We, however, are working on a total budget that is 1/4th of that. I am always looking for free publicity. One way to do that is to attend travel and tourism shows to pass our material. Every February, I travel to Indianapolis for the Ford RV, Sport, Boat, and Travel Show. It is held on the Indiana State Fair Grounds and is a 10 day event. This event is the largest indoor event of its kind in the United States with over 600 exhibitors, over half a million square feet of vendor space, and an average daily attendance of nearly 20,000. There are representatives from all across the country sharing information and trying to entice people to travel. It's great for us because I am able to pass our nearly 10,000 brochures during the event. Not only does that save money on postage, but there's no way for us to do that much marketing for free in any other capacity. This show truly has something for everyone. It's a great production that allows visitors to visualize a potential destination and make plans to travel there. For this show, I am joined by Sue Dowdy from the Ashland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Sue has years of experience in tourism and travel and is a valuable asset to me. We go together, not only representing our own counties and areas, but also representing the Eastern Highlands North Travel and Tourism Region. I am proud to represent Eastern KY and all it has to offer. Hopefully, with the addition of the new attractions we are working on, next year I can encourage people to travel to a one of a kind outdoor recreation destination known as Greenup County Kentucky!
For more information on the Ford RV, Boat, Sport and Travel Show please visit www.renfroproductions.com
This time of year is especially hectic for any tourism office. It's the end of one year and the beginning of another. Whether it's planning upcoming events, or closing the book on the past ones, there's always something to be done. Thanks to the public response to some of the events that I have created, we are building up tourism in Greenup County. It takes time for these events to get off the ground and gain support. My number one goal is to help people to understand how much impact that tourism could potentially have on our great county. Ive said it before, we have so many natural resources that we can turn into tourism destinations. We are truly fortunate.
One trick is finding ways to promote and market our area with the budget that we have. Some offices can spend upwards of $300,000 on advertising during the course of a year. We, however, are working on a total budget that is 1/4th of that. I am always looking for free publicity. One way to do that is to attend travel and tourism shows to pass our material. Every February, I travel to Indianapolis for the Ford RV, Sport, Boat, and Travel Show. It is held on the Indiana State Fair Grounds and is a 10 day event. This event is the largest indoor event of its kind in the United States with over 600 exhibitors, over half a million square feet of vendor space, and an average daily attendance of nearly 20,000. There are representatives from all across the country sharing information and trying to entice people to travel. It's great for us because I am able to pass our nearly 10,000 brochures during the event. Not only does that save money on postage, but there's no way for us to do that much marketing for free in any other capacity. This show truly has something for everyone. It's a great production that allows visitors to visualize a potential destination and make plans to travel there. For this show, I am joined by Sue Dowdy from the Ashland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Sue has years of experience in tourism and travel and is a valuable asset to me. We go together, not only representing our own counties and areas, but also representing the Eastern Highlands North Travel and Tourism Region. I am proud to represent Eastern KY and all it has to offer. Hopefully, with the addition of the new attractions we are working on, next year I can encourage people to travel to a one of a kind outdoor recreation destination known as Greenup County Kentucky!
For more information on the Ford RV, Boat, Sport and Travel Show please visit www.renfroproductions.com
Monday January 9th, 2012
A great holiday season...
Now that the holidays are officially over, I would like to thank all of those individuals who made our holiday events special. Tourism's holiday season started back on December 17th with our 2nd Annual Christmas Showcase of Authors. The event was held at the McConnell House in Wurtland, KY and celebrated our rich writing culture. Greenup County and the Tri-State has a great number of outstanding writers and authors. Along with the help of Colonel Charles Dahnmon Whitt, I have put together these authors showcases to give the public a chance to meet and greet with those writers. This years turnout was spectacular. The McConnell House was decorated for Christmas and the scenery was very special. Our event took on a different shape this year. We had some living historians come dressed in period clothing and speaking in first person of who they were imitating. Everyone from General Robert E. Lee to Abraham Lincoln graced us with their presence that Saturday. The public support was the best we have had yet and we are already planning a summer event here at the McConnell House with more living historians and possibly a civil war reenactment. Stay tuned for more info on that.
I am proud to be a charter member and acting President of the Friends of Greenbo Lake State Park Group. We came together as citizens with a common cause of helping Greenbo flourish in these tough economic times. Our committee is made up of business leaders, park employees, community leaders, and area residents. With the help of the Department of Parks, we are working on some attractions that I have mentioned before such as the scuba refuge and the zip line course. To kick off 2012, the Friends Group decided to host a New Years Eve party @ Jesse Stuart Lodge on the grounds of Greenbo Lake State Resort Park. By raising some private donations, we were able to transform the convention center into a party palace. (If you see Deloris & John Bentley, thank them for their hard work on decorating for the event) The group wanted to host this event, not only to have a classy event that can become annual, but to also get our name out there and help people understand our mission. The event was a success. We were pleased to have had over 70 guests that night and the lodge was 99% full for the night. We managed to bring in $185 dollars for future use as well. I can't say enough about how great the staff at GLSRP is. They were so helpful with anything we needed. Thanks to Bill and the kitchen staff, the food was out-of-this-world. As I have said before, we are so very fortunate to have Greenbo in Greenup County and we need to make certain we do all we can to help the park thrive. If anyone reading this is interested in getting involved, please email tourism.director@gmail.com or send us a message on our facebook page "Friends of Greenbo".
B. Allen
Now that the holidays are officially over, I would like to thank all of those individuals who made our holiday events special. Tourism's holiday season started back on December 17th with our 2nd Annual Christmas Showcase of Authors. The event was held at the McConnell House in Wurtland, KY and celebrated our rich writing culture. Greenup County and the Tri-State has a great number of outstanding writers and authors. Along with the help of Colonel Charles Dahnmon Whitt, I have put together these authors showcases to give the public a chance to meet and greet with those writers. This years turnout was spectacular. The McConnell House was decorated for Christmas and the scenery was very special. Our event took on a different shape this year. We had some living historians come dressed in period clothing and speaking in first person of who they were imitating. Everyone from General Robert E. Lee to Abraham Lincoln graced us with their presence that Saturday. The public support was the best we have had yet and we are already planning a summer event here at the McConnell House with more living historians and possibly a civil war reenactment. Stay tuned for more info on that.
I am proud to be a charter member and acting President of the Friends of Greenbo Lake State Park Group. We came together as citizens with a common cause of helping Greenbo flourish in these tough economic times. Our committee is made up of business leaders, park employees, community leaders, and area residents. With the help of the Department of Parks, we are working on some attractions that I have mentioned before such as the scuba refuge and the zip line course. To kick off 2012, the Friends Group decided to host a New Years Eve party @ Jesse Stuart Lodge on the grounds of Greenbo Lake State Resort Park. By raising some private donations, we were able to transform the convention center into a party palace. (If you see Deloris & John Bentley, thank them for their hard work on decorating for the event) The group wanted to host this event, not only to have a classy event that can become annual, but to also get our name out there and help people understand our mission. The event was a success. We were pleased to have had over 70 guests that night and the lodge was 99% full for the night. We managed to bring in $185 dollars for future use as well. I can't say enough about how great the staff at GLSRP is. They were so helpful with anything we needed. Thanks to Bill and the kitchen staff, the food was out-of-this-world. As I have said before, we are so very fortunate to have Greenbo in Greenup County and we need to make certain we do all we can to help the park thrive. If anyone reading this is interested in getting involved, please email tourism.director@gmail.com or send us a message on our facebook page "Friends of Greenbo".
B. Allen
Tuesday November 29th
TourSEKY Tourism Forum 2011
Today, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Tourism and Travel Forum @ the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, KY. First of all, if you haven't seen the facility that they have there, you are missing out. Congressman Hal Rogers developed the Center for Rural Development to ensure that Southern and Eastern KY could unite to bring new visitors and businesses to the area. It's a beautiful building with conference rooms, a theater, meeting rooms, and the capacity to hold large scale events. At the tourism and travel forum, TourSEKY brings in guest speakers and tourism professionals from around the country to provide information on the newest and best ways to promote and market your area. Each and Every year I have attended, I have brought home ideas that I have put into place. I am convinced that we here in Greenup County need to focus on tourism as a way to stimulate our local economy. If you read my posts, I harp on this regularly. With our riverfront communities, our state park, and plenty of room to grow, we really have a leg up with the potential to be a true destination. I am working on ways to develop the Industrial Parkway into a thriving area with shops, restaurants, and attractions. Even the addition of one hotel/motel and a restaurant would increase our visibility. The future renovation of RT 207 will create yet another direct link between would be travelers and a great city in Greenup KY. Please talk to your friends and neighbors about the potential for growth here. New development means jobs, increased tax base for local government, and of course entertainment for families!
B. Allen
Today, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Tourism and Travel Forum @ the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, KY. First of all, if you haven't seen the facility that they have there, you are missing out. Congressman Hal Rogers developed the Center for Rural Development to ensure that Southern and Eastern KY could unite to bring new visitors and businesses to the area. It's a beautiful building with conference rooms, a theater, meeting rooms, and the capacity to hold large scale events. At the tourism and travel forum, TourSEKY brings in guest speakers and tourism professionals from around the country to provide information on the newest and best ways to promote and market your area. Each and Every year I have attended, I have brought home ideas that I have put into place. I am convinced that we here in Greenup County need to focus on tourism as a way to stimulate our local economy. If you read my posts, I harp on this regularly. With our riverfront communities, our state park, and plenty of room to grow, we really have a leg up with the potential to be a true destination. I am working on ways to develop the Industrial Parkway into a thriving area with shops, restaurants, and attractions. Even the addition of one hotel/motel and a restaurant would increase our visibility. The future renovation of RT 207 will create yet another direct link between would be travelers and a great city in Greenup KY. Please talk to your friends and neighbors about the potential for growth here. New development means jobs, increased tax base for local government, and of course entertainment for families!
B. Allen
Monday October 31st
Great news....
Well, I want to start out by telling you what a wonderful weekend I had at Greenbo. This past Friday night, the Paramount Arts Center held a performance at the park as part of a director's workshop. The great staff at Greenbo created a dinner theater for the event that was fantastic. They served a 5 course meal to go along with the 5 one-act plays. I had the great pleasure of staying at the park on Friday night and the accomodations were fantastic. I mingled with some guests to promote the dinner theater and met some great folks who had made Greenbo their destination for a family reunion. The rooms were super clean, the food was five star, and the hospitality was second to none. It's amazing that we have such a wonderful place to call our own.
There is something else new that I want to share. The Best Western River Cities just finished a remodeling project with their guest rooms and suites. Wow. I have to tell you I was blown away. They now boast flat screen TV's in all rooms. Again, we are so lucky to have such a nice property to call our own. Jamie Blanton, the general manager, is doing an outstanding job of providing a first class motel for guests. With some hard work, we, as a community, can work together to make sure we have events that allow us to showcase the Best Western.
And finally....
Last Tuesday the Friends of Greenbo group met to discuss some attractions that we have in the works. It's worth mentioning that Greenbo will become a major scuba diving destination next summer. The idea has gotten approval from the Department of Parks and work will begin soon on cleaning up brush, trees, and debris. The plan is to sink some different attractions under the water so that divers will have things to explore. This will open us up to a whole new demographic of travelers. We are definitely heading in the right direction.....
B. Allen
Well, I want to start out by telling you what a wonderful weekend I had at Greenbo. This past Friday night, the Paramount Arts Center held a performance at the park as part of a director's workshop. The great staff at Greenbo created a dinner theater for the event that was fantastic. They served a 5 course meal to go along with the 5 one-act plays. I had the great pleasure of staying at the park on Friday night and the accomodations were fantastic. I mingled with some guests to promote the dinner theater and met some great folks who had made Greenbo their destination for a family reunion. The rooms were super clean, the food was five star, and the hospitality was second to none. It's amazing that we have such a wonderful place to call our own.
There is something else new that I want to share. The Best Western River Cities just finished a remodeling project with their guest rooms and suites. Wow. I have to tell you I was blown away. They now boast flat screen TV's in all rooms. Again, we are so lucky to have such a nice property to call our own. Jamie Blanton, the general manager, is doing an outstanding job of providing a first class motel for guests. With some hard work, we, as a community, can work together to make sure we have events that allow us to showcase the Best Western.
And finally....
Last Tuesday the Friends of Greenbo group met to discuss some attractions that we have in the works. It's worth mentioning that Greenbo will become a major scuba diving destination next summer. The idea has gotten approval from the Department of Parks and work will begin soon on cleaning up brush, trees, and debris. The plan is to sink some different attractions under the water so that divers will have things to explore. This will open us up to a whole new demographic of travelers. We are definitely heading in the right direction.....
B. Allen
Tuesday October 11th
Fall fun....
This past weekend I had the pleasure of showcasing our tourism office during Greenup Old Fashion Days. This event is one of the gems of the area and has been a personal favorite of mine since I was very young. The event takes place in downtown Greenup Ky and features vendors, arts and crafts, musical entertainment, petting zoo, inflatables, and a talent contest. Its wonderful to see this event stand the test of time and continue to grow the way it does. After spending the weekend working our tourism booth, I get the sense that the community is desperately wanting growth and progress. Im here to tell you that the world is at our fingertips through tourism and travel. We have such a unique landscape with acres upon acres of land waiting to be developed. We have all the infrastructure needed to become a travel destination. We have wonderful people who call Greenup County home. What's missing? Attractions to help guide people to our beautiful riverside community. Since the departure of Ashland Oil, and a few other large corporations, our area has seen a decline in population and growth. Let's think about what would create jobs, create new tourism, and help build a tax base? Why don't we use the river. Imagine small ports in Greenup, Russell or South Shore. Not just for river traffic, but docks that feature riverfront dining, shopping, and relaxing. Some of the neatest places I've traveled to are small towns on or near body's of water. What about adventure tourism? Managed ATV trails, Zip Lines, Hiking, Biking, or camping. We've got a great start with Greenbo Lake State Park, let's add to that with kayak/canoe trips down the little sandy or tygart creek. Put in a managed atv trail system on the industrial parkway that would be a mecca for adventure travelers. What about a sports park somewhere centrally located in the county where we could host regional, or even national Little League, Middle School, or High School sporting events. These are all real possibilities. Like myself, there are many young people that leave this area after high school in search of jobs, entertainment, and progress or all of the above. We don't have to become Gatlinburg, TN or Branson, Missouri, but we could see attractions become reality here that could make us Greenup County Kentucky, a place that is unique to us!!
B. Allen
This past weekend I had the pleasure of showcasing our tourism office during Greenup Old Fashion Days. This event is one of the gems of the area and has been a personal favorite of mine since I was very young. The event takes place in downtown Greenup Ky and features vendors, arts and crafts, musical entertainment, petting zoo, inflatables, and a talent contest. Its wonderful to see this event stand the test of time and continue to grow the way it does. After spending the weekend working our tourism booth, I get the sense that the community is desperately wanting growth and progress. Im here to tell you that the world is at our fingertips through tourism and travel. We have such a unique landscape with acres upon acres of land waiting to be developed. We have all the infrastructure needed to become a travel destination. We have wonderful people who call Greenup County home. What's missing? Attractions to help guide people to our beautiful riverside community. Since the departure of Ashland Oil, and a few other large corporations, our area has seen a decline in population and growth. Let's think about what would create jobs, create new tourism, and help build a tax base? Why don't we use the river. Imagine small ports in Greenup, Russell or South Shore. Not just for river traffic, but docks that feature riverfront dining, shopping, and relaxing. Some of the neatest places I've traveled to are small towns on or near body's of water. What about adventure tourism? Managed ATV trails, Zip Lines, Hiking, Biking, or camping. We've got a great start with Greenbo Lake State Park, let's add to that with kayak/canoe trips down the little sandy or tygart creek. Put in a managed atv trail system on the industrial parkway that would be a mecca for adventure travelers. What about a sports park somewhere centrally located in the county where we could host regional, or even national Little League, Middle School, or High School sporting events. These are all real possibilities. Like myself, there are many young people that leave this area after high school in search of jobs, entertainment, and progress or all of the above. We don't have to become Gatlinburg, TN or Branson, Missouri, but we could see attractions become reality here that could make us Greenup County Kentucky, a place that is unique to us!!
B. Allen
Wednesday August 31st
The busy week...
After a long stretch at the state fair, the tourism office is back in business at the local level. When late August rolls around, our office gets pretty busy. Granted there is only one of me in the office, I attempt to be involved with all the local fall events while still trying to promote on a grander scale. Yesterday marked the beginning of the Greenup County Fair, in which, I take the opportunity to shake hands, talk to people about things they would like to see in the area, and also to promote anything we have coming up. After several months plotting and planning on a way to get a new website up and running, I am using my time at the county fair to promote our new site. I have also decided to speak to as many of our local leaders as possible about the potential ATV trails and the attractions in the works for Greenbo. So far, we have gotten a great response. Myself, along with Cary Lyle, are trying to work every angle possible, to find the means to open some things here that would help increase our occupancy rates. I personally don't want our local state parks to have to shorten their hours during winter months anymore. It's going to take a lot of work and planning based on the low revenue we have at our disposal. If all goes well, we can bring in an attraction that will not only set Greenup County apart, but will financially benefit the entire county and region. Whether it's a Zip Line course @ Greenbo, a scuba diving refuge @ Greenbo, additonal horse trails and horse camping @ Greenbo, or 75+ miles of managed ATV trails on the Industrial Parkway, anything would be a great asset to us. Tax base, direct revenue for the county, increased tourism, and the potential for commercial development are all things that would be a bi-products of such an attraction. Wish us well on our venture. The more public support we have, the better our chances for success are. Your support goes a long way, so give us a call, email, or come by the office if you would like to get involved. Also I am in the process of uploading some new photos of Greenbo and filling out more of the schedule. Keep checking back!
B. Allen
After a long stretch at the state fair, the tourism office is back in business at the local level. When late August rolls around, our office gets pretty busy. Granted there is only one of me in the office, I attempt to be involved with all the local fall events while still trying to promote on a grander scale. Yesterday marked the beginning of the Greenup County Fair, in which, I take the opportunity to shake hands, talk to people about things they would like to see in the area, and also to promote anything we have coming up. After several months plotting and planning on a way to get a new website up and running, I am using my time at the county fair to promote our new site. I have also decided to speak to as many of our local leaders as possible about the potential ATV trails and the attractions in the works for Greenbo. So far, we have gotten a great response. Myself, along with Cary Lyle, are trying to work every angle possible, to find the means to open some things here that would help increase our occupancy rates. I personally don't want our local state parks to have to shorten their hours during winter months anymore. It's going to take a lot of work and planning based on the low revenue we have at our disposal. If all goes well, we can bring in an attraction that will not only set Greenup County apart, but will financially benefit the entire county and region. Whether it's a Zip Line course @ Greenbo, a scuba diving refuge @ Greenbo, additonal horse trails and horse camping @ Greenbo, or 75+ miles of managed ATV trails on the Industrial Parkway, anything would be a great asset to us. Tax base, direct revenue for the county, increased tourism, and the potential for commercial development are all things that would be a bi-products of such an attraction. Wish us well on our venture. The more public support we have, the better our chances for success are. Your support goes a long way, so give us a call, email, or come by the office if you would like to get involved. Also I am in the process of uploading some new photos of Greenbo and filling out more of the schedule. Keep checking back!
B. Allen
Monday August 21st
A small break...
Well. With one long weekend down, I now have one more to go. Believe me, the state fair was busy this year. I would guess the numbers to be at a record clip. They are even having to shut down some of the entry gates and shuffle people around to various off site parking lots. Great for tourism though. We are very fortunate this year to be in the main isle of the "Pride of the Counties". This area of the fair is sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau and features tourism and visitor bureau's from across the state. Being in the main isle means that all the people that enter the south wing have to come right past our booth. The past two years that I have been coming, we had not been in the middle isle. We still saw a great deal of people but absolutely nothing like this year. Upon leaving last Wednesday night, I took 8 boxes of material with me. Each box contains 500 brochures. In four days, I have no brochures left. That's why going to the state fair means so much for a small tourism office like ours. It gives us a platform to showcase what we have and to give our material out. On Wednesday, when I go back to Louisville, I will be taking ten boxes just in case. I recommend that one not bring candy. You would think that people are starving. And the free stuff that several offices bring, well you better have a lot. We laid 20 Paintsville Tourism pens on our table and set a timer. 44 seconds later they were gone! The masses of people you see is just amazing. I truly think that the economy has played a role in the numbers this year. People are taking advantage of activities such as the fair, which are closer to home, offer things you can't see everyday, and also have a lot of events for one price of admission. If this past weekend is any indication, I should be working a lot of extra hours this weekend at the Ky State Fair!
Well. With one long weekend down, I now have one more to go. Believe me, the state fair was busy this year. I would guess the numbers to be at a record clip. They are even having to shut down some of the entry gates and shuffle people around to various off site parking lots. Great for tourism though. We are very fortunate this year to be in the main isle of the "Pride of the Counties". This area of the fair is sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau and features tourism and visitor bureau's from across the state. Being in the main isle means that all the people that enter the south wing have to come right past our booth. The past two years that I have been coming, we had not been in the middle isle. We still saw a great deal of people but absolutely nothing like this year. Upon leaving last Wednesday night, I took 8 boxes of material with me. Each box contains 500 brochures. In four days, I have no brochures left. That's why going to the state fair means so much for a small tourism office like ours. It gives us a platform to showcase what we have and to give our material out. On Wednesday, when I go back to Louisville, I will be taking ten boxes just in case. I recommend that one not bring candy. You would think that people are starving. And the free stuff that several offices bring, well you better have a lot. We laid 20 Paintsville Tourism pens on our table and set a timer. 44 seconds later they were gone! The masses of people you see is just amazing. I truly think that the economy has played a role in the numbers this year. People are taking advantage of activities such as the fair, which are closer to home, offer things you can't see everyday, and also have a lot of events for one price of admission. If this past weekend is any indication, I should be working a lot of extra hours this weekend at the Ky State Fair!
Thursday August 18th
State Fair 2011
August means several things. For me it's the start of school, football, and the state fair. The state fair has been around for years. When I was little, my parents would always bring me up the Louisville to attend the fair. Getting out of school legally was great by the way. It is always exciting, even now. There is the traditional midway rides, on a larger scale than county fairs of course, especially now that Six Flags has closed. There are all kinds of exciting foods to try. There is the increasingly popular Crispy Cream Doughnut Burger. Yes, you read that correctly. There is deep fried kool-aid. Again, yes that's what I said, and last but not least deep fried derby pie. Great free and paid admission concerts. Merchandise booths of every nature. Once outside, there are multiple live music tents, exhibits, and shows. I am there, in South Wing B, promoting Greenup County along with the tourism director's from the rest of the region and Country Music Highway. It's a place where you can travel to any corner of our great state without leaving the air conditioned confines of the expo center. It's a change for a smaller budget county, like us, to talk to potential travelers and give them material showing all of our great points of interest. On a good day, the state fair will host 80-100 thousand people. It's quite a remarkable thing to be a part of. I have made some great friends over the past three years from different regions. We are all there for a similar reason. Showcasing what and who we are. To Greenup County it's priceless. Although it would be nice to get to see all the sights, we do get some time in the late evenings to wonder over to the tents outside and listen to some live music. It's such a large property and there is so much to see, that some families create a full fledged vacation out of the fair. You always see different people. I would recommend the KY State Fair to anyone looking to learn about all the great things this state has to offer and also to learn about all the great day and weekend trips available right here in the Bluegrass!
B. Allen
August means several things. For me it's the start of school, football, and the state fair. The state fair has been around for years. When I was little, my parents would always bring me up the Louisville to attend the fair. Getting out of school legally was great by the way. It is always exciting, even now. There is the traditional midway rides, on a larger scale than county fairs of course, especially now that Six Flags has closed. There are all kinds of exciting foods to try. There is the increasingly popular Crispy Cream Doughnut Burger. Yes, you read that correctly. There is deep fried kool-aid. Again, yes that's what I said, and last but not least deep fried derby pie. Great free and paid admission concerts. Merchandise booths of every nature. Once outside, there are multiple live music tents, exhibits, and shows. I am there, in South Wing B, promoting Greenup County along with the tourism director's from the rest of the region and Country Music Highway. It's a place where you can travel to any corner of our great state without leaving the air conditioned confines of the expo center. It's a change for a smaller budget county, like us, to talk to potential travelers and give them material showing all of our great points of interest. On a good day, the state fair will host 80-100 thousand people. It's quite a remarkable thing to be a part of. I have made some great friends over the past three years from different regions. We are all there for a similar reason. Showcasing what and who we are. To Greenup County it's priceless. Although it would be nice to get to see all the sights, we do get some time in the late evenings to wonder over to the tents outside and listen to some live music. It's such a large property and there is so much to see, that some families create a full fledged vacation out of the fair. You always see different people. I would recommend the KY State Fair to anyone looking to learn about all the great things this state has to offer and also to learn about all the great day and weekend trips available right here in the Bluegrass!
B. Allen
Saturday August 13th
The Hard work of our community...
Every year we see the work of our community members presented through local festivals and events. What most of us don't see, are all the hours of work that are put in so that the public can have great event to enjoy. Let's take Old Fashion Days in Greenup for example. After coordinating Russell Railroad Days, I saw first hand the hurdles that one must overcome to put together such a gathering. The phone calls, asking for donations, the logistics, and the support from local government. Whether it's getting permission from the Department of Transportation to close roads, working with the electric companies to get good rates for the power, scheduling the entertainment, or mapping out vendor spaces, it takes time. In small communities like ours, the money to fund an event can be the biggest challenge. Couple that with the stale economy and it can force events to close, or cause new events to be postponed. When people come to an event, they spend money locally which boosts the local economy. As events grow, the attendance multiplies, and the revenue increases. It's only then, that these events become greatly successful. When the sponsors know they are getting their money's worth, they are much more interested in supporting your efforts. On the flip side, when local businesses that typically donate to such events are tightening their belts, the first thing to go are the sponsorships and advertising. Those are the two most important things to have when it comes to promotion. I applaud anyone that works behind the scenes to put together a quality festival. We are fortunate to have people here that are dedicated to making sure these events happen. I won't name names, but those of you who work hard, you know who you are. If you know one of those individuals, thank them. Let them know that you appreciate their support for our community. Our local festivals make us who we are. If we are unable to create unique, and family friendly events, our residents will go elsewhere to find it. I am also proud to work with such a willing county government. Even though they often have to make tough decisions, they always seem to come to bat when the game is on the line. Thank you. If we all get involved and become active members of the local community, we can prosper in the long run. Be progressive and follow the lead of those areas that have figured it out. We, as a county, need to use what we have such as natural resources, to create a unique brand. Market that brand correctly, and people will want to travel here and see what we are all about. It can have an extraordinary impact on our economy right here at home! Things like utilizing the bodies of water to the fullest, are some ways I am trying to bring new things here. We already have a classy Best Western, a beautiful state park, and space to grow. We are not bound by a large population and there is land available for exciting development. Could you see a world class water park on banks of the Ohio River, 4-star restaurants that over look the water, Managed ATV trails that bring a new category of traveler, or a music venue where we could host platinum selling artists. Those are just some ideas, but there are ways that we can expand that would not disturb our little piece of heaven here. I am working on ways to bring canoe and kayak trips that take scenic floats down the Tygart, Little Sandy, and Ohio river. Adventure Tourism is taking over. Areas that have tapped into that realm, have seen otherwise impossible improvements. Having lived in several areas within the state and beyond, I live here because of the schools, the people, and our proximity to anything you may need. We are certainly blessed and sometimes we take that for granted.
B. Allen
Every year we see the work of our community members presented through local festivals and events. What most of us don't see, are all the hours of work that are put in so that the public can have great event to enjoy. Let's take Old Fashion Days in Greenup for example. After coordinating Russell Railroad Days, I saw first hand the hurdles that one must overcome to put together such a gathering. The phone calls, asking for donations, the logistics, and the support from local government. Whether it's getting permission from the Department of Transportation to close roads, working with the electric companies to get good rates for the power, scheduling the entertainment, or mapping out vendor spaces, it takes time. In small communities like ours, the money to fund an event can be the biggest challenge. Couple that with the stale economy and it can force events to close, or cause new events to be postponed. When people come to an event, they spend money locally which boosts the local economy. As events grow, the attendance multiplies, and the revenue increases. It's only then, that these events become greatly successful. When the sponsors know they are getting their money's worth, they are much more interested in supporting your efforts. On the flip side, when local businesses that typically donate to such events are tightening their belts, the first thing to go are the sponsorships and advertising. Those are the two most important things to have when it comes to promotion. I applaud anyone that works behind the scenes to put together a quality festival. We are fortunate to have people here that are dedicated to making sure these events happen. I won't name names, but those of you who work hard, you know who you are. If you know one of those individuals, thank them. Let them know that you appreciate their support for our community. Our local festivals make us who we are. If we are unable to create unique, and family friendly events, our residents will go elsewhere to find it. I am also proud to work with such a willing county government. Even though they often have to make tough decisions, they always seem to come to bat when the game is on the line. Thank you. If we all get involved and become active members of the local community, we can prosper in the long run. Be progressive and follow the lead of those areas that have figured it out. We, as a county, need to use what we have such as natural resources, to create a unique brand. Market that brand correctly, and people will want to travel here and see what we are all about. It can have an extraordinary impact on our economy right here at home! Things like utilizing the bodies of water to the fullest, are some ways I am trying to bring new things here. We already have a classy Best Western, a beautiful state park, and space to grow. We are not bound by a large population and there is land available for exciting development. Could you see a world class water park on banks of the Ohio River, 4-star restaurants that over look the water, Managed ATV trails that bring a new category of traveler, or a music venue where we could host platinum selling artists. Those are just some ideas, but there are ways that we can expand that would not disturb our little piece of heaven here. I am working on ways to bring canoe and kayak trips that take scenic floats down the Tygart, Little Sandy, and Ohio river. Adventure Tourism is taking over. Areas that have tapped into that realm, have seen otherwise impossible improvements. Having lived in several areas within the state and beyond, I live here because of the schools, the people, and our proximity to anything you may need. We are certainly blessed and sometimes we take that for granted.
B. Allen
Friday August 12th
Busy time for tourism...
Well here we are again, in the latter stages of a hot summer, with fall fast approaching. This is the busy season for most tourism offices.
Whether it's fair's, festival's, concert's, or meetings, there is alot going on. Next week marks the beginning of the Kentucky State Fair. Seriously, if you haven't ever gone to the state fair, it's a one time "must do". There are some of us who really love that kind of thing. The smell of the chilli dogs, screaming kids, screaming parents, carnival style games that take your money, you know what I mean. It's as American as apple pie, right? The State Fair gives a lot of tourism offices the opportunity to get our name out there. It gives us the chance to put our brochures in someone's hand and not just hope they picked one up. It gives us a forum to answer questions that potential travelers might have about something in our area. We go to work. Packing boxes, decorations, and whatever else we can fit into our cars to turn a 10 X 10 plot of concrete into a mecca for local tourism. It's a good time. Especially for smaller counties that don't have brand name attractions like an amusement park or a "supermall". All we want is a small piece of the travel industry pie. It's a big pie. Transient tax (hotel/motel tax) revenue can be a great assett for cities and counties to make improvments. That money can be used to upgrade athletic complexes at schools, it can be used to host concerts, and it's also what our office survives on. The more people visit our area, the more we can do to improve upon what we have. I hope that we can continue our recently progressive attitude toward improving the tri-state. Im all in.
B. Allen
Whether it's fair's, festival's, concert's, or meetings, there is alot going on. Next week marks the beginning of the Kentucky State Fair. Seriously, if you haven't ever gone to the state fair, it's a one time "must do". There are some of us who really love that kind of thing. The smell of the chilli dogs, screaming kids, screaming parents, carnival style games that take your money, you know what I mean. It's as American as apple pie, right? The State Fair gives a lot of tourism offices the opportunity to get our name out there. It gives us the chance to put our brochures in someone's hand and not just hope they picked one up. It gives us a forum to answer questions that potential travelers might have about something in our area. We go to work. Packing boxes, decorations, and whatever else we can fit into our cars to turn a 10 X 10 plot of concrete into a mecca for local tourism. It's a good time. Especially for smaller counties that don't have brand name attractions like an amusement park or a "supermall". All we want is a small piece of the travel industry pie. It's a big pie. Transient tax (hotel/motel tax) revenue can be a great assett for cities and counties to make improvments. That money can be used to upgrade athletic complexes at schools, it can be used to host concerts, and it's also what our office survives on. The more people visit our area, the more we can do to improve upon what we have. I hope that we can continue our recently progressive attitude toward improving the tri-state. Im all in.
B. Allen
