2021 Economic Impact Through Tourism Exceeds Pre-pandemic Levels in Henderson County

Aug. 24, 2022 (Henderson, Ky.) – Tourism in Henderson County has exceeded pre-pandemic economic impact levels, according to a report released by the Kentucky Department of Tourism by Tourism Economics.

In 2021, total spending by visitors to Henderson County generated $81.87 million, representing a 2.5% increase over 2019’s reported figures.

“Visitors fall in love with the charm of our river town, and they do so while savoring delicious, locally-sourced food at our restaurants, enjoying live music and entertainment at our world-class festivals and events, and soaking up history and nature at our parks,” said Henderson Tourist Commission Executive Director Abby Dixon. “We’re optimistic about the future of tourism and are encouraged by the resiliency of our hospitality partners throughout the pandemic. Always looking towards the future, we’ll continue to hone our identity as a bucket-list destination within the region.”

The impact of tourism in Henderson County is measured by more than total visitor spending alone. A total of 550 tourism-related jobs were reported in Henderson County, and, subsequently, generated $15.4 million in labor income. In addition, $6.1 million was generated in state and local taxes as a result of visitor spending.

Using the Tourism Economics model, the economic impact of the tourism industry in Kentucky generated $11.2 billion in visitor spending in 2021, supporting more than 83,081 jobs and $807.9 million in state and local taxes.