SE Bluegrass News

Tourism Votes to Extend Support for Local Concerts

In a unanimous vote, the Berea Tourism Commission voted last Wednesday to extend funding for the concert series at the Chestnut Street Pavilion. 

The series ran from July to September last year, however, the commission voted to reallocate $4,000 in leftover funds from 2022 to have the series begin in June of 2023.

Tourism Commissioner Rick Thomas supported the idea, adding that sponsoring additional events is in line with the city’s strategic plan, which asserts that the more that’s going on in Berea, the more tourists will come to town. 

“Some events may seem small, but they create an energy in the community,” Thomas said. 

“I think Levitt Amp and other concerts this year have proven that people are looking for things to do and places to go, and I think we can provide that.”

Director of Business Development and Tourism Donna Angel agreed, noting that as of the end of 2022, there were 411 events in town, including festivals and performances in Berea, whether they were sponsored by Levitt Amp Berea, Berea Tourism, Berea College, the Boone Tavern Inn, the Berea Arts Council, businesses like the the Spotlight Playhouse, or others.

Commissioner Becky Brown noted reinvesting the $4,000 into the upcoming Chestnut Street Pavilion concerts provides a benefit for both visitors and local citizens. “It brings people in from out of town and out of state, and it’s something that our local people can enjoy them, too,” Brown said.

Angel noted the ultimate aim is to bring visitors back with attractions like local music and events. 

“The more you do, the more people will come, and the more dollars will be brought into the city when they come back,” she said.

Turning toward the marketing of Berea, local tourism seems to be on rise in the wake of the city’s efforts to boost advertising, officials said.  

In recent years, tourism officials have asked city employees to establish a correlation between advertising expenditures and visitor response. 

Media Manager Dani Gift, who overseas the department’s social media, said there is a direct link between the city’s expenditures on adverting and inquiries on Facebook or other platforms. 

When an advertising campaign is launched, clicks on tourism websites surge. 

Gift said she experts another surge of interest with the upcoming Valentine’s Day ads launched by tourism.

Additionally, Angel noted Berea is drawing more attention of travel writers nationwide, citing a recent article stating “14 Reasons to Visit Berea.” 

The heightened interest of travel writers suggests tourism’s advertising and social media efforts are successfully spreading the word about Berea as a tourism destination, Angel added.

In other news, officials noted the following developments since the tourism commission last met.

•    Tourism is still working on getting an electronic sign mounted on the Chestnut Street Pavilion to advertise local events. Angel added tourism may have to seek a variance for the sign, making it slightly larger to accommodate more businesses.

•    Ethan Cima noted that Berea welcomed 50 motorcoaches to the city in 2022, just five short of the city’s high of 55 in 2019. Anticipating more visitors in 2023, tourism plans to offer more interactive activities for motorcoach visitors, including artisan classes and demonstrations. Cima said his goal is to eventually welcome 120 motorcoaches in one year. In attending an upcoming conference, Cima stated he hopes to lure motorcoach groups from Pennsylvania.  

•    Program Manager Nancy Conley said that visits to the Welcome Center dipped slightly in 2022, but that the states sending visitors to Berea remains steady. First is Kentucky, of course, which sends the most out-of-town visitors, followed by Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Texas.

•    An International Student Art Fair will be occurring in cooperation with Berea Community School June 9 and 10, showcasing artwork from students around central Kentucky. The event had previously been staged at Rupp Area, and will take place in venues around the city. The event is to encourage upcoming artists. The city has already received commitments to participate from EKU and UK, Angel said. Two hundred teachers will be in town for the event.  

•    The Business Development and Tourism Department will be participating in a January Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) conference in an effort to find ways to support small businesses and local entrepreneurs.   

•    Tourism is engaging a group from Minnesota to find out how to market Berea as a destination for biking enthusiasts. Berea is at the crossroads of two continental bike routes and has invested in both the expansion of shared use paths and the Silver Creek Bike Park.  

Original source can be found here