[VIDEO] Visitors Flock to Bowling Green as the National Corvette Museum is a Top Destination for Tourists in Kentucky

Jun 6, 2024

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[VIDEO] Visitors Flock to Bowling Green as the National Corvette Museum is a Top Destination for Tourists in Kentucky

Photo Credit: Keith Cornett

Tourists continue to flock in large numbers to Kentucky, with tourist expenditures up 9% year over year in 2023, and the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green is certainly doing its share to help.

So say tourism officials, including city leaders like Lauren Guess, director of communications for Visit BGKY that promotes activities in the area.

While tourist numbers were up 21% in Bowling Green for 2022, Guess says that already-record-setting number went on to climb another 7.9% in 2023, in the process generating $477.3 million in visitor spending and $39.3 million in state and local tax revenue last year.

She credits attractions like Lost River Cave and Hilltopper sports for encouraging the increased numbers, as well as the ever-popular National Corvette Museum. NCM Director of Marketing and Communications Ryan Eichler isn’t surprised to hear that.

“The National Corvette Museum is very special because of the amount of investment that we’ve made in the museum over the last three years. That’s really been over $3 million that we put into the exhibit space,” Eichler told WBKO.com. “We make sure to constantly keep a new collection of Corvettes, as well as new exhibits that we’re opening for the public, just to make sure that we’re keeping people interested and keeping people coming back.”

The two marketing officials believe the “small town charm” in Bowling Green helps make it a popular destination for tourists, with Guess noting that big cities ” don’t have the friendly community that welcomes these visitors with open arms.”

“So, when people come here, they’re getting these larger city amenities, but with the comfort of being in a small town,” she believes. Eichler agrees, crediting the community for the success of the NCM.

“So, whether that be our staff and associates that really keep the museum running to the goodwill that we have and people bringing in their family and their friends when someone’s coming to town to visit,” he says. “So of course, without Bowling Green, there would be no National Corvette Museum.”