As we near the close of 2024, it’s a good time to reflect on Louisville’s remarkable tourism year.
A record-breaking 150th Kentucky Derby, followed by the 106th PGA Championship, which drew 200,000 fans to Valhalla Golf Club. Organizations like the Professional Photographers of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, General Convention of the Episcopal Church and the Meeting Professionals International also hosted their annual events in Louisville.
New events like Gazebo Fest, UFCFightNight and the Ironman 70.3 joined established ones like Louder Than Life, billed as the world’s largest rock festival, and the recent record-breaking Bourbon & Beyond, designated as the ‘Best Festival of 2024’ by the live entertainment industry. These events and more all cement Louisville’s status as a top event destination. Altogether, these events contributed nearly $550M of the $4.2B tourism generates annually for the city.
While visitors boost hotels and the hospitality sector, tourism’s impact reaches far beyond “heads in beds.” Restaurants, retail stores, transportation services, entertainment venues and countless small businesses all see financial gains. But the true legacy of these events lies in their community engagement and philanthropic contributions, which often go unnoticed.
Two major players, Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP), headquartered in Los Angeles, and Outdoor Power Equipment (OPEI), headquartered in Virginia, exemplify this through their lasting contributions. DWP’s philanthropic arm, the DWP Foundation, has contributed more than $1 million to organizations like Dare to Care, AMPED and Louisville Visual Art through this initiative, leaving a profound impact on our city.
OPEI’s Equip Exposition met in Louisville last month, drawing record-breaking attendance over the four expo days. This annual event attracted more than 28,000 attendees and 1,000+ exhibitors, with the Kentucky Exposition Center proudly serving as the host venue for over 40 years. In 2009, OPEI also developed a charitable foundation called the TurfMutt Foundation, which focuses on advocating for outdoor living + maintenance of parks, yards and other green spaces. This year, the TurfMutt Foundation is investing $1 million in the Great Lawn at Waterfront Park, which will be renamed the “TurfMutt Great Lawn.”
This is the second Louisville park the Foundation has invested in; the Mulligan Bark Park opened downtown in 2023. The TurfMutt Foundation’s efforts also extend into the community with partnerships like Mulligan’s Mutt Madness, which has found homes for more than 60 dogs through the Kentucky Humane Society.
These contributions don’t just help local organizations; they create a ripple effect, inspiring more community engagement and giving. The true legacy of tourism in Louisville isn’t just economic — it’s about building a stronger, more connected community for everyone.
Cleo Battle is the President and CEO of Louisville Tourism, responsible for enhancing the area’s economy through tourism development.
This post was originally published on here
