Brand USA and Kentucky Department of Tourism Launch the Kentucky Bourbon Experience
Kentucky (June 14, 2022) – Brand USA and the Kentucky Department of Tourism announced a partnership today focusing on the Kentucky’s bourbon tourism experience targeting international travelers.
Officially launched on National Bourbon Day, the two-year collaboration aims to position bourbon as synonymous with Kentucky focusing on the heritage and craftsmanship of “America’s Native Spirit.” Additionally, the program will showcase how bourbon infuses every aspect of Kentucky life from arts and culture to sports and music.
Brand USA will work closely with the Kentucky Department of Tourism to amplify the state’s bourbon tourism story through multiple channels including a United Stories campaign, influencer marketing, content curation on GoUSA TV, global trade activations and earned media via a series of individual and group press trips. The key international markets will be the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, India, and Australia.
Mike Mangeot, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Tourism commented, “We are proud to be the home of bourbon, but we know this experience goes beyond our state’s borders. As the bourbon industry continues to enjoy exponential growth and shapes our tourism landscape, our partnership with Brand USA allows us to reach a far wider, global audience than we would ever have been able to achieve alone.”
“We pride ourselves on being the nation’s storyteller and we are excited to be share how Kentucky’s bourbon culture plays a significant role in the overall story of the USA,” said Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer at Brand USA. “Through our owned, paid and earned platforms, we are able to create targeted campaigns that encourage international visitors to explore beyond the gateways and find their own story within the bourbon tourism experience.”
The strategy will combine established and emerging distilleries highlighting how each is central to shaping Kentucky’s tourism experience and ultimately increasing international visitation.
As the destination marketing organization for the United States, Brand USA works with local, state, and regional partners with one main goal to increase incremental international visitation, spend, and market share to fuel the nation’s economy and foster understanding between people and cultures.
For more information about the Kentucky Tourism Department, visit www.kentuckytourism.com.
For more information about Brand USA and its partner efforts, visit www.TheBrandUSA.com.
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About Brand USA
Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, was established by the Travel Promotion Act as the nation’s first public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. travel policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. The organization’s mission is to increase international visitation to the United States in order to fuel the U.S. economy and enhance the image of the United States worldwide. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. According to studies by Oxford Economics, over the past ten years Brand USA's marketing initiatives have helped welcome 8 million incremental visitors to the United States, benefiting the U.S. economy with more than $58 billion in total economic impact and supporting, on average, more than 37,000 incremental jobs a year.
For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit TheBrandUSA.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter. To discover more about the USA and the boundless diversity of American travel experiences and authentic, rich culture, please visit Brand USA's consumer website VisitTheUSA.com; follow Visit The USA on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram; and watch travel shows on GoUSATV.
