Department of Travel
Summer Sweepstakes Wraps Up with Grand Prize Winner

Kentucky Department of Travel News Release

Release Date:   August 18, 2008           

 (Frankfort, KY)--The Kentucky Department of Travel wrapped up the summer phase of its “Discover Your Own Backyard” e-promotion with the selection of the sweepstakes grand prize winner.   A deluxe houseboat trip, provided by the State Dock on Lake Cumberland, was awarded to Milena Trent of Lawrenceburg, whose name was drawn at random from more than 15,000 registrants.

 Since May 1 there have been nearly 30,000 visits to the website that included the opportunity for Kentucky residents to register for daily prizes valued at $50 or more and to share recommendations for favorite Kentucky events and attractions through a link titled “Tell Us About It.”   The web site has been updated and now allows visitors to add personal photos of vacation spots around the state and to download coupons for various travel destinations in addition to personal accounts.

 The web site www.MyKentuckyBackyard.com was created to spur interest in events and attractions throughout Kentucky in light of the rise in the cost of gas.  Kentucky residents who registered for daily prizes listed on the web site from May through mid- August were eligible for the grand prize.
 
 “Kentuckians know Kentucky best,” said Mike Cooper, commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Travel.  “The web site has been a fun opportunity for people to share accounts of great places to visit in the commonwealth and try for a prize.  There is an endless supply of things to see and do in Kentucky and folks who have contributed to the web site have proven it over and over again.”

 Another contest on the site is “Where’s Pat?” a weekly quiz for participants to guess the whereabouts of Pat Stipes, who manages the broadcasting arena for the Travel Department.  Stipes is pictured at various attractions and events around the state and the first web site visitor to guess his whereabouts gets an “Unbridled Spirit” logo beach towel and two tickets to Diamond Caverns in Park City (www.diamondcaverns.com/).  To date more than 6,000 people have tried their hand at the guessing game.

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This “Discover Your Own Back Yard” travel column is produced twice monthly by the Department of Travel to help promote Kentucky events and travel destinations. For more information about these and other tourism opportunities, visit www.kentuckytourism.com

  The Kentucky Department of Travel, an agency of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet, exists to promote The Commonwealth as a travel destination, generate revenue and create jobs for Kentucky’s economy.