Department of Tourism
Nat'l Tourism Week to Kick Off with Community Improvement Conference

SOMERSET, Ky. – TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky and the Kentucky Tourism Council will sponsor a day-long “Celebration of Regionalization” in honor of National Tourism Week, May 12-20.

The event on Monday May 14 at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Ky. will feature presentations by Kentucky Tourism Commissioner Randy Fiveash, Marcheta Sparrow, president & CEO of the Kentucky Tourism Council and Vicki Kidd, president & CEO of TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

The event’s featured presentation is by Susan Miller, an author and international corporate trainer, who will speak on “Oomph Power! How to Get Re-Energized for Outrageous Success.”

The conference will also include informative sessions on community improvement initiatives under the C.I.T.Y. Program (Community Initiatives in Tourism for You) and “Let’s Paint the Town,” a pilot volunteer-based program.

The C.I.T.Y. program is intended to assist southern and eastern Kentucky downtowns in attracting people to live, work, shop and play. The program has secured more than $300,000 to begin revitalization efforts in the region’s downtowns. C.I.T.Y.-eligible projects include downtown/streetscape master plans, facade improvements and landscape projects, among others.

“Let’s Paint the Town” is a community based program to clean up, paint and revitalize communities in southern and eastern Kentucky. Annually, 20 projects will be eligible for the program with funding of as much as $3,000 each. Eligible projects under the program include new windows, signage, awnings planters and murals.

For more information on the conference contact Michelle Spencer at 606-677-6142.

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