This week, Representative Hal Rogers announced a $1.5 million POWER grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to go to Eastern Kentucky PRIDE to create a new tourism marketing campaign.
The campaign rebrands 41 counties, including Russell County, across Southern and Eastern Kentucky as “The Kentucky Wildlands.”
Congressman Rogers launched PRIDE in 1997 and says this grant helps advance tourism in Eastern Kentucky. According to Rogers, for every dollar spent on advertising, $151 is returned with visitor spending and over $15 in state and local revenue. The project establishes a marketing and branding plan, with $500,000 set aside for marketing the region, creating potential revenue of $75.5 million in both Southern and Eastern Kentucky.
