Louisville Honored by Kentucky Travel Industry for LGBTQ Efforts

Louisville Tourism was recognized at the Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s (KTIA) annual conference for creating one of the top PR campaigns in the state.

The first-place award honored Louisville’s LGBTQ Pride initiatives. It was presented during the conference’s annual Traverse Awards Gala, which honors travel professionals in Kentucky for their talents, creativity and effectiveness in marketing and public relations. The event was held Nov. 13-15 in Owensboro, Ky., and attended by hundreds of tourism leaders from across Kentucky.

Louisville Tourism’s campaign was launched in conjunction with National Pride Month this past June by the organization’s LGBTQ Task Force in an effort to spread awareness that the city is a welcoming and inclusive destination. The initiative included the debut of the organization’s first Pride logo, promotional items (including a t-shirt) and a regional Pride Festival blitz.

In addition to the Gold Award, the campaign raised funds for the Kentuckiana Pride Festival and earned Louisville the distinction of being named one of “Six Surprising Cities Great for LGBTQ Families” by Family Traveller.

The Pride campaign was also spotlighted by several national LGBTQ media outlets, including Passport Magazine, Edge Media Network and NewNowNext.

Louisville was acknowledged with an additional 12 awards, including its marketing efforts in social media, the Bourbon & Biscuits web series, Neighborhood Walking Tours, convention market mailers and more. “We are honored that the state recognized Louisville for a diverse array of its marketing and tourism initiatives, including receiving Gold for our Pride PR campaign,” says Karen Williams, President & CEO of Louisville Tourism. “This award further amplifies our message that we are a welcoming and inclusive destination.”

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