If 2020 could be considered a bad breakup for the Kentucky tourism industry, 2021 was a heck of a rebound. Local and outside visitors regained their travel confidence, taking to the state’s caves, trails and other tourist attractions in significant numbers.

Gov. Andy Beshear’s office announced that tourist visitation in Kentucky has recovered to 96% of 2019 pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent Tourism Economics study. This totaled 70.5 million visits, producing $808 million in state and local taxes and $462 in tax savings for each household in the state.

“There’s a lot of people wanting to get out,” said Molly Schroer, Mammoth Cave National Park public information officer.

At Mammoth Cave, tours are once again filling up every day and visitors are coming from near and far. After 2020 self-guided tours and other pandemic limitations reduced visitor numbers over the past few years, the normalcy is refreshing.

“We know that we are a big driver to this area just being a national park,” Schroer said. “We recognize the impact we have.”

In Hart County, 2021 tourism actually exceeded pre-pandemic levels, said Sandra Wilson, Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism executive director. Direct visitor spending was up 9% while total visitor spending was up about 5.5%, she added.

It was the best year ever for many of the area’s attractions, such as Hidden River Cave, whose popularity tripled based on the numbers, Wilson said.

One of the primary reasons behind the strong rebound is the unique offerings of southcentral Kentucky’s caves and natural attractions, Wilson said. Even if some were uncomfortable being too close to strangers or inside in 2021, “being able to be with your family and outside was a really good compromise,” she said.

“We were the right place at the right time.”

The recovery was no accident; Beshear highlighted $13 million in state investments in the tourism industry since the pandemic began, most of which were directed toward marketing efforts encouraging safe travel to Kentucky attractions. Horse Cave/Hart County actually increased their marketing in the past several years, Wilson said.

“I think that’s what marketing is all about,” she said. “If you expect a period of drop in tourism and stop marketing, you will have a drop.”

Supply chain issues and staffing shortages continue to complicate pandemic recovery, Wilson said, but for the most part, the region is faring well. While 2021’s steep increase has steadied, July 2022 was still Hart County’s second best July in history.

The strength of Kentucky’s relationship with tourism is nothing new.

“Tourism has been a given for us for such a long time,” Wilson said. “It’s just part of our culture here.”