FRANKFORT, Ky. — Tourism efforts in Barren County and across the Cave Region are set to receive a boost.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday $2 million in statewide awards to 94 tourism marketing organizations in 82 counties through Team Kentucky’s Regional Marketing and Matching Funds Program.

The Cave Region, which includes Barren County and surrounding South Central Kentucky communities known for their cave systems, outdoor recreation, and attractions tied to the region’s karst landscape, was awarded $194,768 as part of the latest funding cycle.

Officials say the investment is designed to help local destination marketing organizations expand advertising, recruit visitors, and promote regional assets ranging from natural attractions to local events and small-town experiences.

“Kentucky Tourism is a $14.3 billion industry that is essential to our economy, our people and our future,” Beshear said in announcing the awards. “Team Kentucky is proud to support our hardworking tourism organizations with the resources they need to attract more people to our New Kentucky Home to visit, work and live.”

In the Cave Region, local tourism leaders say the funding is critical for maintaining visibility in a competitive travel market.

“For destination marketing organizations like mine that represent small towns, grants are an essential tool that support and sustain marketing efforts,” said Glasgow-Barren County Tourism Executive Director MacLean Lessenberry.

The program, administered by the Kentucky Department of Tourism, provides matching funds that allow local groups to develop targeted marketing campaigns, promote attractions, and bring visitors into their communities.

State officials say the effort is designed to amplify local storytelling while increasing tourism-driven economic activity.

The announcement comes as Kentucky continues to report record tourism performance in recent years, including billions in annual economic impact and steady growth in visitor spending and travel-related employment.

Tourism officials say investments like the Cave Region allocation are intended to build on that momentum by strengthening regional identities and encouraging longer stays from out-of-state and in-state travelers alike.