PRESS RELEASE
Glasgow News 1
Both the Caveland Marketing Association as an organization earned a total of 23 awards in the prestigious Traverse Awards for Excellence in Kentucky Tourism Marketing during the annual Kentucky Travel Industry Association conference in Covington, Kent.
The Traverse Awards honor exceptional talent, creativity, and effectiveness in tourism marketing. This year, the area claimed three of the nine highest honors in the show.
Leading the way was Cave City Tourism, which was awarded the coveted Most Innovative distinction for its entry, “Guntown Mountain: Not a Ghost Town Anymore.” The entry was recognized for its creativity, which involved turning a long-time closed attraction into a Western themed movie set for a $9 million Lionsgate film production that filmed there in early 2024, creating over $3 million in economic impact. This accolade represents the second-highest honor in the show.
Other top awards were Awards of Distinction awarded to Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism for the entry “Pet Friendly Adventures” and Caveland Marketing Association for the entry “Curating Kentucky’s Caveland.”
“Pet Friendly Adventures” highlighted the agency’s usage of pet-friendly attractions for curated itineraries, creative blogs, and fun imagery. “Curating Kentucky’s Caveland” recognized a summer industry event where content-creators and media representatives speed dated with local attractions to gauge compatibility. Over 30 marketing partnerships were born from the event.
“With almost 250 entries from across Kentucky this year, we are deeply honored to receive such recognition at the statewide level. While accolades are not the reason we do what we do, they serve as a meaningful reminder of the impact our work has and inspire us to continue striving for excellence as we promote the three counties that share Mammoth Cave National Park.” said MacLean Lessenberry, president of Caveland Marketing Association.
Full list of Awards, Categories, and Correlated Organizations and Entry Names:
BRONZE:
● Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act: Edmonson County Tourism – Follow our
Family – Massey
● Out-of-Home: Edmonson County Tourism – Mural Masterpiece
● Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act: Caveland Marketing Association –
Caveland Marketing Association Refresh
● PR Initiative: Caveland Marketing Association – Caveland Exploration Celebration
● Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act: Cave Country Trails – Interactive
Mapping and Website
● Destination Management: Southern Kentucky Film Commission – The Hollywood No
One Expects
● Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act: Glasgow-Barren County Tourism –
Optimizing Lodging, SEO in Real Time
● Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act: Cave City Tourism and Munfordville
Tourism – Great Big KY Adventure
● Destination Management: Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism – Learn Here Field Trip
Assistance Program
● Digital: Glasgow-Barren County Tourism – Love the Trendy
● Out-of-Home: Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism – You’re Almost There Wayfinding
signage
● PR Initiative: Glasgow-Barren County Tourism – Bridgerton in the Barrens
● PR Initiative: Cave City Tourism and Munfordville Tourism – Great Big KY Adventure
multi
SILVER:
● Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act: Caveland Marketing Association –
Curating Kentucky’s Caveland
● Marketing Campaign: Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism – Targeting Adventurers (SEM)
GOLD:
● Destination Management: Cave City Tourism – Guntown Mountain: Not a Ghost Town
Anymore
● Digital: Cave City Tourism and Munfordville Tourism – Great Big KY Adventure Digital
● PR Initiative: Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism – Per Friendly Adventures
● Video or Podcast: Multi – Cave City Tourism and Munfordville Tourism – Great Big KY
Adventure Vaza Video
● Website: Multi – Cave City Tourism and Munfordville Tourism – Great Big KY
Adventure website
AWARDS OF DISTINCTION:
● Caveland Marketing Association – Curating Kentucky’s Caveland
● Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism – Pet Friendly Adventures
MOST INNOVATIVE:
● Cave City Tourism – Guntown Mountain: Not a Ghost Town Anymore
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