THUNDER RECEIVES TOURISM AWARD
2003-10-01T10:36:05THUNDER HONORED AS TOP 100 TOURISM EVENT
The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce that the American Bus Association (ABA) has selected Thunder Over Louisville as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2003 by an elite tourism industry selection committee. Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that Thunder Over Louisville "offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world," said an ABA spokesman.
"The attractiveness of Thunder Over Louisville as a don't-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the Kentucky Derby Festival," said Peter J. Pantuso, ABA's president and CEO. "The real news here is that Thunder Over Louisville has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Thunder an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners."
According to a study recently completed by researchers at The George Washington University, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from $5,000 to more than $11,000 in a local destination's economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.
"Simply put," said Pantuso, "motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer. That's why Thunder is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay."
ABA's 2004 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected Thunder Over Louisville from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and visitors bureaus. Judges considered the event's broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other relevant criteria. The Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau prepared the Thunder entry for submission this summer.
Thunder Over Louisville - the Derby Festival's Opening Ceremonies - is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The Festival entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two-week period and has a local economic impact of more than $90 million. Thunder alone contributes $31 million of that estimate to both sides of the Ohio River. It is the largest single-day event in the Southeast. Thunder 2003 was sponsored by Caesars Indiana, Ford Motor Company, UPS and Yum Brands!. The 2004 show is scheduled for Saturday, April 17 and will be the fifteenth annual production.
