Civil War activities key
Heritage tourism booming business
CWT, Kentucky surveys indicate

Heritage tourism is a booming business, something that holds true nationally, regionally and, specifically, in Kentucky.

A new study by the Civil War Trust (CWT) indicates that “the more there is for visitors to see and do, the longer they will stay in a historic community, increasing the economic impact of their visit.”

Findings in the CWT’s report, titled Blue, Gray & Green, show that the economic boosts are generated by Civil War sites year-round and particularly when hosting major events.

"Battlefields draw tourists whose spending supports nearby jobs and contributes tax revenue to state and local coffers,” according to survey principal Michele Archie. “And,” she added, “there’s evidence that Civil War Sites attract visitors who stay longer and spend more than the typical tourist.”

In Kentucky, during 2012, tourism amounted to more than $12.2 billion, a 4.4-percent increase from 2011. Direct tourism expenditures were $7.765 billion, up from $7.439 billion in 2011.

And, Civil War tourism is a key part of the increase, according to Marcheta Sparrow, recently retired secretary of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet.

“Civil War re-enactments make an important contribution to Heritage Tourism in Kentucky,” she said. “This up-close and personal type living history interpretation garners strong public interest  that will continue to grow as modern-day Americans make connections with their family roots.”

The annual Kentucky survey showed that tourism was responsible for 174,006 jobs in Kentucky in 2012 – an increase of 4,078 jobs from the previous year. These jobs generated more than $2.7 billion in wages for Commonwealth workers, an increase of nearly $117 million from the previous year.  In addition, tourism generated $1.227 billion in tax revenues for local and state governments in 2012, an increase from $1.223 billion in 2011. All nine Kentucky tourism regions showed gains for 2012.

The CWT survey notes that a typical family of four spends about $1,000 during a battlefield visit in categories including lodging, food, shopping, transportation and admissions. Much of this money is spent at local businesses, which reinvest these revenues in the community through payroll, rent, taxes and other expenses, multiplying the impact of tourist outlay.

On a larger scale, this means that the 15.8 million visitors to 15 National Park Service Civil War battlefields and historic sites across Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee spin off an annual economic contribution of more than $248 million to local communities, supporting 5,150 jobs.

In the current era of tight municipal budgets, this type of data can help communities determine the value of making an investment in sesquicentennial events, the CWT reports.

Beyond quantifying the economics of heritage tourism, the report also spells out other significant benefits that battlefields bring to their neighbors. The open space battlefields provide can enhance community vibrancy, making the area a desirable place to live, while boosting nearby property values and creating educational and recreational opportunities for residents of all ages.

In the Kentucky survey, Jefferson and Fayette Counties, not surprisingly, led the way with a combined $2.9 billion in travel spending.

The CWT report was produced by The Harbinger Consulting Group, which specializes in regional economic analysis in areas rich with cultural and environmental resources. The Kentucky study was conducted by Certec Inc. of Versailles.

The Civil War Trust is the nation’s largest non-profit battlefield preservation organization.